Russia launches cruise missiles at Ukraine as street fighting begins in Kyiv

The Butcher of Moscow aiming his missiles at innocent civilians - women and children....

Expect to see mass suffering in the streets of Kyiv - but also great courage as the Ukrainians fight the invaders to the death...

Putin has consigned himself to go down in history as a mass murderer along with his fellow brutal tyrants Stalin, Hitler, and Ivan the Terrible...

This is terrible for the poor people of Ukraine!

The neo nazi Azov battallion shouldn’t have forced Putin’s hand!

No winners there especially among the civilians

@lincolnman

Define mass. So far tony blair has a bigger cull than putin. What has happened can be blamed on both sides and nato and the un. Its a big mess that could have been avoided but it is quite clear the leaders of the world wanted it to happen. The blame and cause will be written in the future just like other wars.

Worth reading this: http://www.vlib.us/wwi/resources/archives/texts/t050824i/ponsonby.pdf

Us normal people will never know the truth because us normal people do not have a choice anyway. I very much hope that over the weekend what fighting is left to be done is done and the least amount of death happens on both sides. It is terrible how many suited and booted are sitting around insulting each other rather than finding a solution.

The solution will not be to put all the blame on putin because if you do that then he will continue to fight back. He is 69 and as a russian that gives him about 5 more years of life so I do not think he is worried about much more than causing upset. It is worth the people in power accepting that as a fact and trying to reduce the loss of life.

Stay strong Ukraine, your courage in the face of aggression is incredible.

Beat Putin.

Putin and all his supporters, this russian evil and murderer of innocent men, women and children, will pay a high price for what they are doing.

God and the world will take them into responsibility and and the end justice will win.

Russia, no matter what, always manages to make itself hated and a criminal. Putin brings death to the innocent and enslaves the free against their will.

He will for always be written into European history as a murderer and a coward. Truly a man to be despised.

Neutralizing Ukraine is important. Why would Putin accept NATO bases at his borders? No other country would put up with this.

What rubbish are you talking about? Russia has had NATO directly on its borders for years!

Have you never heard of Latvia or Estonia? Both NATO members and both border Russia. This invasion has nothing to do with keeping NATO from Russian borders. They are years too late for that.

Putin does not like Ukraine being sovereign and hates it wanting closer western ties plain and simple. He may not even bother with a puppet government when what he really wants is to annex it all as part of Russia.

Peter14Today  05:34 pm JST

Russia, no matter what, always manages to make itself hated and a criminal. Putin brings death to the innocent and enslaves the free against their will. 

He will for always be written into European history as a murderer and a coward. Truly a man to be despised.

I thought that was the good old U S of A? As no doubt the millions of dead Iraqis, Syrians, Afghanis, Cambodians, Vietnamese, sth Americans Koreans etc can no doubt attest!

The Germans should have known better than to go against the Americans will in regard to the Nord stream 2 now they will pay the price with sadly the Ukrainian civilians in the middle and paying the price.

The Neo Nazi Azov battalion is funded and trained by the US and surprise surprise it was them that forced Putin’s hand.

No winners here except maybe the US as the Europeans will now have to buy their Gas for the US fracking club!

Reports from UK defence ministry just now are that the fighting around Kiev is just Russian paratroopers, the main ground based invasion from Belarus has been beaten back by Ukrainian defences. Three days in and the Russians haven’t achieved any of their first day objectives yet.

Neutralizing Ukraine is important. Why would Putin accept NATO bases at his borders? No other country would put up with this.

But Ukraine - which is also a country - is supposed to put up with a Russia invading it?

Talk about a double standard.

Zelenskyy knows he is a target of the the cowardly small man, putin!!!

I fear for his safety and have a bad feeling how this war will end for him. The Ukrainians meanwhile are putting up a brave fight, putin is getting his men killed all to assuage his fragile ego.

No more Mr. Nice Guy

Ha ha so funny. Putin has NEVER been a nice guy. EVER!

Goes to show what a complete joke the UN is. A member invades another country unprovoked and can veto any UN action to stop it.

Either dump the UN or kick Russia out. Membership should be based on an adherence to the rule of law.

putin is a coward trying to make up for his lack of courage and height by sending in his troops to kill innocents.

The fact that kadyrov’s Chechen thugs are part of this mass murder is all you need to know about the savages behind this conflict!

Putin is a particularly nasty sadistic little man, who's actions in this invasion of a sovereign democratic country has now raised him to the status of War Criminal, as he continues with this genocide against innocent men, women and children. If he actually makes it out of Russia, his appearance at the International Court at The Hague will await him.

He detests their democratic status and will stop at nothing to bend them to his evil and repressive will - he has now, yes right now, reduced the ordinary people of every town and city in Ukraine to go around fighting with lethal weapons, men v. men, women v. women - this is an utterly barbaric and tragic situation, to think in 2022, human-beings can be forced into such desperate inhumane measures. Who the hell does Putin think he is ??

His back-catalogue of thuggery, maiming, poisoning, murdering, are all his stock-in-trade, which date back to his days as a KGB operative, and now his true colours are displayed for all to see; the only way he can be stopped is when the Russian people rise up and turn on him, and this can't happen soon enough. I for one, will be celebrating his demise, and let's hope he meets his end whimpering in a drainage-pipe pleading for his life, in the same way as another vile Dictator left this earth.....

Sanjinosebleed

The Neo Nazi Azov battalion is funded and trained by the US

Why do you bother posting such obvious lies? Who do you think will fall for them?

Neo-nazi Battalion because a handful of soldiers sympathize with Right wing policies.

There are neo nazis in Russia also, does that not make all Russians neo nazi? If not, why not?

I thought that was the good old U S of A? As no doubt the millions of dead Iraqis, Syrians, Afghanis, Cambodians, Vietnamese, sth Americans Koreans etc can no doubt attest!

No doubt there are many around the world who curse the existence of the US and its failed conflicts with so many casualties. Russia which has its own litany of failed conflicts and millions of deaths on its hands over the past hundred years, has just as many or more cursing its very existence. Russia again showing it has no moral conscience and no respect for laws or others as it murders a people as close to it in culture as you can get and not be Russian.

Once again people unable to critisize or admit Russian atrocities and can only mention America's past mistakes.

An equivalent action from the US would be an invasion of Canada. I cant see that ever happening.

The fascist terrorists in Donbas are fully funded and armed by Russia as they daily kill Ukraine civilians with their constant shelling of surrounding areas. And yes, the Ukraine forces return fire killing people in the terrorist enclave. Nobody is free of guilt. But those supporting Putin are unable to voice truth only lop sided accounts of evil from the other side.

No respect for ignoring an honest description of events and blame. Who can believe such one sided commentary? Only Putin sympathizers and fools.

I always suspected that Russia's military might was over-rated and their dismal performance against a very weak Ukrainian army has proved me right. Russia;s forces are quite pathetic. They have achieved almost nothing so far. The idea that Russia is a threat to the West is a joke.

Da*mn you Putin! Burn in hell!

Take the gloves off, the Russian Government has to be confronted.

If it is all out war, then all out war it is!

Don't pussy foot abroad the details.

France and UK provide sea, air, ground force support.

EU 27/ UK adopt a full war economic footing.

Germany introduce a policy of rearmament.

Putin is just one proven homicidal dictator.

Don't appease this bloodthirsty barbarian.

rebel kamikaze are supported by NATO. nobody can stop RUSSIA. Drop the weapon and let Putin act then no bloodshed will happen.

nobody can stop RUSSIA. 

Looks like the Ukrainians are stopping them.

You can what-about President Biden, until you all are blue/purple in the face.

All now academic.

What is left of the global free world can rake over the calamity of the wests Russian Putin foreign policy later.

Putin's Russia must be presented with total annihilation.

That is the meaning of deterrents!

I always suspected that Russia's military might was over-rated and their dismal performance against a very weak Ukrainian army has proved me right. Russia;s forces are quite pathetic. They have achieved almost nothing so far. The idea that Russia is a threat to the West is a joke.

The army may have weaknesses and the Ukrainian army may also be putting up a good defence, but it is only two days into an invasion to occupy the largest European countries and Russia is only using a third of it's army.

I don't think that a full traditional ground war will last for long, but it does sound like establishing order will be incredibly challenging given the mood of the people.

Are they hesitant to fire missiles into Russian and Belarus territories?

that would be foolhardy.

Ukraine would lose a lot of world sympathy, while receiving a lot of salvos in return

The UAE is supposed to be a staunch US ally, but they are siding with Russia on this one.

Maybe they fear being invaded by Putin and his partner the Ayatollah in Putin's quest to further control the globe's gas and oil. And there many Russians, especially women working in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

I for one, will be celebrating his demise, and let's hope he meets his end whimpering in a drainage-pipe pleading for his life, in the same way as another vile Dictator left this earth.....

@Maetimurano - what an excellent post - sums up Putin superbly.

Putin may feel that the conquest of Ukraine is his right, but long-serving dictators usually end up making major errors. Decades of survival, combined with being surrounded by yes men means that they believe in their own infallibility.

Hitler for example doubled down his efforts to take Stalingrad when the military told him to withdraw. Mao led China into the cultural Revolution as well as bizarre policies that led to starvation for millions. And Stalin obviously needs no introduction.

Vlad the Insaner may well be making his big blunder here - the act that will ruin his strongman" reputation - the only thing he's really got - and show that he's just another inadequate tyrant who let power go to his head. If he can't win convincingly the bleed of losses on the front, along with crippling sanctions could well be his undoing.

Rueters is reporting that Russian paratroops have been defeated after attacking Lviv and are in full retreat.

Ukrainians are putting up a hell of a fight.

Husbands, and Wives in the US. There are thousands of 18 yr old Ukraine Soldiers (some fired only 17 bullets their entite life) fighting, and willing to die for their country. In the meantime the US Soldiers are bickering over what pronouns to be called.

There is no suggestion that the US or NATO countries will get involved in this. It is Ukraine's battle and I wish them the best. Other countries may supply them with support, but it won't be troops.

that would be foolhardy.

Ukraine would lose a lot of world sympathy, while receiving a lot of salvos in return

If they are military targets, then it is a fully justifiable step. They are already under attack from a foreign military, so it is justified to attack that military wherever it is.

NATO has to defend Ukrain and take control of Chenobol because once the winds start blowing west carrying radioactive materials from Chenobol over NATO territory that will be class as a attack in my books.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Putin had actually considered nuking Kiev.

“I always suspected that Russia's military might was over-rated and their dismal performance against a very weak Ukrainian army has proved me right. Russia;s forces are quite pathetic. They have achieved almost nothing so far. The idea that Russia is a threat to the West is a joke.”

...

”nobody can stop RUSSIA.”

Looks like the Ukrainians are stopping them.

The idea that Russia or China or North Korea or Iran or Syria ( or all of them together ) are a threat to the US, Canada, Western Europe and their allies Japan and Australia is not only a joke, it’s complete nonsense.

Russia and China are playing the “I have nukes” game. (“I’m going, but I’m not going alone”.)

The West needs to be cautious, but not afraid.

The earlier story said barrage of cruise missiles? Was that wrong news?

Distraught Ukraine mothers and children are crossing boarders Poland/Romania. broken, there husbands /fathers remaining to fight for there homes, there democratic right to exist,

Possibly never to hold there wives and children again.

The EU/UK/US must take a side and support, by any means.

Amid this terror of a meaningless war visited on the Ukrainian people by the Kremlin's resident megalomaniac, let's spare a thought and a prayer for the poor young Russian soldiers pressed by a ruthless cabal of gangsters into fighting for an ignominious cause that will only earn them the reward of a homecoming in a body bag or the torment of lifelong PTSD because the Ukrainian defenders of Kyiv will make the Russian forces pay in blood for every city block they occupy. Putin and his co-conspirators each deserve no less than to be seen wearing a hempen necktie on Red Square's traditional place of execution.

It's all about NATO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6HdxeAJtL0

I was in Shinjuku this afternoon, and in front of Shinjuku Station, there was a pro-Ukrainian demonstration. It looked like a lot of the people may have been Ukrainians living in Japan. That was, like, wow!

Putin is a THUG, and a BULLY , and a bully understands only one language and that is strength, Europe needs to get it's thumb out of it's a$$ and start thinking about how to speak with one united voice backed an undefeatable military strength, or they will end up just like Ukraine crumbling one after the other.

BBC now reporting that the Ukrainian government has requested the assistance of the International Red Cross in removing the bodies of Russian soldiers killed in battle.

From that, and the fact that the only thing Russia seems to have captured so far is a melted down nuclear reactor, it would seem the invasion is going extremely badly for the Russians so far.

Keep up the good work, Ukraine!

This is pure lunacy. I can't believe this is happening on top of the pandemic which has left the world in tatters. This needs to stop. What will it take for Putin to be stopped?

u-s—reamer. These Russian soldiers are volunteers. They are committing war and against fellow Slavs and enjoying it. The same people who would defend Russia at a drop of a hat if Russia was in trouble. These Russian soldiers are just Putin killing squads and pay handsomely for the fillfy deeds.

Finally a president that has some real balls. US and their evacuation nonsense can shove it. If Zelenskyy dies, then he is a martyr. If he survives, he is still a hero who is fighting for the nation. Either way, he in the end is still the symbol that represent fighting the invaders. Make them bleed every step of the way. Only by doing that can you make your enemies understand the price of invading.

@marcelito 8.13 pm

Excellent, level-headed summary.

So much wiser than the armchair generals’ nonsense.

Ganbutee to the Ukrainian soldiers!

makes me think China will try and take Taiwan now the Olympics are over. Hope I’m wrong!

Three days in and the Russians haven’t achieved any of their first day objectives yet.

How do you know what their first day objectives were? Don't think they expected to take Kiev in a day or two. Having said that , hats off to the Ukranians for their courageous defence against Russia,s military might.

Its the UK’s ministry of defence assessment that the Russians failed to achieve their objectives, reported on BBC. Not sure if they are correct or not, but I assume (perhaps unsafely I admit) that they know what they are talking about.