Four die in Slovenia hot air balloon crash

@Thommo’s Nose: By all accounts, the attacks are a bit wishy washy and haven’t done any serious damage. Almost as if Russia was making it look like Ukraine was attacking while not risking core systems in order to Fan some anti-ukraine flames across Europe.

Of course, it could be that Ukraine are using the exact same tactic.

@Wooden Spoon: would you stop. the only reason the russians engage with the UNSC is if they think they have a stick to beat the Ukranians with and try justify their invasion. if the russians are so worried about the olant withdraw their troops and artillery from it. simple.

@Thommo’s Nose: they need something to take away the heat from their “accident” in Crimea

@Wooden Spoon: yeah Russia renowned for its deep respect of UN and not at all capable of duplicitous grand standing to muddy the waters..

@Wooden Spoon: Rose tinted glasses when you have a “Foreign Invading Army” illegally occupying parts of your country??? Think 1916…

@Wooden Spoon: did you type that in with your rose tinted specs on? I think so.

@Chris Linehan: who’s are these “all accounts” you speak of?

@Thommo’s Nose: please see my response below to Mirabelle Stonegate, I tried to summarize in short.
Of course that’s is if you are really trying to understand and are not paid by mr. Filatov to spark a decontextualized victimblaming discussion :)

@Chris Linehan: Archems razor. Usually the most obvious answer is the correct one. Ukrainian forces aren’t the most collective. If some Azov battalion neonazi (what the western media called these guys a year go) guy leading new recruits for example causes a nuclear explosion, Russia will be blamed by the western media. News can’t have to blindly follow the “one narrative” as Boris Johnson called it. That used to be called propaganda. We need independent news more than ever

@Jim Smith: Occam’s razor. Sorry typed on my phone….

@Wooden Spoon: check what Russian general Valery Vasiliev has to say about the nuclear power plant. Everyone with a bit of sense know it’s Russia who are trying to keep a foot in the door of Ukraine to blackmail them into conceding territory as the tide of war turns against Russia. Logically, The Ukrainians have nothing to benefits from a nuclear meltdown, it will poison the land they are on. Putin has already shown total contempt for his own soldiers by sending them into the Chernobyl radioactive zone, he has form. The comments here defy simple logic so that’s why I would say it’s a combination of Russian bots and useful idiots trying to change the narrative

@Seán Ó Briain: That seems to be your go-to argument when you are not capable of engaging in a mature debate on matters isn’t it Sean? Everybody has fake accounts or they are imbeciles, fools or morons because they don’t go with your point of view.

What is laughable is that when people expressing an extremely pro-Ukrainian POV use the same type of accounts you are silent on the issue. You also seem to equate the number of followers on a Twitter account as having something to do with credibility. Does that mean that Justin Beiber, Katy Perry and Rhiana, each with 100+million followers have more credibility commentating on political affairs than anyone else?

Did it ever dawn on you that people use social media accounts just to sign into websites and keep their own personal ones to themselves as they don’t want to be overloaded with spam, unwanted emails and trolls?

@Seán Ó Briain: It’s called privacy. We’re all entitled to it. You chose not to hide your name and identity. Personally I think it’s a bad choice, which is why I hide mine. That’s the beauty of the Internet. But back to the original point I had, can you point out the propaganda? You should also note that having a view that that criticises Ukraine does not mean you’re anti-Ukranian or Pro-Russian. It’s called being objective.

@Wooden Spoon: privacy at the expense of credibility. if you call yourself some ridiculous made up name then youre calling your own credibility into question.

@David Mulligan: given the go ahead by Sabina Higgins

@David Mulligan: No. It’s called balanced opinion.

@Keth Warsaw: when is opinion ever balanced ?

@David Mulligan: that was the normal response of the church in Ireland at one stage….if one did not like an opinion…you banned the book, or in the Nazi, or Klan days …you burnt the books…

@David Mulligan: No opinion other than yours then Dave?

@Mirabelle Stonegate: it seems you are actually trying to understand what’s going on, do let me explain something which is really counterintuitive for a western reader.

There are 2 mistakes in the understanding of this war:
1) “everyone, including russians must act with some human-understandable logic”. No, not in the case when their values and your values are so fundamentally different. Those who fight there on ru side do not value life, health, happiness, future, perspectives or investment. They value the bargain, the win here and now, never thinking of consequences. So they did not come to acquire land, resources, population of culture. And this is the second misconception.
2) “this war it’s so one party wants to have something the other one does”. No, this war it’s not FOR something, it’s against something. It is to decimate everything Ukrainian: language, culture, traditions, identity, genome. That’s why so many people call it a genocide, rightly so.

#Now with these two addressed, why would ru she’ll the nuclear plant they control?
To use it as a nuclear terror lever.
#But aren’t they conscious that destroying it will render a large portion of these lands they control today unusable?
They totally are, and they don’t care. They don’t need the land and people, and do not plan to use it beyond destruction. So having a nuclear desert in a middle of Ukraine should fit. Look at Mariupol, nobody is going to restore it, except to take a couple of videos for ru TV.
#But don’t they care about their own soldiers?
No, they don’t. Remember they don’t value life? Now, think of so many soldiers they sent to dig trenches in Prypiat’s Red forest, the place most impacted today by Chornobyl plant meltdown.

This is why Ukrainians lable russians “orks”. We really see there is very little of a homo sapiens left in those barbaric slaves whose values have nothing in common with the civilized world.

@CraftyBodger: Mr Crafty, I don’t think it’s fair that you’re making this a personal issue. Free speech and opinion is a fundamental pillar of the west. Yes, it can offend some, perhaps many, but such is the possible truth behind such opinion. No war is black and white, and if one thinks that, then they are quite naive.

@CraftyBodger: What did Ukraine do to have their houses bombed and their land and identity Russified? – They fought back.

@Seán Ó Briain: Did you ever hear of the concept of objectivity and neutrality Sean? I’m a spectator in this and couldn’t care less who wins, loses or draws. I tell it how it is and if you can’t handle that why don’t you go onto the Journal app and block me? After all that is what cancel culture is all about these days.

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: I know your opinion as I have been reading them. My question is why every comment you make is disparaging Ukraine and excusing Russia? It’s comes across like you’re very pro Russian or paid to post. In no way do you come across as not picking sides which is why people question your motives. See when you only criticise one side and provide excuses for another you don’t get to say you’re neutral.

Russia is the aggressor but they have there reasons, is as close as you come to putting any responsibility on Moscow. It’s like saying “she deserved it and anyways she scratched his eye so she was aggressive too”. It’s weak and disingenuous.

Out of interest did you make as much effort defending the USA when they when on a war rampage. I did. And I’m calling out Russia too.

I hope this helps clear up why people keep accusing you of being a shill.

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: you very much do care. youre constantly posting on ukraine stories. you can hardly call yourself objective or neutral when all you post is pro russian or anti ukranain

@CraftyBodger: Also you are literally shilling an ai bot for SEO. Sooooo…you’re obviously familiar with pay to post :))

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial:

Putin explained his reasons for invading Ukraine last year, in his essay On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians, he explains in detail the historical mistakes he thinks gave rise to Ukraine as an independent country and its ethnic identity.

The social and political movement that gave rise to Ukraine and its national identity is relatively recent, mostly 1920s. It was a Soviet / Bolshevik policy to promote Ukrainian national identity, a policy reversed in the 1930s but it started something that they could not stop.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainization

Putin’s opinions on Ukraine are well-known, he considers Ukraine an illegitimate nation that should not exist, a product of several historical mistake and errors.

It is a belief influenced by Russian political philosopher Alexander Dugin (a National Bolshevik, an odd form of Russian Nazism mixed with Communist overtones), also promotes the idea of Novorossiya, a region of east and southern Ukraine that should be carved out of Ukraine for ethic Russians.

It is no coincidence that the current Russian military objective and occupation covers most of Novorossiya. Indeed, in 2014 Putin called the rebel breakaway republics, Novorossiya.

“The name received renewed emphasis when Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in an interview on 17 April 2014 that the territories of Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odessa were part of what was called Novorossiya.”

Furthermore, from the point of view of many hardline nationalist Russians, the expression of Ukrainian nationalism / identity itself extremist. Ukrainians are nothing more than mislead little Russians, who identity is an artificial construct, influenced by past Soviet mistakes and later Ukrainian Nazis.

I have talked online to those who are supporters of Russia, some refuse to even use the name Ukraine, instead use the term Krajina or Kraina. It illustrates the idea that Ukraine should not exist.

Don’t believe me, this is what is in Russian TV

“Talk show on Russian television – “Ukrainians have to be forced to deny the idea of being Ukrainians”

The aim of Putin is clear: To Erase the Idea of Being Ukrainian. I agree with Vika Nuland, you’re a genius, this idea needs to be erased from start to finish, it’s been poisoning the lives of Slavic people for 100 years. In reality Russian people. We’re told: now you’re going to be, even though the name insulting, itself insulting, and suddenly become Ukrainians. We’re not recognising Ukraine as a country? I’m talking about the Ukraine-ness (nationalism). About the idea of being Ukrainian. About this idea. That one of the Russian peoples was told they are not Russians.

Listen to the rest of this rhetoric here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraina/comments/u46nmg/talk_show_on_russian_television_ukrainians_have/

This is the heart of the conflict, the question of Ukrainian national identity and self determination as an independent nation, separate from Russia, free to choose its own path.

@CraftyBodger: If I’m paid to post then I’d better get on to the Russian embassy as they haven’t sent me a check yet!

Seriously though, if Russia needs to be called out then I have no problem doing that either. The central topic at the moment is the shelling of the NPP and who is responsible. I believe that the West and the media are ignoring the fact that on the balance of probability it is the Ukrainians that are doing it and they need to be called out on that.

Ask yourself this question. If the Russians have shelled the plant then why hasn’t anyone provided any evidence or for that matter, why hasn’t any of the NATO countries directly accused Russia of doing so? They are very quick to provide evidence when Russia is the bad guy but not so quick to condemn Ukraine.

This is important because if Ukraine is as I suspect shelling the plant then they are playing Russian roulette (pardon the pun) with a nuclear power plant that has massive repercussions not just for Ukraine but for all of Europe and Russia.

There’s no point in the future saying “Oh yeah, it actually was the Ukrainians” when we are all flowing in the dark.

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial:
Nah. What I’m here to talk about is you’re motivations. I’ll just give you a wink for now as we’re too far down a thread. But I am extremely interested to find out why you’re so passionate about Russia so we’ll chat another day.

Good luck with the SEO work :)

@David Jordan: Thanks for that David, as you quite rightly point out this whole conflict didn’t just start last February. People have a far too simplistic view of this conflict and think that it is some sort of Star Wars good vs evil battle.

I will admit that before this war started I knew nothing about the history of Ukraine and it was only after reading up on it that I realised that their history is as complex as ours and it is not easy to pin down, especially with Western and Eastern interference.

It’s a pity that more people don’t actually sit down and read a history book or two and get a handle on why current events are happening.

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: because russia invaded ukraine is why current events are happening. the supposed justifications might be historic but the cinflict started because russia invaded

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: Oh it is Nato and the Wests fault.
If the west had not supported the Ukraine, it would be under the Russian Jackboot as it was before.
Here is a solution to the problem, Russians leave the country and stop threatening the rest of Europe.
Oh wait the emperor of Russia does not want that Czar Putin want to all powerful and restore the USSR.

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: How do you square these two sentiments you express, in the same post: “Russia is a brutal aggressor that shouldn’t have invaded ” and “: I’m neither pro-Russian nor Pro-Ukrainian”.

Genuinely asking as for me, when one country launches a massive all out attack on another (who has made no aggressive moves on Russian territory ahead of their assault), resulting in, at this stage, and with no sign of it halting, 10s of thousands of deaths of men, women and children, and proven war crimes, well for me that’s easy. I can easily say who I’m ‘Pro’. I simply can’t understand why you would consider that there is place in the middle.

You say “I have no allegiance to either” but neither did I until 6 months ago. Surely the altered facts and evidence we see daily has some impact on you? Do you really look at the news and feel no antipathy to Russia for their actions as the shattered lives mount up?

@Niall Concannon: They are both as bad as each other. Russia is the aggressor here however people seem to forget the war crimes committed since 2014 in the DPR and LPR https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/alleged-war-crimes-by-ukrainian-authorities-militias-under-scanner/articleshow/91373384.cms?from=mdr

There all have to be swept under the carpet and nothing is said about it. As you might have noticed mine a lot of my comments have been removed as well as others even though there is no valid reason for it other than censorship. Ironically this is exactly the situation that is happening in Russia!

Of course, I feel sorry for the people that are affected by the war, some people have lost everything again however where is the balance in reporting? How often have you heard of UAF shelling civilian areas of the DPR and LPR? If you read uncensored media you will find regular attacks on civilian targets of no military value by the UAF. Only a few days ago they shelled a funeral and the hotel housing international media killing 6 people including a young girl and her grandmother.

If people don’t have access to an alternative point of view or uncensored information then we are doomed to continual conflict. Think of Northern Ireland. If someone hadn’t taken their head out of An Phoblacht and started reading books about Loyalism and vis versa then we would still be shooting at each other.

As I say, I have no affiliation with either side and people can believe and support who they like. I do my own research from credible sources, I back up my comments where necessary and I’m quite willing to take reasoned criticism and concede if I am factually wrong on something I post.

It’s a pity that other commentators on here can’t do the same.

@CraftyBodger: Well, the Ukraiunians did bomb and shell the homes of civilians in the Donbass for eight years, killing 14,000 of them, most of those ethnic Russians.
But maybe Russian lives are unimportant to you Crafty?

@David Jordan: A lot of fair points but Putin seemed happy for Ukraine to be independent, to keep its 11 trillion dollar coal reserves once it didn’t install warheads at the Russian border and once it stayed a weak country that was both European and Russian. Not ideal but surely some agreement (such as the Minsk 2 agreement ) is better than the current hell. The X factor is interference by the USA. I’ve nothing against American people or capitalism but the US governments foreign policy seems evil with zero regards for the deaths of young people if it means profits for corporations.

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: It’s worth mentioning that the Ukrainian Government promised to not send regular forces to the Donbas region. They only sent the Azov battalion… which western media used to accuse of being being a Neo Nazi brigade that brainwashed children. Tales of the murder of civilians and rapes should at least be investigated by independent sources. Allegations of innocent people being tortured or killed shouldn’t be dehumanized or be reduced to a statistic. If it was an Irish woman’s son, it wouldn’t be okay. Maybe it’s a fair point or perhaps I am a Russian bot. Either way, this comment will be deleted soon as the Azov brigade are deemed heroes with Swastikai tattoos now and any narrative that claims that the entirety of the Ukrainian battle force aren’t altruistic heroes is forbidden. At least the shareholders of Lockheed Martin and the shareholders of the LNG gas companies are making a profit. Keep the war going and keep young people dying I guess, a few hundred a day, no talks :(

@Killian O’Sullivan: Ya wha?

@Rian Lynch: Fair enough. But my point, UKRAINE at the start had a choice: Allow Russia in/Ukraine population, infrastructure, economy: Intact. No: Ukraine chose honor, and we now see the results. Reality does not respect honor.

@Killian O’Sullivan: You can compare anything to a woman being physically assaulted, if anyone offers a counter opinion for the sake of conversation, they are okay with a defenseless woman being punched in the face. Perhaps a symptom of cancel culture or perhaps you see my point and up your discussion/counterpoint game.

@Rian Lynch: It looks most likely that Ukrainian forces are shelling a nuclear power plant or very near it knowing that Russia will get blamed. If you agree with this, you are entitled to your opinion but call it what it is that you support. The Russian government is done with trying to be part of Europe it seems. Blaming and shaming them most likely won’t do any good. Telling the Ukrainian forces to stop trying to cause a nuclear fall out seems like the best solution. I’m only an IT guy, I identify the most likely cause of a problem and offer the most likely solution. I am not there in the ground obviously

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: why you your business account for commenting on the journal. hardly professional of you. plus my point stands youre promoting a software and not following the software developer. weirdest collaboration ive ever seen

@Rian Lynch: “plus my point stands youre promoting a software and not following the software developer.”

” I use this one to promote on Twitter and my other main ones for companies that I work with.”
Find someone who can explain that one to you as you are obviously having some difficulty in understanding it.

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: not at all. im just pointing out things i find interesting about youre business practises. you say youve multiple accounts , how twitter accounts do have you ? how many are logged on here ?

@Rian Lynch: Jaysus that’s all I need, a stalker hiding behind an anonymous account. Listen, your time would be better served to educate yourself about what you are commenting on and not worrying about me.

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: okay roy.

@Rian Lynch: even admits to having multiple accounts lol

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: wow all my comments removed and nothing inflammatory said

@Dave Wave: on your facebook page that doesnt exist anymore

@Rian Lynch: it does exist, just private… Cleary the correct decision.

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: just a little segment from your pravda article why the negotiations halted ,
“The first thing was the revelation of the atrocities, rapes, murders, massacres, looting, indiscriminate bombings and hundreds and thousands of other war crimes committed by Russian troops in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories…

The second “obstacle” to agreements with the Russians arrived in Kyiv on 9 April.”

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial: Pravda may once have been useful but since the crackdowns on media over the last number of years by the Czar. It has gone back to its position of being the official cheerleader for all things Putin. The TV channels are even worse.
It called propaganda and it is out of the Nazi playbook.

@Gary Kearney: There’s more than one Pravda. Pravda.UA is pure Ukranian propaganda, Pravda.RU is pure Russian propaganda. No other should be sourced or listened to.

@Digital Marketing Growth with Jarvis.ai-Free Trial:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pravda
“The Pravda paper is today run by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation”