# Russia invades Ukraine -- The regional situation **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2023, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349 "2023-12-30T18:43:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2024, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/321 "2024-05-15T19:34:44Z")
It’s not part of the Balkans either? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2024, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/322 "2024-05-15T19:49:16Z")
Actually, you’re right. Slovenia is a Balkan nation; Slovakia is firmly Central Europe. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2024, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/323 "2024-05-15T22:48:55Z")
Slovakia is a member of NATO. Their PM is pro Russian and quite outspoken. ABC nightly news had video of the shooting. The person was immediately taken down and cuffed. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2024, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/324 "2024-05-15T23:35:09Z")
I believe you missed an “not” between “is” and “a” in your second sentence, but then it is correct.\* Slovenia is the one former Yugoslav Republic that is not balcanic. It was also the first one of the former Yugoslav Republics to break free of Yugoslavia and it was OK: it did not trigger a civil war. Serbia did not fight against this so that Montenegro, Macedonia (sorry: FYROM), Kosovo, and so on did not get drawn into a/the conflict. When Croatia did the same a bit later Serbia did react (or was it just the fool Milosevic and Karadcic and their cronies? Huh… Russia was involved in that too, as was the Orthodox Church. And Germany and the USA and NATO, all quite complex) and the other republics-to-be of the Balcans were drawn into a nasty civil war. Which shows that Croatia is a Balcan country, which was clear anyway. It would not be the first time a World War starts in the Balcans, but it has never taken this long. Or has it? I guess it depends on when you start counting. Ah! And thanks for the **fuck that guy** link! _It ought to be a crime_… funny and fitting! In Robert Fico’s case I think he is a criminal. “Not he only one” is no excuse. Fuck him! Now a lot depends on who the shooter was and what propaganda from all sides makes of that. He was taken alive and is in the hands of the Slovenian security forces. Aha. We’ll see. \*My excuses if I am wrong, I frankly believe I am not, therefore I took the liberty to point this out as a certaint fact. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2024, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/325 "2024-05-15T23:52:25Z")
I hope that the Slovenian authorities actually go to the trouble to figure out who he is, why he did it, and whom (if anyone) he’s working with, rather than just rushing straight to a show trial and public execution. Conclusive information, whichever way it goes, will be to the benefit of everyone, here. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2024, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/326 "2024-05-16T02:10:46Z")
Note to the two posters above; Slovakia NOT Slovenia. ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2024, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/327 "2024-05-16T02:56:59Z")
Let’s call the whole thing off? ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2024, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/328 "2024-05-16T09:28:54Z")
I was answering to **Stranger\_On\_A\_Train** , who mentioned both Slovenia and Slovakia, but still got it completely wrong. Never mind, my mess. Was not in form yesterday evening, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2024, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/329 "2024-05-16T22:49:32Z")
And I wasn’t sure at first, so I double-checked the previous post. Oops. Regardless, I hope they do a real, fact-oriented investigation. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/330 "2024-05-19T18:00:17Z")
Nice boost for Ukrainian morale and pride. There have been setbacks at the front for the last couple weeks. Ukraine needed some good news. > **[‘Proud and happy’: Ukrainians embrace Oleksandr Usyk’s boxing victory](https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/19/ukraine-kyiv-kharkiv-reaction-oleksandr-usyk-boxing-champion)** > > People in Kyiv and Kharkiv celebrate win in world heavyweight unification fight as symbolic achievement for the country ---
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/331 "2024-05-20T16:55:37Z")
UK MP Grant Shapps talks about supporting Ukraine for the next 6 years. Seems like a general expectation that this war is going to go on for a long time. > Putin’s total mobilisation of his economy is simply not sustainable. And he knows it. > > If all allies match the UK’s pledge to maintain support to Ukraine for the next 6 years we can exploit this weakness & make it impossible for the Russian economy to maintain its war effort. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2024, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/332 "2024-05-24T13:04:03Z")
Russia seems to have escalating it’s micro-aggressions around the borders of NATO recently. > **[Russia's removal of Estonian border markers 'unacceptable' - EU](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c899844ypj2o)** > > A total of 24 buoys on the Estonian-Russian border were removed on Thursday, Estonian officials say. There have been loads of little examples of this. Anders Puck Nielsen did an interesting video recently about how Russia will challenge and try to weaken NATO through minor provocations. We already know how risk averse the West has been and Putin is playing on that. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZY7GPBSyONU/maxresdefault.jpg "NATO-Russia war: Can it really happen?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY7GPBSyONU) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2024, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/333 "2024-05-24T16:18:00Z")
New story and thread for it on Putin’s request for a ceasefire. > [@Putin Has Called for a ceasefire. With--certain provisos. NEWSLINK](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putin-has-called-for-a-ceasefire-with-certain-provisos-newslink/1002029): > > Not a truce. And he gets to keep the land he stole. He wants to catch a breath, then start again. [NEWSLINK ONE](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-wants-ukraine-ceasefire-current-frontlines-sources-say-2024-05-24/)[NEWSLINK TWO](https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/05/24/putin-ready-for-ceasefire-in-ukraine-on-current-frontlines-report-says-heres-what-russia-would-gain/?sh=27e583c162fe) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/334 "2024-05-25T13:38:00Z")
This is a great way of punishing Russia and supporting Ukraine. Russia should pay reparations for the damage they’ve inflicted. The plan isn’t seizing Russian money. It’s collateral for a loan that will be repaid after the war. Assuming that Ukraine is still a independent country. I’m not knowledgeable about the legality. Banking and finance isn’t known for sentimentality and righteousness. What happens if Ukraine is overrun and occupied by Russia? > **[Hopes grow of G7 deal to support Ukraine with $300bn in frozen Russian assets](https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/25/hopes-grow-of-g7-deal-to-support-ukraine-with-300bn-in-frozen-russian-assets)** > > Foreign ministers confident of agreement to use bank assets as security for Ukraine reconstruction loan > [@](#): > > Hopes of a multi-country deal to use $300bn of Russian state assets frozen in the European banking system to support [Ukraine](https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) have grown after it emerged that G7 ministers were confident of overcoming technical and political obstacles at a meeting in northern Italy on Saturday. > > The Canadian finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, said she was optimistic that G7 leaders would reach an agreement, as support coalesced around a plan to use frozen Russian central bank assets as security for a $50bn (£39bn) loan. > > Finance ministers from the Group of Seven nations gathered in Stresa, [Italy](https://www.theguardian.com/world/italy), have been in discussions to thrash out a plan to present to national leaders for final agreement at a summit in mid-June. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/335 "2024-05-26T23:50:13Z")
What does the Russia/Chinese alliance mean for Ukraine? Can China supply them enough weapons to ensure victory? (The article does talk about Trump, but it also covers their closeness.) > **[Are Russia and North Korea planning an ‘October surprise’ that aids Trump?](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/are-russia-north-korea-planning-october-surprise-aids-trump-rcna153828)** > > U.S. officials are bracing for Pyongyang to take military actions close to the U.S. presidential election, possibly at the urging of Vladimir Putin. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2024, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/336 "2024-05-27T13:14:22Z")
Cite that China is supplying weapons, at all? So far as I know, that’s one line that they’ve been careful to stay short of. There might be a few small leaks by isolated individuals, and China has supplied some general-use things that can be repurposed in weapons, but they’re not, as a nation, supplying actual weapons. Remember, China is out for what’s good for China. Having a large neighbor that’s so desperate that they’ll sell you lots of fossil fuels for bargain-basement prices is good for China. Having a large neighbor with lots of military strength and irrational expansionist tendencies is not good for China. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/337 "2024-05-27T14:08:35Z")
I can give you a [cite by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken from ten days ago](https://www.bbc.com/news/60571253) in an interview with the BBC stating that > “What’s not happening is the provision of actual arms by China to Russia for use in Ukraine.” > > However, China has been accused of building up Moscow’s war machine by providing critical components. > > Mr Blinken said: “Those are being used to help Russia on what’s an extraordinary crash course effort to make more munitions, tanks, armoured vehicles, missiles.” ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2024, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/338 "2024-05-27T23:29:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Having a large neighbor with lots of military strength and irrational expansionist tendencies is not good for China. I don’t think Putin could survive a two-front war. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2024, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/339 "2024-05-27T23:38:53Z")
Unfortunately, neither would the world, because it would inevitably go nuclear. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/340 "2024-05-28T00:07:37Z")
Yeah, that’s my point. China doesn’t care about “would the other guy lose?”. Of course Russia would lose. The problem is that everyone, including China, might lose. And being rational and sane, Xi doesn’t want that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349.md?page=18)