What has been happening for several years now is that Vladimir Putin has been insisting on TWO Things :-
1) That the current Ukraine government, with Zelensky as its President, must carry out its OBLIGATIONS contained within the MINSK AGREEMENT which would include negotiations with the two Breakaway States of the Donetsk and Luhansk in the Donbas with the ultimate aim of revising/amending the current Ukraine Constitution. This Agreement was brokered by France, Germany and Russia back in 2015, and is UN RESOLUTION 2202 (2015). Zelensky has, up to now, NOT BEEN PREPARED to abide by the MINSK AGREEMENT.
2) That there must be NO MORE EXPANSION OF NATO ANY FURTHER TOWARDS RUSSIA. Therefore Ukraine CANNOT become a member of NATO. That is a RED LINE for Russia. The "West' and NATO have said, VERBALLY, in the past that they would not expand further East, and that was when NATO was further West than they are now !!! But the "West" and NATO have not kept to that previous Verbal agreement and have since moved FURTHER EAST.
That is why Vladimir Putin has been telling the likes of Joe Biden and company that Russia MUST NOW PUT THOSE ASSURANCES IN WRITING THAT NATO WILL NOT EXPAND INTO UKRAINE, because based on past experience, Russia cannot trust the word of the USA and NATO, etc, etc.
Russia has stated the valid principle that you cannot enhance the Safety/Security of one nation, i.e. Ukraine, at the EXPENSE of the Safety/Security of another nation, i.e. Russia.
So now what has happened is that Vladimir Putin has not received the co-operation of the West or Ukraine for either (1) OR (2). PLUS the fact that Zelensky had, over a year ago, placed his military on the contact line between Ukraine and the Donbas with the apparent intention of hostile action against the two breakaway states, which Russia warned him not to do because if he did Russia would not stand idly by, PRIMARILY because the peoples within the Donbas are Russian speaking, they have identities that Russia recognizes, and they wish to align themselves with Russia.
That is the main reason why Ukraine wants to be a member of NATO, because as a NATO member, if she enters into a military conflict with Russia, ALL the other NATO members are OBLIGATED TO COME TO HER ASSISTANCE MILITARILY. Needless to say, NO OTHER NATO member country wants to fight with Russia on Russia's doorstep which is PRIMARILY why they, in particular the USA, have not accepted Ukraine into NATO.
SO NOW ........ we've seen the Ukraine military dramatically stepping up their shelling into the Donbas area with serious casualties ensuing and tens of thousands of Russian speaking woman and their children fleeing from Donetsk and Luhansk across into the safety of Russia while the menfolk remain behind to protect their territory.
President Vladimir Putin just recently called together the Russian Security Council, the highest authority in Russia, and it was UNANIMOUSLY agreed that Russia would recognize the two breakaway states of the Donetsk and Luhansk. In so doing the leadership of those two states can now call on Russia for assistance should they want it. And I suspect that this is exactly what has happened and Russia has, in her own way, come to the assistance of those states.
I suspect that Zelensky will now be Shitting In His Pants because he is now ISOLATED and he is now facing a Russian presence in the Donbas, ALL ON HIS OWN, by a force that could wipe his military presence on the Donbas contact line off the face of the map .......
I suspect that Vladimir Putin has finally decided that "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH". He has got nowhere with the "West" regarding items (1) and (2) despite all of his efforts over the years in that regard. So he and his Security Council colleagues have stated that if the "West" wants to go ahead with their "dreaded(?)" sanctions then they must just do what they want to do. Russia is more than able to withstand them.
In fact, it will be Western Europe who will suffer the most if, for example, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is cancelled because the lead country in the EU, Germany, will suffer the most due to being cut off from the CHEAPEST GAS SUPPLY THAT SHE WOULD EVER BE ABLE TO GET, which is the supply from Russia, preferably via a long term supply contract.
Vladimir Putin couldn't Give A Fuck any more about that pipeline because it's construction cost has already been paid for from Russia's revenues from the very high oil and gas prices in recent times due, PRIMARILY, because that Biden Arsehole turned the USA from being energy independent and an oil exporter to a country now reliant on OIL IMPORTS !!!
AND, ...... the EU CABAL in Brussels told the member countries NOT to enter into long term gas supply contracts with Russia but rather buy their gas on the "SPOT MARKET". That Spot Price has an Oil Price component in its makeup. So a year ago the Spot Price was not that high. BUT NOW ...... with oil at around $100/barrel that Spot Price has gone up THROUGH THE ROOF and EU countries are now PAYING THROUGH THE NECK for their gas !!!! ...... Serves them F*CKING WELL RIGHT !!!
Vladimir Putin's Russia is supplying several Eastern countries, especially China, with large volumes of Natural Gas via Russia's own constructed pipelines, and is doing lucrative trades with other countries such as India. Russia is currently building a second gas pipeline to the East with another pipeline in the planning stages ........
So as I've mentioned before on this board, Russia has no wish or desire to invade and/or annex the WHOLE of Ukraine .... FOR WHAT PURPOSE, FOR WHAT GAIN ??? It's unbelievable how much BULLSHIT about a Russian Invasion of Ukraine has been pumped out by the Sycophantic, Leftist MSM and the Arseholes in the White House and, unfortunately, it has been swallowed by Brainwashed voters of the Demented Democrats !!!
There is nothing of any great substance that Russia wants or needs from Ukraine. Russia is more than self sufficient.
Vladimir Putin's primary concern is for the Russian speaking Ukrainians in the East of Ukraine and predominantly within the Donbas region centered within the two breakaway states. They are who he is prepared to protect, which is why he has always insisted on the IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MINSK AGREEMENT.
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