Ukraine

First topic message reminder :

Today is first anniversary of the ahem, "special operation" that Russia has mounted against Ukraine. Been several excellent documentaries on it, the BBC Panorama one on Tuesday was superb.
Horrendous what that utter $%"^ Putin is doing.

Can only hope Western backing doesn't diminish. There is opposition to support America is giving from the Republican party apparently. Without support from Nato countries Ukraine won't win, even with it's going to be another brutal year at least.

Ukraine going into Russian territory is ramping things up even more. An ex head of MI6 on radio just now thinks it will end at some stage in a "discussion" as he called it so whether that is a compromise we'll see.

With everyday life going on elsewhere it's almost easy to forget the war there still ongoing as brutal as ever. Kind of puts any minor issues into perspective.

It's certainly one way of trying to cut through the Russian State media/propaganda that it's all sweetness and light on the front lines in the Donbas. Re. the Russian propaganda to their own people on this, just been reading 'Boys in Zinc' by Svetlana Alexievich (would recommend it) which has many relevant echos from history and suggests little has changed.

I don't think Putin can/will swallow his pride on his own, so even though this appears a temporary success for Ukraine, I'm not sure what it's worth in the long run.