Did Ukraine provoke war with Russia?

The Grayzone's Max Blumenthal and Aaron Mate on the real history and context leading up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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#TheGrayzone

[PerceivedREALITY]

Since 2014, the Ukrainian military was indiscriminately shelling civilians living in Donbas. This is well documented.

[liberty-matrix]

Ukraine lost the war back in 2014 when after the US backed coup, they started bombing their Russian speaking citizens in the East.

[chantelleglover-ey]

Boris holding up the flag of the worst battalion in the world, ive never been so disgusted

[MelittaFilter-cg]

If they had followed through with the Minsk accords nobody would have died and Ukraine wouldn't have lost an inch of their territory. If your government listens to the wrong advice you, the people, suffer the consequences. Historical fact and sad everytime it happens.

[gc]

Yes, Zelensky did not follow his promises and just spreads lies. He will not be able to hide!!!!

[jsto]

So grateful you guys are telling the real story of the Ukrainian conflict. Thank you!! 🙏

[Helzakath]

Yanukovich turned down the IMF and EU because of disgusting stipulations of crippling austerity and tax hikes. They wanted him to make his people as poor and desperate as possible so that they would be exploitable for Wall Street swooping in. This led to the US orchestrating a coup, using the far-right ultranationalist groups they had been cultivating for over a decade (as they tried and failed in 2004 as well). Which is why it is so infuriating that the "Euromaidan", was made out to be some people's revolution.

This is what led to Donetsk and Luhansk seceding from Ukraine, that kicked the whole thing off. The Neoliberal ideology that had hijacked their government wanted to impoverish, exploit and neglect them, while the ultranationalist ideology that swept the country wanted to kill them or drive them off. It was Ukraine that turned on them, not the other way around. Ukraine spent 8 years trying to ethnically cleanse the Donbas, so that they could move in and take the land back, but in the end, Russia finally intervened. Thus the "start" of this supposed "illegal, unprovoked invasion" of a supposed "democratic sovereign country".

[burningman]

Before February 2022 - Ukraine shelled Donbas everyday, they were warned to stop - several time. But they found warnings ⚠️ funny 😢

[annap]

Truth always comes out in the end. Thank God for that.

[PerceivedREALITY]

Saying there are no nazis in Ukraine is like saying there are no nazis in the Canadian parliament. R.I.P. Gonzalo Lira

[Key-Wound]

No, the Western Cabal started the war, Zelensky was just the frontman

[nikto-kykx]

Putin showed great restraint. 8 years of provocations before Russia reacted. The US would have invaded the first month if this happened on the US border.

[ramonching]

The US provoked the Russian response with NATO expansion.

[hermanhsu]

As a leader, he had more than 15 million people have fled out of the homeland, about 1 million more casualties, 20% territory lost, 500 billion USD owed to Europe and the US, and own real estate in foreign land worth hundreds million. What an achievement he made, praised by the West still, sarcastic optimum.

[scottfay]

A future without Zelensky is a future worth fighting for

[juanluistostadocanales]

Bucarest NATO Summit 2008, Nuland Maidan 2014

[michaelmravetz]

Jeffrey Sachs talk at the EU was perfect.

[sergeypimenov]

Ukraine believed that acting as a Western proxy force against Russia would bring it great benefits.

[gugamar]

Objectively, in 2013 there was an unstable geopolitical balance of power: The US was a global hegemon; Russia was a regional power and a global nuclear superpower; Ukraine was a non-player. I don't think anyone disputes this. In 2014 through a Coup, Ukraine became a puppet government of the US/NATO and openly threatened to negate Russia's status as a regional power. Russia responded by taking Crimea (a de-facto disputed territory since 1991). From 2014 until 2022, Ukraine was armed to the teeth by NATO, became an all-but-in-name NATO vassal state, and a regional power of its own, and threatened to take Crimea from the Russians by force. So yes, Ukraine acted and was used to change the balance of power in the region - a provocation by all definitions.

[Manitoba-rtqu]

Thank you.
Very good.
Greetings from Germany.