Putin lowers the nuclear threshold, as longrange missiles start to hit further inland

Major NATO emergency meeting on Ukraine Tuesday next week - hopefully some clarity from that.
(all in BBC newsfeed) www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cdj3kmel349t

I think Putin might have spent his budget more wisely if he had bought the same anti missile system used in Israel. Russia would then have some psychological comfort blanket against real or imagined threats posed by NATO countries. I wonder why he didn’t go for the simple option?

M0nica

Putin will not attack a NATO country. The results will be too disastrous for Russia.

That is the whole point - Putin is getting older and is sick - he does not care. That is what happens when proliferation allowed madmen to get their hands on nuclear weapons. It would not only be disastrous for Russia. And this is why some of us are truly concerned. And yes we do know there is nothing we can do about it. Which is even more concerning.

Been reading up on reactions from the USA. Actually very mixed, some Republicans support the move as strengthening Ukraine ahead of possible Trump involvement, some say US should never have gone in at all, some say they should have gone in harder and faster! Great concern about North Korea's involvement as Russia making concessions to N Korea.

thehill.com/homenews/4998825-us-ukraine-missile-policy-shift-biden-gop/

In our house we keep asking “if you keep poking the bear, what is likely to happen?”

Putin is clearly deranged. Remember the saying 'he who cares the least has all the power. Obviously everyone needs to tread carefully with him! I do not want war in this country.

Tread carefully, yes, give into his crazy expansionist power moves, no.

I don't think, with Iran/Russia and N Korea/Russia alliances (The Russian Federation is also the chief supplier of arms and weaponry to Iran), the idea that Trump is going to effect closure as easily as he apparently thinks. Iran is, for example, the major hostile nation to Israel, which Trump will support.

Tread carefully, yes. Give in/surrender, no. I never said to do that.

ronib

In our house we keep asking “if you keep poking the bear, what is likely to happen?”

If another bigger bear comes along with better teeth and more claws then the bear backs off.

UK confirms supply of Storm Shadow long-range missiles in Ukraine....bbc

They've been there for some time but only just started being used towards Russia itself although the news is confusing.

news.sky.com/story/ukraine-fires-uk-supplied-missiles-at-targets-inside-russia-13256037

Oreo. Three years down the line and the bigger bear, if there is one which I doubt, needs to step up now.

I guess WW111 then . Only way to beat the bear.

love0c I would prefer not

ronib I'm with you there! hence, I say tread carefully.

The bigger bear is all the Nato countries.
Rather than escalate a war the West chose wisely to help the side that was being attacked by the aggressive bear Putin but after years of getting nowhere we now see he’s lost a lot of teeth.
It’s surprising but there you go.
He’s unlikely to escalate and risk being at war with nato countries, all committed to backing each other, but if he’s really sick and delusional and goes ahead to attack a nato country then he’ll get his ragged furry arse well and truly kicked.

Oreo I admire your optimism. Russia is very well prepared and equipped for full scale war for reasons best known to them. Russia is effectively ruining the economic stability of the West and shows no signs of stepping back. This must mean that Russia feels strong enough to continue and to spread its fight. Wrong steps but ….

ronib

Oreo I admire your optimism. Russia is very well prepared and equipped for full scale war for reasons best known to them. Russia is effectively ruining the economic stability of the West and shows no signs of stepping back. This must mean that Russia feels strong enough to continue and to spread its fight. Wrong steps but ….

Are you joking?
Well equipped for a full scale war with nato countries?I think not!
Using crims from prisons and North Koreans to boost his feet on the ground in Ukraine.
Nothing to do with optimism just what I’ve been seeing hearing and reading.

Oreo I read somewhere that Russia and USA have equal amounts of long distance missiles. Putin wouldn’t be sabre rattling if the cupboard was bare.

The whole nuclear war discussion actually terrifies me. My initial thought was, with any luck , if they can keep holding it off, and we are both heading towards our eighties then it hopefully won't happen in our lifetimes. But then, my children, my grandchildren...............
I am powerless to do anything about it.
I know I am metaphorically burying my head in the sand but
the only way I can cope is by totally ignoring the whole thing.

I am more terrified by the game playing under way thus enabling Putin to turn the mechanics of his war to his own advantage. We have very simple thinking.

Putin started the game playing. There is no evidence he’s interested in stopping playing. No one should appease an out of control despot

Oreo

ronib

In our house we keep asking “if you keep poking the bear, what is likely to happen?”

If another bigger bear comes along with better teeth and more claws then the bear backs off.

Sometimes- and sometimes they decide to fight to the death- and in this case, could take us all down with them.

kwest, and I for one totally understands this.

Iam64 so how and when is Putin stopped? The game playing is very much in Putin’s favour. The West is being crippled very effectively by very high food and energy prices caused by this war.