Is today’s announcement by Putin the point of no return to escalate to WMD use on Kyiv?
(no message)
Replies to: Is today’s announcement by Putin the point of no return to escalate to WMD use on Kyiv?
UKR are about to take Lyman, which is in Donetsk. They just captured Dobysheve, Donetsk.
They have carried out at least five operations in Crimea. They have also carried out helicopter and drone attacks in Russia. The Russians usually blame the explosions on careless smoking.
So, there is already precedent for operations hitting "Russia Proper".
I think the annexation is Vlad's attempt to get a ceasefire right away.
I don't think the Ukrainians are going to pay attention to him. They have all of the initiative at the moment. The mobilization is a farce.
Seems like Putin is drawing a line in the sand. "Give me these territories, and this might end. ...
... Don't give them to me, and I might use nukes."
I see no advantage for him to use nukes on Kyiv. Maybe a tactical nuke on the battlefield. If he nukes a city, would not be suprised to see Russia expelled from the UN security council and assume a status akin to North Korea in the international community, unless and until Putin is assassinated and Russia offers reparations. (Then again...expelling a permanent member of the security council sets a precedent that the US may not like...then again, the UN would fold without US support.)
I would welcome Chris's thoughts on this.
Look at the crowd during his speech... it's like they were at a funeral.
And these are his handpicked supporters.
Putin is a dead man walking.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H3vdNJ8oio