Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
US PRESIDENT JOE Biden has for the first time accused Vladimir Putin’s forces of committing genocide in Ukraine, where Russia is intensifying its campaign to take the strategic port city of Mariupol.
Biden’s accusation comes as Moscow – already accused by the West of widespread atrocities against civilians – is feared to be readying a massive onslaught across Ukraine’s east that Washington warned might involve chemical weapons.
“Yes, I called it genocide,” Biden told reporters, hours after employing the term during a speech in Iowa – its first use by a member of his administration.
“We’ll let the lawyers decide internationally whether or not it qualifies, but it sure seems that way to me,” Biden said. “It’s become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of even being able to be a Ukrainian.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskuy – who has repeatedly accused Moscow of attempted “genocide” – swiftly responded by tweeting at Biden: “True words of a true leader.”
“Calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil,” Zelenskyy wrote – renewing his appeal for more heavy weapons to “prevent further Russian atrocities”.
Biden had previously described Putin as a “war criminal” as the discovery of hundreds of civilians reportedly killed in Bucha, outside Kyiv, sparked global revulsion.
But he had stopped short of using the term “genocide,” in line with longstanding US protocol, because of its strict legal definition and the heavy implication the accusation carries.
Tunnel warriors
While the toll on towns occupied during the month-long offensive to take Kyiv like Bucha is still coming to light, the heaviest civilian toll is feared to be in Mariupol, where Zelenskyy said he believed Russia had killed “tens of thousands”.
Moscow is believed to be trying to connect occupied Crimea with Russian-backed separatist territories Donetsk and Luhansk in Donbas, and has laid siege to the strategically located city.
Experts say its fall is inevitable, but as fighting drags toward its seventh week, the Ukrainian army is still clinging on.
Today, the Land Forces of Ukraine said on Telegram that air strikes on the city continued, particularly targeting its port and the huge Azovstal iron and steel works.
The latter maze-like complex has been a focus of urban resistance in Mariupol, with fighters using a tunnel system below the vast industrial site to slow Russian forces down.
“It’s a city within a city,” said Eduard Basurin, a representative for pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Donetsk region.
There are several underground levels that date back to Soviet times which you can’t bombard from above. You have to go underground to clean them out, and that will take time.
Above ground, AFP journalists in Mariupol as part of a Russian military embed saw the charred remains of the city, including the theatre where 300 people were feared killed in Russian bombardment last month.
Reports emerged on Monday from Ukraine’s Azov battalion that a Russian drone had dropped a “poisonous substance” in the area, with people experiencing respiratory failure and neurological problems.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was unable to confirm the allegations, but that Washington had “credible information” Russia might use tear gas mixed with chemical agents in the besieged port.
The world’s chemical weapons watchdog said it was “concerned” by the unconfirmed reports coming from Mariupol, and was “monitoring closely”.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby warned the use of such weapons by Moscow would “elicit a response not just from the United States, but from the international community,” without elaborating.
‘Devil incarnate’
Heavy bombardment continued across the east as civilians were urged to flee ahead of an expected Russian troop surge around the Donbas region, notably near the town of Izyum.
US private satellite firm Maxar Technologies published images it said showed ground forces moving towards Russia’s border with Ukraine, likely in preparation for an offensive.
In Ukraine, Maxar said it had noted convoys of military equipment travelling in and near the Donbas region – adding they comprised of around 200 vehicles including tanks, artillery and armoured personnel carriers.
Heeding the calls from authorities to flee, a steady stream of residents left by bus and train from the cities of Kramatorsk and neighbouring Sloviansk.
Kramatorsk is the Ukrainian military’s main hub for its operations in the east, and so potentially a key target.
“What is happening is inhuman, (Putin) is a fascist. I don’t know what to call him – a devil incarnate,” said 82-year-old Valentina Oleynikova, who was fleeing the city with her husband.
With little hope of a quick end to fighting, Putin pledged Moscow would proceed on its own timetable, rebuffing repeated international calls for a ceasefire.
“Our task is to fulfil and achieve all the goals set, minimising losses. And we will act rhythmically, calmly, according to the plan originally proposed by the General Staff,” he told a news conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
‘They will remember’
Putin also dismissed as “fake” claims that hundreds of civilians were killed in Bucha under Russian occupation.
Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk said more than 400 people had been found dead after Moscow’s forces withdrew, and 25 women reported being raped, as the town prepares for the return of residents who fled the fighting.
“What people will find in their homes is shocking, and they will remember the Russian occupiers for a very long time,” he said.
In nearby Gostomel, war crimes investigators were beginning a grim probe, exhuming bodies to document the cause of death.
One of those was that of the mayor, who the council said was “handing out bread to the hungry” when he was shot by Russian forces.
His is among the fates that are known.
“The town council has counted the number of missing at up to 400,” said regional prosecutor Andriy Tkach. “Perhaps not all the bodies are found.”
Zelenskyy sounded the alarm yesterday about growing allegations of rape and sexual assault by Russian forces.
“Hundreds of cases of rape have been recorded, including those of young girls and very young children. Even of a baby,” the Ukrainian leader told Lithuanian lawmakers via video link.
Ukraine said today it was halting all humanitarian corridors allowing for the evacuation of civilians and accused Russian forces of violating agreements to allow people to flee.
“Unfortunately, we are not opening them today. The situation along the routes is too dangerous and we are forced to refrain from opening humanitarian corridors today,” Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in a statement on social media.
She said that around Zaporizhzhia in the south, Russian forces were blocking buses used in the evacuations and that in the east Lugansk region Moscow’s army was violating an agreement to halt shooting while people escape.
“The occupiers not only disregard the norms of international humanitarian law, but also cannot properly control their people on the ground,” Vereshchuk said on Telegram.
Tycoon swap
In a separate development, Zelenskyy has offered to swap a pro-Kremlin tycoon – arrested after escaping from house arrest – for Ukrainians captured by Russia.
Zelenskyy posted a picture of a dishevelled-looking Viktor Medvedchuk – one of the richest people in Ukraine, who counts Putin among his personal friends – with his hands in cuffs and dressed in a Ukrainian army uniform.
“I propose to the Russian Federation to exchange this guy of yours for our boys and our girls who are now in Russian captivity,” Zelenskyy said in a video address on Telegram.
Medvedchuk, a hugely controversial figure in Ukraine, was under house arrest over accusations of attempting to steal natural resources from Russia-annexed Crimea and of handing Ukrainian military secrets to Moscow.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
For any American president to try to take the high moral ground about war crimes is pretty staggering to be honest.
@Justin Gillespie: hard to disagree
Sad to see that all comments on here just having a go at USA and not one actually agreeing with him.
@Karl Harty: When he admits and apologies for his countries war crimes then I’ll listen to what he has to say until then it’s pure hypo crisy from an American president.
@Karl Harty: agreed. All these people who are saying what about Americas war crimes obviously don’t know what either war crimes entail or how the law works. I’m no fan of American foreign policy, quite the opposite, but calling something a war crime doesn’t make it so. Also any country can investigate war crimes. If they have evidence that America has committed them go to the authorities. Individual Americans have been prosecuted for committing war crimes in every war, including plenty in Iraq and Afghanistan. None of those investigations led to any evidence of those crimes being authorised from higher up.
@Gerry McCaughey: If Vietnam , Cuba , Libyia , Lebanon , Serbia , Iraq , Afghanistan and many more is not enough for you , then there is absolutely no point to even consider to have a conversation with you Gerry.
@John Johnes: you clearly didn’t read my comment so there is little point having a conversation with you. But feel free to bring your evidence of war crimes in those wars to the authorities. The ones that haven’t already been prosecuted that is. The USA has prosecuted plenty of its own for war crimes. How many Russians will Putin prosecute do you think?
@Gerry McCaughey: the ICC had plenty of evidence of US war crimesUS admitted using a chemical weapon in Iraq and Afghanistan wars. ICC have admitted they have evidence of war crimes carried by US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan but chose not to act on the evidence. The world literally looked the other way and did nothing. Do some research yourself. Just because they weren’t convicted of them doesn’t mean they didn’t happen.
@Roy Dowling: icc not chose but can’t act on America’s as them Russia,China and six or seven other countries have not signed up to the icc
@Gerry McCaughey: Do yourself a favour also and Google how Donald trump sanctioned an employee of the ICC who was investigating US war crimes and how the Trump’s representatives labelled the ICC a kangaroo court and it had no business investigating the US military
@Roy Dowling: It’s hypocrisy, but he’s probably right. If the US behaved properly, that would also lead to less destruction and dead people. I’ll listen as it might help stop the war and result in even less destruction and dead people.
@John Johnes: Is it any wonder humanity keeps repeating the mistakes of the past, when all people can do in light of the current atrocities is rehash the past.
@Roy Dowling: there is zero credible evidence other than a CIA whistle blower from the first gulf War in Iraq which was dismissed. Again, any country has the ability to investigate war crimes, so if you have evidence that doesn’t come from crackpot websites then present it to the authorities. Don’t tell me “do your own research”, this isn’t about me or the USA. I know you like to deflect everything away from your beloved Putin, you’ve been doing that since before the invasion, but this is about Russia and what is happening before our eyes. Before the eyes of the world.
@Gerry McCaughey: but what about the US Gerry, I know that currently there’s thousands suffering at the hands of a criminal that blatantly lies to his people, prosecutes those who disagree with his policy, attempts assassination, looks on as his forces comit crimes far more heinous than any I have heard of in war involving the United States and is now seemingly ordering the widespread use of chemicals on ordinary people. But the most appropriate response to the actions of Putin from people is to immediately react to what the US has done in the past. Nobody is saying the US are some moral compass for the world to follow however if a world leader is condemning CURRENT actions that clearly seem to be morally unacceptable to the vast majority of society, can we not support that.
@Gerry McCaughey: google the UN report on the amounts of civilians – men women and children were killed in Afghanistan by the NATO troops. The numbers are greater than the “terrorists” killed.
@Roy Dowling: It’s worse than that. Trump applied sanctions to the ICC if they dared to investigate any US citizens accused of war crimes and also withdrew from the treaty that established it. Biden has revoked the sanctions but the US is now on a short list of countries not signed up inluding China, Russia, Yemen and other shady company.
@Gerry McCaughey: The US literally admitted to Using chemical weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan. How exactly is admitting using something not creditable evidence?. Also why would they sanction and ban and investigor from the ICC if they had nothing to hid. The fact you won’t even do some simple research shows how when it comes to the US you’ll look the other way and ignore what ever happens. I’m well aware what Russia are doing I don’t need to open my eyes I can fully condemn there actions and still call for the Russia and the US to be held accountable for there militaries actions. You on the other hand will close you eyes to US war crimes.
@Roy Dowling: You may be well aware of what russia is doing, but your post over the last few months are far from balanced in condemnation. You clearly focus on the US a lot more than russia. In light of what is currently happening, don’t you find that odd?
@Gerry McCaughey:
I’d say the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq under false pretenses, and resulting in the deaths of over a million people, most of whom were civilians (not to mention the maimed and displaced) would be up there in the war crimes category don’t you think??
@Pablo: the reason I focus on American a lot of for good reason. There the one who are trying to take the morale high ground and demand Russia be held accountable and yes Russia should be held accountable but the US refuse to let anyone hold them accountable for their crimes. They literally do as they like and expect others to do and they say not as they do.
@Mickey Finn: cheers for the info. Never knew trump actually applied sanctions to the ICC itself. That is worse.
@David Daly: A current leader is allowed to critisize current crimes without whataboutisms. The USA has never been prosecuted or accused by the international community for doing what Russia currently is. Never. All you’re doing is deflecting. This is an article about Russian potential war crimes and they deserve to be called out. If you have evidence against the USA bring it to the attention of the authorities, but this is not the story to bring it up on, while women and children are being slaughtered by a tyrant.
@Roy Dowling: And America’s behaviour should be called out … but is now the time? It certainly serves russia well for these kind of debates to fester. Lets hold russia to the standard we want now, and apply the same standard to the US when they next want to invade a country.
@John Johnes: you put terrorists in quotes, why? Are you saying there were no terrorists. John I’m not going to keep repeating myself. If you have evidence of war crimes being carried out by American forces or any other western forces then bring it to the authorities. Anyone can say anything but when talking about crimes evidence counts. There were plenty of American servicemen successfully prosecuted for war crimes who are sitting in Levanworth prison right now for the rest of their lives. Prosecuted by the USA, their own country I might add. There is no suggestion that any of those crimes were authorised by Bush Obama or Trump. Now back to the subject at hand….
@Karl Harty: WOW even the conversation about my comment has turned into a “USA are the enemy” load of skitter.
Nobody has been calling out Putin. Shame on you all.
@Pablo: Yes now is the time for them to be called out. Not wait and let them invade another country and ki ll more innocent civilians. How many have to die before they are held accountable?
@Roy Dowling: Thankfully Roy, most people disagree with you and would rather focus on the innocent civilians currently being killed …. you know those ones that you don’t seem to focus much on.
One would think it’s not actually the innocent civilians you care about at all but which aggressor is carrying out the act.
@Roy Dowling: the USA admitted to using banned chemical weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan??? Show me.
@Roy Dowling: and I don’t close my eyes to anything other than Russian shils with an agenda. As I’ve said multiple times when it comes to crimes its about evidence. You’ve produced none.
@Gerry McCaughey: Any links about US war crimes are quickly deleted by the journal, Thats why I asked you to do own research.
@Pablo: the same people on here who’d “rather focus on the innocent civilians currently being killed” are also the ones who are outraged and call for justice for the innocent civilians killed on bloody Sunday (which they are well within their rights to diand I to want justice for those people). When it suits them they can acknowledge past crimes and seek justice. But when it comes to the US and the middle East they turn away and make excuses.
@Ivan Counihan: not necessarily. Again I’m talking about law not opinion. First of all they were separate wars. The war in Iraq was not justified. I like many others marched in protest to the American embassy. The Afghanistan invasion was justified. Al Qeada were training in terrorist training camps and Bin Laden was hiding there. Afghanistan refused to give him up or shut down the camps. I’ve no issues with that war. Iraq was different, but was it based on a war crime or false intelligence like they claim? Who knows certainly neither of us. But if evidence is found then nail Bush and Blair, I’m all for it.
@Roy Dowling: you’d think something like that would be on the top first page of a Google search but after going through 3 pages nothing yet. Wonder why?
@Gerry McCaughey: I’d hazard guess and say because you haven’t looked. But it’s up to you I can’t make you actually look. If your happy to look the other way fine.
@Roy Dowling: I googled “did the USA admit to using banned chemical weapons in Afghanistan or Iraq” anyone else feel free to do the same. They did not. Or if they did literally no news organisation on the planet reported on it. Now I’m done talking to you unless you produce evidence to back up your wild claims, spoiler altert folks, he never does. Congratulations though, you managed to steer the conversation away from Russia, which was your intention all along, right?
@Gerry McCaughey: As I said I can’t put stuff up here. And you say you Google it and you searched 3 pages. Now I may be using a different browser to you but from my experience Google stopped using pages years ago. Instead of selecting page 2,3,4, etc it now automatically keeps loading the more you scroll. When you actually look get back to me
@Ivan Counihan: Afghanistan was invaded because they were a base for the terrorist organisation that plotted the 9-11 attacks.
@Karl Harty: Karl, ignore Roy. He is consumed by hate of the US. He has one argument “Putin is bad but…”. He is seems ignorant to the fact that nato is protecting the west from incredible evil. He is legitimatising the war. It is shameful.
@Roy Dowling: Roy it is simply not true to say that the US government admitted using chemical weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan. The more I read your message the more I believe you have a sinister objective. Nobody is this foolish
@John Comerford: And your ignorant to the fact US did in Iraq all the same crimes Russia is doing in Ukraine. But to you Russia and Putin are bad Bush and the US are good. Unlike you I don’t have double standards.
@John Comerford: he must have shares in Russian fossil fuels or something. same old skitter he spues permanently
@Gerry McCaughey: try. Googling, US attacks hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan respectively. Good US massacre is both countries. There are just some of the war crimes committed. There is more if your willing to actually look. Now if Putin is guilty for starting and war and makes him guilty for the crimes his forces commit in that invasion (which in my opinion he very guilty for) why wasn’t bush held accountable for his invasion and the crimes his forces commited?. N
@Roy Dowling: it depends on whether you’re using a phone or laptop. Chrome for phone just keeps loading, chrome for laptop goes by pages. By the way I gave up after 5 pages. If the USA admitted to using banned chemical weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan it would be one of the biggest stories of the century and would be the first story that comes up. It doesn’t come up because it never happened. You’re spoofing. You’re asking me about the USA again. I’m not answering other than to say as I have already if you have evidence of wrong doing by the USA present it to the authorities. Word of advice though… Don’t make up evidence like you just did with me. They’ll also check like I did but unlike me they can charge you with wasting their time.
@Gerry McCaughey: I notice how you keep saying banned chemical weapons why is that. Is an unbanned chemical weapon not still a chemical weapon? And did you indeed find articles about the US using chemical weapons in Iraq to drive Iraqi forces out of their positions and kill them?
@Roy Dowling: will that’s kind of obvious isn’t it? Smoke bombs are chemical but not banned or dangerous. Flares are also chemical but not banned or dangerous. It’s important to have facts, that’s why I made the distinction. It’s a difference between fact and fiction which we all know is something you struggle with.
@Gerry McCaughey: white phosphorus is a chemical that isn’t banned and is harmful and dangerous to humans. And that’s what the US were using in Iraq and Afghanistan. Used as both smoke screen and then in motor attacks rocket attacks to force the out into the open and kill them.
@Gerry McCaughey: the US doesn’t recognise the ICC and Britain the same won’t let their soldiers be prosecuted, so no moral ground here.
@Mark Gough: both countries have prosecuted and jailed for life many of their own soldiers for crimes committed during war. How many of his do you think Putin will prosecute?
@Roy Dowling: it is “you’re” and secondly I know what happened in Iraq I just think it is totally irrelevant to the current conflict and is being used by people like you to explain away putins murdering the Ukrainians.
The US shouldn’t have invaded iraq but what about what Stalin did in the Second World War!!! It is such a dumb argument but you keep on using it.
The upshot of what you are saying is that what Putin is doing is not that bad. It is!! But there is no talking to people like you.
“But what about the US…. Yawn”
@Roy Dowling: ah there you go. I was wondering how long it would take you. Yes they did, and as you correctly say its not a banned chemical weapon. So now that you finally admit they didn’t break the law by using chemical weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan can you try to focus on the actual country being talked about, Russia? I bet you can’t lol.
@Gerry McCaughey: isn’t a chemical weapon a chemical weapon? .Is it not harmful to humans just and much as another chemical weapon?. Where did I say it was banned? I said a chemical weapons. But hey you’ll make excuses for them using chemical weapons.don’t suppose you looked into hospital attacks and massacres I told you about? No of course not.
@Gerry McCaughey: Another quick question for you. If Russia use white phosphorus in Ukraine will you be ok with that like you are with the US using it in Iraq and Afghanistan?
@Roy Dowling: you said it wasn’t banned and I agreed with you. The difference is one is a war crime and one isn’t. That’s a fairly important fact, no? You said the USA are guilty of committing war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan because they used chemical weapons but you no agree that the weapons the used aren’t actually banned but somehow you can’t make the jump. Strange
@Roy Dowling: no I woukudnt because I’m not “comfortable” with them being there in the first place, as any normal person wouldn’t be. Since that particular chemical isn’t banned it would be bad but not as bad as bombing civilian apartments, a theatre they knew to be sheltering children and killing all the men and boys left in Bucha by tying their hands behind their backs and shooting them in the back of the head. Are you now comfortable with your assertion that Russia were justified in their entering Ukraine because as you used to regularly incorrectly say “there are NATO based and troops in Ukraine? You lie about what the USA did in the middle east but I’ve never once seen you refer to one of the many crimes we see Russian forces commit. Shame on you
@Gerry McCaughey: your not “comfortable” with them being there? So it would be bad. I take it you were “comfortable” with the Americans in Iraq? and that’s why you don’t have an issue with them using chemical weapons there?. Where did i lie about the US in Iraq and? I said they used chemical weapons. They did white phosphorus is a chemical weapon. I said they hit hospitals. They did. I said there forces massacred civilian. They did. So tell me where I lied. Your the the one that should feel ashamed. Literally saying you’re not comfortable with Russia being in Ukraine and it would be bad of the used white phosphorus there but typically ignore the US using it Iraq and Afghanistan. Tell me why are Ukrainian lives superior to Iraq and Afghani lives to you?
@Gerry McCaughey: Here’s a little heads up for you. See how your feeling about my stance Ukraine invasion well that’s exactly how I feel about you and your stance on Iraq invasion. They only difference is I will condemn and war crime that Russia commits in Ukraine. You on the other hand will make excuses for the US war crimes in Iraq. Absolutely path etic you are.
@Roy Dowling: OK well you’re* full of it. You said they used chemical weapons. I asked you “banned chemical weapons? ” and you said yes. You said its online, I said there is nothing online about that and you accused me of not looking because you claimed its there (which it isn’t) this conversation went on for over an hour and anyone reading back can see you’re lying through your backside, as usual.
Also I never said I was comfortable with them being used in Iraq you totally just made that up. As you do with most things. In fact I clearly said I disagreed with the war in Iraq. I said CORRECTLY that they are not banned and therefore not a war crime as you claim. Facts are important, you should try them some time.
@Roy Dowling: I have my opinion on the Iraq invasion in my first post on this and subsequent posts. You have supported the invasion of Ukraine on here after falsely claiming multiple times that NATO has bases in Ukraine. You must be watching the same news as Russians because that’s what’s on their news nightly, that Russia is finding and bombing NATO bases in Ukraine. Do you want to back track on your claims that this war was the fault of the Ukraine an the USA for allowing NATO bases and troops there? Or are you not ashamed of your lies at all.?
@Gerry McCaughey: Bull. When you asked the US admitted to using banned weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan show me the evidence I didn’t say answer yes . I answered any link I posted is deleted. Do your own research. Not once did I say yes to banned chemical. You didn’t disagree with the US using a chemical weapons in Iraq. You said it’s wasn’t banned so it’s not breaking Where as you stated you wouldn’t want to see it used in Ukraine but why when you say it’s not breaking the law? So why can the US use White phosphorus in Iraq and Russia can’t use white phosphorus in Ukraine?. I don’t think anyone should be using it but you say its not breaking the law so surly you feel it’s ok to use?
@Roy Dowling: you’re lying as usual but the few people who havent already muted you can read back and see that. And when you asked if I had an issue with it being used in Ukraine I said wel yes because Russia shouldn’t be there to use it in the first place. But that it paled compared to their targeting and murdering civilians. I know Reading probably isn’t your strong point since spelling and grammar clearly aren’t but I never said I was OK with it being used in the USA. You made that up so you could bring the USA back into the discussion. I said it wasn’t a war crime because it isn’t banned. You either cant get your head around that or you’re just refusing to. Anyway I will give you 5 mins to read this then I’ll block your lying @ss. You’re the man who supported Putin invading the Ukraine
@Gerry McCaughey: Yes I notice that you said Russia shouldn’t be there in the first place to. You know I also noticed that you didn’t say the US shouldn’t be to use them in the first place. Block me all you want I couldn’t care less your just another hypo crite who justifies what the US. Here’s another example more than once I’ve asked you about the US hospitals in Iraq. In Ukraine Russia hitting a hospital is a war crime. In Iraq the US hit a hospital nobody said anything. You include. Bye bye hypo crite
@Karl Harty: well did u forget Palestinian people
Did he ever said that about Palestinian people or war only effects western people
I feel sorry for Ukrainian but they are lucky to have some support from West
Joe either doesn’t know the meaning of the word or he is using it to create hysteria. Either way its embarrassing.
Ironic that the president of all things woke struggles to stay awake.
@John Moloney: Judging by your inane ramblings, a half asleep Biden would wipe the floor with you, so maybe best not peg stones from the glasshouse.
@Pablo: did I hurt a snowflake?
@John Moloney: Sorry John, but I don’t think you have the capacity to offend or hurt anyone with your words, be they a snowflake or not (do grown men actually use that term??). You’re like that naughty child that says things for attention, but when an adult does it, it’s just sad. If you want an emotive response to your posts … it’s actually pity that you engender.
@Pablo: ahalf asleep biden is biden on steroids. It is shocking I have to use the term snowflake to an adult but the new era of easily offended woke sissies is upon us.
@John Moloney: Best of luck to ya John, I think I’ll leave it be. Something tells me you’d struggle with the Journals Lent Poll, never mind forming an articulate sentence.
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black
@Michael Nolan: Absolutely, yet the pot is correct, the kettle is indeed black.
Russia hate the West. They hate everything about us and want to destroy us. The one thing in their way is the US and NATO. People should think about that before attacking the US. Hitler has plans to invade Ireland – operation Green. Who stopped them in the West – the British and American. Who liberated Western Europe from the nazis? 7 neutral countries were invaded in WW2 so ireland declaring neutrality would not have saved us.
Medvedev stated last week that the Russian ambitions are to conquer Western Europe.
There is huge difference between Russia and America. The Russians hate us and want to destroy us. Ukraine was invaded because they wanted closer ties to the West. That was enough for Putin. Please reflect on that when making comparisons. I suspect i am one of the few on here that spent time in Russia and witnessed this hatred. It is ingrained in them. If you experienced what I did in Russian you would have a very different view.
@John Comerford:Yes Hitler had plans to invade Ireland that is no secret. But did you know that before he became prime minister, Churchill then first lord admiral of the royal navy went to Neville Chamberlain with a plan for British forces to Invade Ireland and take control of our ports so the British navy could use as bases for hunting U Boats?.
@John Comerford: unbelievable. Russia has no agenda to attack the US. Look who is putting weapons near who.
@Mark Gough: Lots of cyber attacks though.
Russia and the USA are technically only 55 miles apart, with military and naval bases not that far from each other’s coast, frequent fighter aircraft interceptions and Russia is making a priority of increasing its military presence in the Arctic.
Roy, I have read so many of your posts. You constantly argue “but what about” the US etc etc. can you not see that every one of your posts defends and legitimises the actions of Putin and the current conflict. You muddy the waters and defend the indefensible. The past is the past. Putin is a monster. You are aiding him and justifying his actions. It is so unhelpful.
“Putin is bad but ….” That is such a weak argument. Putin in bad the end. No buts. All you do is provide legitimacy to this conflict on the basis of things that happened decades ago. Such a weak argument and it doesn’t help the thousands of innocents that are dying now!!
If you spent some time on Russia, as I have, you would know that they hate us. It is ingrained in them. The US are not the same. The US do not want to destroy us. They are no saints but provide enormous support to the peace process in NI and their companies are integral to our economy.
Please reflect on that.
@John Comerford: Putin is indeed a monster. Quicker he is taken out or brought to justice the better. Bush and Blair should also be brought to justice for the invasions and the hundreds and thousands of civilians who died in them. But those calling for Putin to be be brought to justice will make excuses for bush and Blair. “The US do not want to destroy us” any evidence Russia wants to destroy us or just you think they do?
Their actions in Ukraine, medvedev’s comments last week about extending the empire to Lisbon and my own experience in Russia leaves me in little doubt. They hate the West. People don’t realise. Not justifying the second iraq war but it is totally irrelevant and is used by people like you to constantly legitimise what is happening now in Ukraine. It is so unhelpful. Saying Putin is bad but…. Legitimises what he is doing. Please stop. You are justifying what he is doing. You might not think you are but you are
The phrase ‘the pot calling the kettle black’ springs to mind.
@Keith Keith: The kettle is black and it’s not just the pot calling the kettle black.
have your say