This scares me about Putin.

The problem with the eastern sea access is that it is so remote and apart from Vladivostok, mostly uninhabited.

This is why Russia has always looked to the west.

I think that Putin's issue is his politcal isolation- when you surround yourself with yes men (saying no to Putin risks being pushed from hotel windows or worse being dosed with novichok or polonium) you lose your political perspective.

He has to appear strong, even if he isn't, because that's what the Russian people like in their leaders.

The fact that he's always consolidated his power by sneaky dodgy alliances with corrupt states shows his weakness.

I doubt very much that Trump would be that stupid Wyllow3 - of course Russia must have free access to the sea from the East. Why on earth would it not? Putin will never agree to a deal which disadvantages the country.

keepingquiet

M0nica

ronib

I must admit Monica there’s undeniable logic in your comment. I have been reading Pravda online and see that Russia has amassed huge gold reserves in the hope of reducing America to a regional power. I really for the life of me cannot imagine what Russia’s end goal is.

World domination.

Not so. Ukraine has always been important to Russia due to its position on the Black sea. This is why Crimea has always been of strategic importance.

Russia has few effective sea ports- it has kept Kalliningrad but Russia has issues with its own vast geography. Those sea ports are incredibly important for trade, even or more especially, today.

This is why we must protect the Baltic states too.

If Putin had attempted to negotiate sensibly with these countries intead of going on a one-man mission to gain the sea access he craves things may be very different.

He took a massive risk and could never have taken Ukraine by force.

He underestimated the will and strength of NATO.

Tactically this is spot on as to the land which Russia hopes to incorporate permanently - and always has. I have no doubt that the "Deal" Trump will try to enforce will mean the loss of the sea access to the East.
I dont know whether initially Putin hope the quickly overrun the whole of the Ukraine, it certainly looked that way and was why NATO and to give credit the UK acted as it did at the time.

Putin, btw, has not now just involved North Korean Troops but mercenaries, troops from the Yemeni, lured by promises of for them, high wages, under very dodgy links with Houthi groups (Financial Times).

Is it just me or is he getting to look more and more like Khrushchev? I wonder what, exactly, he tells the Russian populace? No doubt a very different story.

M0nica

ronib

I must admit Monica there’s undeniable logic in your comment. I have been reading Pravda online and see that Russia has amassed huge gold reserves in the hope of reducing America to a regional power. I really for the life of me cannot imagine what Russia’s end goal is.

World domination.

Not so. Ukraine has always been important to Russia due to its position on the Black sea. This is why Crimea has always been of strategic importance.

Russia has few effective sea ports- it has kept Kalliningrad but Russia has issues with its own vast geography. Those sea ports are incredibly important for trade, even or more especially, today.

This is why we must protect the Baltic states too.

If Putin had attempted to negotiate sensibly with these countries intead of going on a one-man mission to gain the sea access he craves things may be very different.

He took a massive risk and could never have taken Ukraine by force.

He underestimated the will and strength of NATO.

ruthiek

It is now over 2million and climbing , but Labour will ignore it sadly

So will everyone else. Post Brexit the petition to reverse it was over 5 million but no one took any notice.

Maybe we should have a referendum on the Labour government? It is called a general election and we just had one but don't worry, you'll get the chance to vote again in five years.

I had to wait 14...

It is now over 2million and climbing , but Labour will ignore it sadly

This, yes.

I think there's a lot more to fear from Putin and when Trump comes into power we have two maniacs governing the world's 2 largest powers.

Witzend

Everything about Putin scares me. Evil man.

I love it when someone speaks the Truth, unfortunately most people can't handle the Truth the result is predictable.

Cheers

It was over 2 million today

Everything about him scares me.

Probably Russia will try this, but if their cyber attacks on Great Britain are as inefficient as their attempts to hack Denmark and Germany's railway controls, blow up Nordstream etc. I don't think you need to worry too much..

However, it does no harm to be prepared, so make sure you have printed copies of any and all information that is usually online (prescriptions, income tax etc. etc. an up-to-date bank balance ) and phone numbers of all the official offices you have got used to dealing with online.

Withdraw some cash at the beginning of December and put it in a safe place in your home (but not so safe a place, that, like my late mother, you cannot remember where the safe place is.)

If you have a wood-burner, order a load of logs, if calor gas heaters as back-up, make sure you have a couple of full gas bottles.

The so-called cyber experts in Russia haven't yet managed to totally incapacitate the Ukranian systems, so what makes you think they can penetrate the British?

Iam64 tanks on lawns is not the way the EU operates as well you know!! Much more subtle than that.

the eu is busy expanding itself
Which sovereign countries have EU tanks on their lawns

I don't think Putin is "evil" as such. At heart he's the same as most politicians. Tells himself he's acting in the interests of his people, bungles it up, then goes on a face-saving mission that even he wishes he wasn't on. I am sure he wishes he could turn back the clock to before he invaded Ukraine

Petition for a general election now stands at 2,107,820 and counting!

I think the biggest fear we should have is the slowing down of the AMOC

Russia has not been expansionist, Putin saw NATO and the EU as expansionist recruiting Ukraine.

When it comes to world domination it’s China we should be concerned about allied with Russia makes that more of a threat.

M0nica world domination seems a step too far. Putin was very clear in the initial statement about his intentions and he gave very limited objectives some of which have been achieved. I don’t recall world domination being mentioned. The EU is busy expanding itself though.

ronib

I must admit Monica there’s undeniable logic in your comment. I have been reading Pravda online and see that Russia has amassed huge gold reserves in the hope of reducing America to a regional power. I really for the life of me cannot imagine what Russia’s end goal is.

World domination.

“One of those states is Ukraine. Why did Russia not respect their sovereign status up to ts border? Why did it feel, while others should ot encroach on Russi, it was free to walk into other countries and try and take them over.”

Russia was content with Ukraine being neutral but them Ukraine wanted to join the EU and NATO, so Russia would loose its military bases in Crimea so that was annexed, anti Russian sentiment escalated from that and it all spiraled down from there.

Russia launched the “special operation” expecting Ukraine to crumble, even with the very limited weaponry Ukraine had the repulsed most of that assault. The Russians were able to reinforce the army Help for Ukraine was very slow coming.

Now it is imperative to disengage the armies Russia is struggling it cannot match NATO modern weapons but on the battlefield it’s going to be very costly to retake the occupied land.

The risk of attacks on NATO members is now high and the use of nuclear weapons cannot be ruled out, its ti e to stop the fighting before it spreads and gets much worse.

Thank you. I think it will do two journeys on the battery then it stops.

gentleshores some stairlifts operate on an emergency battery so ask your lift service provider if you are worried about power outages.

It is a bit scary yes - I was more scared about the idea WW3 might start - why on earth did we and other countries allow our weapons to be fired into Russia? France and the Us did too - talk about poking a bear with a stick. And a bear that feels threatened as well.

What I read was that we were prepared for electric grids going down or whatever. But to be on the safe side, I dug out our box of candles so they could be easily found in the dark! And put a torch in each room. My main problem would be the stairlift wouldn't work!! I'd be stuck either upstairs or downstairs.