NATO intensifies scientific cooperation with Ukraine

Did you know Ulya that Donetsk in the Donbass region was founded by a welshman called John Hughes, the layout of the city is still very British, he set up a coal factory there and did lots of business while inside imperial Russia, thousands of welsh migrants went there to work.

There was a film e-premiered in Cardiff recently during the John Hughes arts festival (which celebrated his life and work as its 205 years since his birth) it was called “Donbass borderland” you should watch it if you havnt already.

Hello Sole, I didn’t know that, I will see if I can find that movie. Thank you, I hope you have a good weekend

lol! More pro Putinism from Ulya ,but you must try for the good of the motherland I suppose . Its a civil war instigated by Putin and the military he provides to support a small minority, I seem to remember hitler invaded Czechoslovakia with that same excuse.

A serious question Dave

Do you know when Britain stepped in and partitioned Ireland a century ago, because a small minority of ethnic British in the north wanted to remain British, they feared for their future and we stepped in to help.

Do you think that was the wrong or right thing to do?

Interesting point sole but uk army was sent in to protect the catholics at first who were the actual minority in northern ireland at the time and as far as I remember we didnt roll in tanks,use artillery, or air strikes and try and flatten the place and I could say the same point with Chechnya if you want to compare nothern Ireland with everything russian. Northern ireland troubles in the end came to a sort of peaceful conclusion thanks to both sides and of course the SAS scaring the sh#t out of the IRA.

I think you’re talking about the troubles Dave, which happened 80 years after the partition of Ireland.

Good point sole my mistake i was multi tasking at the time, but give me a Nation that was a saint 80 years ago, this is the 21st century and in my opinion Russia as usual are behind a century with putins ideals and in the 20th century northern ireland is a good example on how to deal with these issues and not do some of the Russian examples i have mentioned above was chechnya any different? and that was quite recent.

Dave, It is the 21st century, just looking at Western actions over the last 25 years, my life time, I don’t think you are in a position to lecture on morality. I take it you don’t think the people of Donbass have any right to decide their own future? So what is the solution Dave?

morality???lol Considering not too long a go ulya the kremlin built a wall around berlin shooting people who tried to escape from kremlin occupied nations to the west.When NATO was fighting al qaeda, Russia was flattening chechnya at the beginning of the 21st century who wanted freedom,your GRU agents dumped novichoks in a public park ,I dont need a talk about morality from a pro putin Russian, lol.

Solution uyla is very simple Putin should leave the ukraine alone and let it make up its own future and who can tell what the donbass people really want passed putins propaganda machine, its not like free speech is common in Russia ,navalny for example or Donbas.I hear only RT can be only aired in that area no surprise there.

Going back to the Berlin Wall Dave? I’m not going to defend the communists, they deported and shot my people, tried to crush my language and culture, but that was in my grandparents life time, in mine time the government actually funds projects to support and encourage it. Chehnya, I’m all in favour of giving them full Independence, 80% of the regional governments money comes from Russia, I’m happy to spend that elsewhere, if they do more terrorist attacks in Russia then we will just kill them again. You mentioned fighting al qaeda, your government had no issues supporting them rebranded and other groups like them in Syria. Salisbury, I wait patiently for the court case. Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Syria, the west acted with morality there? These countries are better off after your peace bombs? You don’t know what the people of Donbass want past Putin’s propaganda machine says, yet your own propaganda machine is full of opinion. Since the troubles started about 1.5-2 million Ukrainians have moved to Russia, millions more have moved to the west or the EU. Wouldn’t it be nice if people just stopped fighting for a little while and just talked to each other, maybe asked what each other wants? Russia’s actions might not always be right Dave, but stop pretending that you are somehow the good guys and your actions are right

Good point ulya We can just go on and on about each others atrocities im sure, but as you mentioned terreorist acts from chechnya comes with the whole nation flattend by Russia ,comparing that with northern ireland the the uk comes out better in its results.
Putin for all his huff and puff trying to get back russia as a super power is a lost cause and there should be no casualties in the process.
But your putin Russia has crossed the line with me with the novichoks attack and Im sorry but your pittyful evidence to defend the GRU agents against the obviouse ,will not go far in the international community as most of the civilised nations have showed.

When it comes to novichok Dave I am in full agreement with you about crossing the line, I have no issues killing the traitor, I could of put a knife in his neck last time I was in the UK and be on a flight home a few hours later. Where you and I different is evidence, I read your media, I read mine, every article I have seen makes more questions than it answers for me and I don’t trust either side to be honest, so to me the only logical way forward is a formal legal case, both side see evidence and a chance to push their case. We both know this will never happen and I know you will blame Russia for this, while I will see it as either a lack or evidence or a lack of commitment by the UK. As far as the international community supporting the UK in this, so you show them your evidence, they kick a few diplomats out in support and then what? Increased trade and more talks on new projects, good friends you have there. It’s really late Dave, or really early, I need to sleep for a few hours. I enjoy our talks. Rest well

Ulya I know your agenda and your last comment I think has proven my point in a some what a disturbing way.

Good evening Dave, you have a suspicious mind, you are right, I do have a agenda, but the UK has no part in it at all. Let’s be honest, there is very little trade between our countries, your sanctions mean nothing, your only real threat to Russia is your nukes, using them is self defeating and we don’t have a good relationship, to be frank it is completely irrelevant if we ever have a good relationship. The EU is important to us for trade and they are starting to push back on the Americans various policies so that is interesting and relevant, that’s something we can make use of, but of course the UK has voted to leave so of no use to us there, and as I mentioned before, the EU supported the UK enough to kick out a few diplomats, but not enough to risk making EU/Russian relations worse or hurting their own economies anymore than necessary, where does that leave the UK? I like this site and enjoy talking to you Dave, but don’t flatter yourself in thinking you are worth the effort to convert to some evil Russian plot or whatever you believe

Ulya,

Just out of curiosity, I read some of your earlier comments, where you mention that you hated the Communists because of what they did to your people. Who are your people?

You also said something pretty damning:
“When it comes to novichok Dave I am in full agreement with you about crossing the line, I have no issues killing the traitor, I could of put a knife in his neck last time I was in the UK and be on a flight home a few hours later.”

If the feeling that the Skripals were traitors to Russia is a popular sentiment among Russians, can you understand why public opinion in the UK and in other countries is that Russia had a hand in his death? Would any other person, or country have a reason to have them killed?

Then there is novichok itself. As I understand it, it was a Russian invention. So far, only Russia has access to this poison, and have been the only country to use it. Circumstantial as the evidence may be, it does still point a rather conspicuous finger at the Russian state. Unless there is information to the contrary that has not been made public…

Hi Rokuth,
I’m Tatar. I have no sympathy or compassion for traitors, Russian law is much more forgiving than tribal law for those who follow the old ways.
Just to be clear, I’m am not denying that Russia might be involved, I don’t know that answer, I am just not prepared to accept your government or media word on it, call me odd but I don’t care about trial by media, take it to court.
Novichok was developed by a team of scientist, at least 1 has lived in the US for about 20 years, I cannot remember his name but a search should tell you soon enough and if I remember right UK media said your porton downs had sample of it all so, thats how they could identify the agent so fast. I am not trying to move blame from one country to another, I would just like to see this proven properly

Hi Ulya,

Appreciate the response and for engaging. BTW, I myself am a Malaysian of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. I know what it’s like to be a minority in a country. Not to mention having my people in the country of my origin be in a brutal civil war.

I did live in the USA for 30 years. I saw how the country changed after the attack on the Twin Towers in NYC NY. It became more… “restrictive” and “paranoid.”

When I returned to Malaysia after my time in America, I found my country changed too. It was no longer the country I remembered growing up. It had become more “restrictive” and “paranoid” as well. More than even the USA.

Most people’s view points are moulded by their experiences and culture of the country they live in. A lot of times, I don’t understand what the UK posters are talking about, or the places they refer to ( I’ve never visited the UK although I would like to one of these days). It is nice to a differing viewpoint. It makes people stop and think. Hope you will keep on posting on this forum.

Good morning Rokuth, I will start by apologising, I assumed you came from the UK in my reply. I would be interested to hear more how Malaysia has changed for you, my partner and I went there and Singapore about 4 years ago for holiday and really enjoyed ourselves and also more on America, I must confess my direct contact with them has been restricted to my work in Iran and the ME so is not positive. I hope you do get to the UK, I have been to London a few times, the history is interesting but I am not good in cities so wished we went to smaller towns, cities are to closed in, too busy, I like the steppe. I would also recommend New Zealand if you have not already been, I have 2 Kiwi friends I try to visit every year or so. It is good to get different points of view, my partner is Spanish so helps me understand the western view on some things and even people like Dave who I often argue with here helps with that, we don’t agree on much but I respect his view. I must go and start work, hope to talk soon. Peace be upon you

Hi Ulya,

No need to apologize. I’m one of those strange people who grew up speaking English at home and living in an English speaking country for years. I’ve been back in Malaysia for at least a decade, and people still think I’m a foreigner… Then again, after living in the US for all that time, I am more American in my opinions, attitudes, and expressions than I am Malaysian.

I do plan to visit the UK , NZ and Australia one of these days. I have many close relatives living in the CANZUK countries that I can go visit and catch up with…

As for my feeling for my country today… well I did have a reunion with my old classmates from high school a few years ago, and even they say that the country has become less tolerant.

I have to say, if you have interacted with the people, it’s not them that are the problem. As always, it is those who are in power, with an agenda of their own, that cause the problems.