Thread by @RajeAiyer

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Writer is an Ex Service Naval Officer. Candid views!👇🏻

I am a permanent resident in the USA and therefore I need to practise constraint, restraint & reticence before I comment on issues where the USA is involved. However, I would like to make a statement.

Ukraine is a former member of the USSR until the latter's break up in the 1990s.
As a consequence,there are Russian-speaking people in considerable number in the former USSR member countries especially more in Ukraine.Naturally their affinity is towards their motherland, Russia,

is all the more greater. The present president of Ukraine, Volodymir Zelensky is US-educated and has his own ideas of democracy. Until 2014, when Zelensky replaced his predecessor who was Russian-friendly, there was no problem between the two nations. Crimea, a strategically

located area with deep sea port facilities is the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Russia and Ukraine had entered into a 50-year contract at the time of break up of USSR for the continued use of the port facilities by Russia. Zelensky, at the prodding and instance of

western European nations, wanted to terminate the contract and asked Russia to vacate the facilities. Russia, saying that part of Crimea was already and historically part of the Russia even in the 1890s and much before the formation of USSR in the 20th century & annexed it as

part of Russia. The local Russian speakers in Crimea supported the move. Zelensky wanted to change the Ukrainian-Russian population mix by forcing Ukrainians to move into Russian speaking areas. He also denied certain basic facilities and entitlements to the Russian speakers who

complained to Russia.Meanwhile the predominantly Russian speaking people of Lohansk and Donutsk areas of Ukraine revolted against the Ukrainian govt. Russia intervened when Ukraine govt wanted to suppress them. Thus the conflict has been lingering & ongoing. In the meantime,

Zelensky, to overcome Russia's perpetual threat, wanted to become a member of the NATO which cover would protect Ukraine from Russian threats. It was then Putin said the NATO should not allow Ukraine to be a member as it would affect the security of Russia especially when

NATO forces are stationed on the outskirts of Russia. Russia sought a guarantee that Ukraine would not be allowed to become a member of NATO and another demand was that no NATO forces should be stationed in other former USSR members like Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, etc. who

are already NATO members and who are bordering Russia. Russian demands on the issue of its own security and protection were and are legitimate. Britain, the chief trouble creator of Europe goaded NATO and other European NATO members and the USA to reject the Russian demand on

the grounds that any European nation had a right to NATO membership. The former USSR member nations in the Eastern Europe who have now become NATO members are all over the western borders of Russia about which Russia is worried. USA, being the de facto leader of the NATO also

fell in line as a NATO dharma and declared that Ukraine had a right to NATO membership. Russia under Putin stood its ground and reiterated its demand and guarantee. Meanwhile, It was only a matter of time before Ukraine became a NATO member.
The paper work was already work in

process. Once Ukraine becomes a member, it will enjoy protection of NATO against Russia as part of the treaty. Realising that NATO was not going to budge or change its stand, Russia amassed around 100,000 troops on its border with Ukraine and another 30,000 in Belarus, a former

USSR member & friendly to Russia and bordering Ukraine to browbeat Ukraine and West European NATO members to desist from making Ukraine a NATO member. When there are troops amassed on both sides of the international border, a small spark is enough to enflame the whole area.

USA & Britain imposed sanctions on Russia affecting the financial and economic factors of Russia. The major European nations of France and Germany are not in favour of any major conflict as they, Germany in particular,are dependent on Russian oil and gas.
The Russian gas is

flowing through Ukraine to other countries like Germany.
Ukraine is receiving huge amount around US$80 million per annum as transit fee from Russia for the gas transportation.
In addition,Ukraine is also pilfering gas at many points. Russia could neither monitor nor police the

pilfering. So, Russia laid out huge undersea pipes along the sea coast bypassing Ukraine. The scheme is called Nordstream 2 and Ukraine objected to the new arrangement for reasons of loss of revenue and pilfering benefits. It is like thief claiming right to steal. Germany &

other nations depending on Russian gas have agreed to Nordstream 2 as about 40% of their need was Russia and that too at cheap rate. Now the USA has sanctioned against it but it will not hold for long. When individual national economy comes to play a major role, other

hindrances will not matter. Now the matter is at the UN. Both Russia & China are UN security council member with veto powers and so nothing will come out of UN. Negotiation is the only way out between Ukraine & Russia. Russia will demand Ukraine to desist from becoming a

member of NATO.
The solution to the problem lies in either Ukraine agreeing to withdraw its application for NATO membership with an undertaking not to try in future or NATO agreeing not to grant membership to Ukraine.
The Russian demand is legitimate.
If the ugly conflict

continues for long, Ukraine will suffer most as it cannot stand out against a giant Russia. USA has made it clear that it will not send troops to Ukraine to fight Russia. Other European NATO members are neither militarily nor economically strong. They depend on the USA for

their own security. Further, the present day democracies do not want to get involved in any war which is destructive to their economy and do not want their men to die for another nation. America has just got out of Afghanistan and has no stomach for another overseas conflict.

Russia has amassed troops and no European country can match it individually although NATO has muscles but not for long fight. Moral of the story thus far is: small nations must not flex their muscles against their big neighbours as it will ultimately harm the small nation for

a very long time. Sri Lanka, Maldives & Nepal tried the same game with India at the instance of China & now they around to realise the reality. Thanks for your patience!
So you know now the villain in disguise as joker & patriot !

Some more about why #Russia is important to us

https://twitter.com/RajeAiyer/status/1498134542841909252?t=v-62Hccpq6jLo2IkfdMBjg&s=19

This is what USA did
Amazingly- out of 248 wars fought after 1945, 201 wars cause is USA

https://twitter.com/RajeAiyer/status/1497793756397182982?t=v-62Hccpq6jLo2IkfdMBjg&s=19

#istandwithrussia #IStandWithPutin