• Are you aware of the context behind the war? The history of fascism in Ukraine since World War 2? The continued ignoring of Russia’s security demands (very reasonable ones by the standards of a massive country) by NATO? The history of illegal NATO invasions and war crimes? The US-planned fascist coup in 2014? The almost decade-long mass slaughter of the people in the Donbas? It’s also worth pointing out that Russia refused to recognize the independence of the Donbas republics for eight years, only advocating for autonomy within Ukraine after the fascist coup. What exactly do you think Russia should have done in this case? War is terrible, yes, but it’s also the only option sometimes.

    • StugStig@lemmygrad.ml
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      1 year ago

      Ukraine launched their ATO in 2014 and the JFO in 2018. Ukraine did make the first strike as inconvenient that fact might seem to some.

      Donbass had no say in Maidan nor did they vote for Poroshenko. The LPR and DPR asked to become part of Russia. The Minsk accords asking for autonomy within Ukraine was a compromise Putin wanted not them. Putin jailed anyone agitating for full-on direct intervention or even just aiding the Donbass republics, which is why February last year took some Russian commentators by surprise. The treatment of Strelkov pretty much supports the theory that initially, Donbass wishing to become part of Russia was an inconvenience to Putin.

      Georgia’s invasion of South Ossetia set the precedent that it doesn’t really matter who the aggressor is. The western media is simply unconditionally against Russia.

    • Addfwyn@lemmygrad.ml
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      1 year ago

      Ukraine didn’t ask to be invaded, or make the first strike in this warz they’re being invaded by an agresssor and are defending themselves.

      I will take your position in good faith and just assume you are very misinformed. Not entirely your fault, if you only started paying attention to the region in the past couple of years this is exactly the narrative that has become mainstream.

      A lot of the underlying circumstances of the war date back to 2014 (and earlier, but we will try to keep a fairly tight time frame here). A more pro-Russian leader (Yanukovych) was elected by the people, which they US obviously did not want, so a US-backed coup was staged. Surprising nobody, this is US Foreign Policy 101. You can read about Victoria Nuland for more specifics, but there are leaked phone calls of her explicitly selecting the next leader of the country which ended up being Poroshenko. The new administration rolled back several amendments to the constitution and began a widespread crackdown on its political opponents (specifically anyone with Communist ties or leanings) and banned anyone from any communist party of holding office. The crackdown renamed thousands of streets and cities named after famous communists and removed many statues of the same. Even the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic flag was banned. Totally not fascist.

      The above was, incidentally, when Russia first become involved, which led to the annexation of Crimea that you are probably familiar with. It is also when the Ukrainian military began shelling Donetsk and Luhansk due to pro-Russian movements there.

      Interestingly, a lot of western sources were much more open about fascist elements in Ukraine and crimes comitted thereof, because they did not have the vested interest in hushing those things like they do now. In the years leading up to the current operation, you can find many stories from the New York Times or Washington Post harping on Azov and neonazi elements in Ukraine, it wasn’t a secret but people were just not paying attention to Ukraine at that point.

      You don’t need to take my word from it, but I do encourage you to do your own reading. Please let me know if you need any suggested sources and I will be glad to provide some.

    • raunz
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      1 year ago

      Certainly not. They have the right to defend themselves at the very least

      • lemmyseizethemeans@lemmygrad.ml
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        1 year ago

        Who is ‘they’? Guess you don’t mean the native Russian speakers in Donbass who were told ok your political parties are now all illegal and you have to submit to Goldman Sachs and black rock corporate takeover of your resources?

        Seriously look at the polls of actual Ukranians. They’re not a monolith. Eye opening

        • raunz
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          1 year ago

          They as in Ukrainians, as is clear from the context.

          the native Russian speakers in Donbass who were told ok your political parties are now all illegal and you have to submit to Goldman Sachs and black rock corporate takeover of your resources?

          Citation needed

          Seriously look at the polls of actual Ukranians. They’re not a monolith. Eye opening

          I know polls. The ones I’ve seen suggest that the majority of Ukrainians want to fight until victory and no territorial concessions. Obviously you’ve seen diffent polls.

          Point still stands, THEY have a right to defend themselves.

            • raunz
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              1 year ago

              Citation provided

              So it seems like nobody was told to submit to Blackrock. Instead Zelenskyy asked for investment money and got it.

              And further about the idea it is a monolith here’s the polling data

              Have you actually read the article and linked poll? What’s the point you’re trying to make? Seems pretty unrelated to what I said before.

              So do Ukrainian citizens in Donbass who are being shelled by Azov Nazis have the right to defend themselves?

              Yes.

              • lemmyseizethemeans@lemmygrad.ml
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                1 year ago

                So Zelinski makes all the leftist parties illegal and agrees to sell off all the public resources to Goldman Sachs and that’s a win. Hoo Ray. Goooo western corporate capitalism! Maybe they can end up like LA or Portland with a massive homeless population but lots of profit for the investors.

                The polls are interesting. They show Ukraine is not a monolith so when you say ‘they’ have a right to defend ‘themselves’ you need to define which ‘they’. Also no polling data at all from Crimea which is suddenly the new thing that needs to be ‘saved’ even tho most of those folks (90%) wanted to join Russia.

                In the end it doesn’t matter. It’s a war bet capitalists and everyone loses except Lockheed, US LNG exporters etc. It’s a big win for them.