Best comment so far today :

"I am both amazed and shocked at the incredible level of ignorance about what led up to the situation today in Ukraine and what's actually going on. Where have all you Ukraine experts, supporters of freedom and democracy, and suddenly 'woke' yellow & gold cheerleaders been for the past 8 years?

Anyone recall the George Soros-CIA orchestrated orange-coloured coup d'etat and U.S. hand-picked government replacement of a sovereign and democratically elected government in 2014.

Not a beep from the West.

The Donbass region and Crimea decide "no thanks" and the newly minted pro-Western government decide to attack, bomb, shoot, shell and burn alive residents of Lugansk and Donetsk for the next 8 years and 15,000 dead citizens later - cutting off electricity, water and pensions to the people of those regions all under an "extermination" edict from the new Ukrainian President at the time. Crickets.

Meanwhile, Neo-Nazi paramilitaries like the Azov Brigade and the Right Sector "operating" openly and belligerently under full Ukrainian authority (despite U.N. war crimes charges against these groups' leaders and members).

More silence.

The Russian language banned, Russian schools closed, opposition leaders and supporters banned and jailed.

Zero coverage by the Mainstream Media.

The fight in Ukraine has nothing to do with freedom dear people. It is about encircling and ultimately breaking up Russia. NATO encroachment is the West's only goal and this is a war NATO wanted from the very beginning - Ukraine's citizens have always been expendable as part of the fomented and formulated narrative.

For Russia, NATO not guaranteeing - or even entertaining - Russia's security concerns was the 'red line.'

Just look at a map all you suddenly geo-political experts and realize that it doesn't take a genius to figure out the West has done everything in its power since the breakup of the former Soviet Union to neuter and bring to heel the proud and culturally rich Russian peoples (count the NATO sign-ups people with particular regard to each of their geographic locations).

The Russia phobia, the unending and escalating hate against everything Russian and the sheer ignorance of all you "I stand with Ukraine" useful idiots variously based on Western propaganda as well as utterly contrived and purposeful social media fear porn and misinformation makes me literally want to cry, pull my hair out and puke at the same time.

There's been endless false reporting on Ukraine but to ensure it stays that way, all Western countries are banning all information, news and media sources and providers that have the slightest hint of association with the Russian republic - ain't democracy in a free and open society grand?

Fearless but fictitious Ukrainian flying aces using video game grabs - defiant Snake Island protectors dying in a hail of Russian naval warship fire suddenly appearing alive and well - Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian apartment complexes that turn out to be a misfired Ukrainian BUK defence missile - downed Russian military troop transport plane with hundred on board with unusual Ukrainian air-force identification markings on its tail.

Come on folks, if Russia really wanted to blitzkrieg Ukrainian cities and indiscriminately slaughter its civilians - do you think they would still provide easy access to water, electricity, gas, food and telecommunications?

Russia has so far purposely executed and publicly expressed - to a fault I should add - a military incursion to destroy Ukraine's ability to make war on the Donbas while at the same time avoiding all targeting civilian infrastructure and populated residential areas if at all possible. I challenge anyone to dispute this.

If Russia were at any time inclined to destroying Ukraine, they could have easily taken the "shock and awe" approach of the "freedom-loving non-interventionist" U.S. and levelled Ukraine with round after round of hypersonic Kalibre cruise missiles, long range artillery, ballistic missile launches and bomber attacks without risking a single Russian soldier in the process.

Again, Putin has been unequivocal - destroy Ukraine's ability to make war on the Donbass (tanks, armour, missile launchers, heavy artillery, radar, ground-to-air missiles, ammunition dumps, etc.) and de-Nazify the Ukrainian military ranks (you know who you are Azov Brigade).

Right now the Russians surround Kiev (screw it - that's how I spell it) because they want Ukraine's comedian/actor/President to come to the table and sign a peace treaty that recognizes Russia's red line regarding no further expansion of NATO next to Russian soil.

NATO in my mind has far outlived its usefulness and raison d'etre unless of course your intent is permanent global domination - yeah America, that would be a reference to you.

The Ukrainian people are pawns yet again in an international struggle for world hegemony by a collapsing but dangerous American Empire. I stand with Russia and the people of Donbass just like I stand with Palestine, and Yemen, and Syria, and Libya, and Iraq, and Iran, and Venezuela.

Yankee go home! Great Britain - the good ship Britannia has long sailed - move on. Germany - stick to banking, beer & big pretzels. The rest of Europe - eff off, clean off your knee pads and assume your position before your Great American p*mp

P.S.: watch out for food & gas prices, super-inflation, and collapsing economies in the coming days and weeks.

P.P.S. please drop me a line if you intend to pour out your Russian vodka as a show of defiance and I'll come pick it up. Peace!"

William G. Slater