If we find there are war crimes happening ...

I do wonder how people in Russia will re-act when Putin's regime does collapse and they do get access to wider media sources - or indeed when their sons and grandsons return from being part of the Russian army in Ukraine and say what it is really like.

I see many Russians are fleeing russia through Finland for fear of Martial law.

This really is a battle between good and evil. It so overwhelmingly bad that it's easy to see that this madman's delusional incursion into another country simply must be stopped.
Imposing martial law in Russia might be a last straw for people there. I hope so. I saw that a Russian businessman has offered 1,000,000 dollar reward for capture of Putin. A start?

Have you seen the Russian propaganda version of events?

According to Lavrov's spokeswoman-

" Ukraine has been taken over by Nazi criminals and drug addicts who were committing genocide in the Dombass. They use the civilian population as human shields, hiding artillery in residential areas and killing their own people so they can blame it on Russia. The special forces are there to save the population, and restore the land to Russia as Ukraine is not a real country. "

It seems to us quite incredible to us that anyone could ever believe these evil lies, but we have not been living under the Putin regime for 22 years.

I heard a heart-rending account on the radio from an intelligent, well informed Russian woman, in despair because she could not convince her elderly mother that Putin's poisonous propaganda was all lies.

Surely he has committed a war crime, by invading a country without just cause, and murdering civilians in their beds.

Fears are growing Russia could impose martial law on the country after a wave of mass protests against the invasion of Ukraine.

In a society where protest against the Kremlin can result in tragic consequences for demonstrators, such a move would tighten restrictions even further – with speculation they would stretch to food and money.

Reports say thousands of people have fled after rumours about tough new laws grew this week.

It comes as Moscow took steps to restrict the ability of its citizens to try and flee the country, which has been battered by economic sanctions from the West in response to its war.

www.lbc.co.uk/news/russia-martial-law-putin-ukraine-invasion/

Putin is at war with children': Russian police detain 5 children for laying flowers at Ukrainian embassy

www.wionews.com/world/putin-is-at-war-with-children-russian-police-detain-5-children-for-laying-flowers-at-ukrainian-embassy-458420

What do we have to do to reach out to the sane people within reach of Putin?

I do wonder whether they are also concerned about his state of mind.

DH and I were just discussing the fact that if he dropped dead tomorrow, people all over the world would celebrate.

Its not a nice thought, but its true.

Putin is obviously ill………..is looking very puffy about the face, maybe he is terminally ill………

I don’t know whether he’s terminally ill or not, but (and I would never normally think this) I rather hope he is. The world would be a lot better off without him in it, in my opinion.

Why did he manage to sit so close to Imran Khan?

Putin is paranoid about catching COVID, as a result he lives almost in solitary confinement - and have you seen those ludicrous tables he holds meetings at?

There was the one just before the war started when he was filmed meeting with his ministers, the table was about 15-20 feet long, oval ornate, painted white and, I think, gilded, real comic opera stuff. The Minsters were clustered up one end and he was the other.

The second table is as long, if not longer, and very narrow. When I saw it first with 4-6 people sitting opposite each other one end, I though one must be Putin, but then the camera panned up the table, for what looked like hundreds of yards and there, a pinprick on the horizon was Putin.

If anyone doubts that Putin is off his trolley, these two tables prove it..

Yes, that's what I understand MOnica. A no fly zone would have to be policed, presumably by NATO members, and as soon as the NFZ was enforced by shooting down a Russian plane, then Russia would declare itself at war against NATO with NATO being the instigator. From what I have read from various sources, many military and political pundits think this is Putin's aim. I did hear a bit of an interesting report on R4 this morning; basically, all the Putin inner circle, the people with yachts, villas, properties in many cities, children in UK schools, wives with accounts at Harrods etc., now stand to lose a great deal, their lives now will be Russia only, not what they and their families are used to, it was described as being trapped in a rich North Korea. It is hoped they will be the ones to 'persuade' Putin, presumably with the help of CIA, MI5 types. Putin is obviously ill, he is erratic, rants for hours, and is looking very puffy about the face, maybe he is terminally ill and as far as he sees it, has nothing to lose as he tries to cement his place in history.

DaisyAnne There was a senior British Generl on theradio this morning. He explained that if we had a no-fly zone, the Russians would undubtedly ignore it. NATO, aircraft (probably British and American) would then have to enforce it, which would result in air conflict between Russians and NATO. Under article 5 of the NATO treaty other NATO members would have to get involved and this would lead to WW3 between Russia and NATO. The territory of all NATO countries woukd then be enemy territory and we can be pretty sure that Putin would not hesitate to use nuclear missiles to hit the US and many countries in Western Europe.

Indeed , it could be argued that this is exactly what Putin wants, which is why it is so necessary to avoid it.

If we did that

Sending you hugs DaisyAnne - I dont want to fall out with anyone. There is enough misery in the world.

That was a plural "you" that should have been a "we" Purplepixie. Time for coffee, I think.

DaisyAnne - Why do I need Leadership?

If he was nuked then maybe it would stop him from pressing that red button and killing millions?

Plus - NO need for the sarcasm

I would be quite happy not to live in "historic times" from now on, DaisyAnne.

I think you need leadership not equal madness Purplepixie. What do you think would happen if he was "nuked".

We do seem to have lived through a lot of history all in one go, don't we.

The world watched as Hitler rose to fame all those years ago and said it would never happen again - well what is happening now? How can this happen in this day and age? Why hasn’t someone nuked the little buggar by now? All these questions and still we have to go on and try not to worry. We have just come through Covid, Brexit and Boris and now this!

From the Economist:

"There is no serious doubt that Russia has broken international law in Ukraine. The ICC came into force in 2002 to prosecute four main crimes: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression. There is prima facie evidence that Russia has committed at least three of those. Under the ICC statutes, war crimes include wilful killing, wilfully causing great suffering and the destruction and appropriation of property. These are also “grave breaches” of the Geneva Conventions which Russia has signed and which define international legal obligations not just in wars but in military actions where war has not been formally declared (as in Ukraine). These “grave breaches” provide the legal definition of war crimes under the Conventions. Crimes of aggression, according to the ICC, include invasion, military occupation, the annexation of land, bombardment, and the blockade of ports. And the ICC defines crimes against humanity as participation in and knowledge of “a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population”."

But how you bring anyone to court is more difficult.

varian

All my life I have been a great supporter of the UN but I have just realised that there is a serious flaw in the UN constitution in that no member of the Security Council can be expelled from the Security Council without a unanimous vote of the members of the Security Council.

How was that clause ever approved?

It is obvious that a rogue member of the Security Council, like Russia, is never going to vote to expel itself.

I don't know but surely that clause would mean a unanimous vote by all the other members not including the one to be expelled? Otherwise it would just be silly.

It seems quite reasonable to me. Certain practices: the use of rape as a weapon, certain types of weapons: chemical weapons for example are considered beyond even use in war and their is an international court behind these bans who will prosecute anyone uses them and have managed to convict and imprison enough people for anyone using them to know what could happen to them.

The more who are caught and convicted the stronger the court is seen. it will never stop every use of these weapons, but it will reduce their use.

I’ve never quite understood how there can be a set of rules about warfare.

That's a good summary M0nica. Things seem to have changed over the years but these people must live very secret lives knowing one day someone may/will catch up with them.

WWM, that's what they are asking about the troops surrounding Kyiv. They either sit outside and starve them out or they flatten it. Now I may not be anxious but that brings me to tears. It's especially sad when you see those brave people trying to stop the Russian convoy by standing in front of it. So, I would ask another question, could we do a modern Berlin Air Lift if we can't call a no-fly zone?

The people in Russia could and probably would do more but they are not getting the truth and however much you doubt what you are being told you are bound to absorb some of it - that's why they do it.