Szdfan wrote: ↑Wed Jul 12, 2023 8:44 pmWhat surprised me is that there apparently was never formal recognition that the Baltics were part of the USSR. The Western powers had simply decided they didn’t care whether the USSR occupied the Baltics and decided that the Atlantic Charter (self-determination of European countries) didn’t apply to them.
However, I’m not sure where Josh gets his 75 years number from. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had their independence re-established in 1990 and 1991, which is 46 and 47 years.
The Baltics actually reclaimed their independence in 1991, not with arms, but through the "Singing Revolution" in which millions of people linked arms all across all three countries from capital to capital and sang: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_Revolution Quite inspirational actually and very much in line with non-violent principles
That’s pretty much what happened all over Eastern Europe, whether it was the peace prayer protests in East Germany, the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia and Solidarity in Poland. The one revolution that was violent was in Romania and the public execution of Ceaușescu on television.
There were certain conditions that enabled this to happen — i.e. the USSR was essentially broke and Gorbachev’s reforms.
Praying for peace in Ukraine. They are the most mined country in the world and frontline medics are seeing the highest number of casualties from mines.
Marylander wrote: ↑Sun Jul 23, 2023 3:37 pm
Praying for peace in Ukraine.
They are the most mined country in the world and frontline medics are seeing the highest number of casualties from mines.
KYIV — A human rights group says it has documented "numerous cases" of Ukrainian forces firing land mines into territory that was controlled at the time by Russia.
In a new report, Human Rights Watch suggests that Ukraine scattered so-called petal mines in and around the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium. Petal mines are prohibited under the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty, of which Ukraine is a signatory, because of their ability to indiscriminately maim and kill.
The report contradicts previous claims, including from Human Rights Watch itself, that Ukraine has only used anti-vehicle mines since Russia invaded in February 2022. Those types of mines are generally permissible under the laws of war.
"Russia has used these weapons in even greater numbers than Ukraine in a much more widespread fashion in different parts of the country," Steve Goose, the director of Human Rights Watch's Arms Division, told NPR. But, with these revelations, Ukraine's "moral high ground has been compromised." .. ..
.. .. Last August, Amnesty International suggested Ukraine may have committed war crimes for placing weapons too close to civilian areas. The human rights group later backpedaled on some conclusions after its local staff resigned and Ukraine's government accused the organization of creating a false equivalence between Russia and Ukraine.
Human Rights Watch says its evidence of Ukrainian mining activity in Izium, however, is more unequivocal than past allegations of Ukrainian war crimes. The group is calling on the Ukrainian military to conduct an internal investigation into its adherence to the country's international obligations.
"I think, without question, this is the worst violation of the Mine Ban Treaty in its 25 years of existence," says Goose.
Marylander wrote: ↑Sun Jul 23, 2023 3:37 pm
Praying for peace in Ukraine.
They are the most mined country in the world and frontline medics are seeing the highest number of casualties from mines.
KYIV — A human rights group says it has documented "numerous cases" of Ukrainian forces firing land mines into territory that was controlled at the time by Russia.
In a new report, Human Rights Watch suggests that Ukraine scattered so-called petal mines in and around the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium. Petal mines are prohibited under the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty, of which Ukraine is a signatory, because of their ability to indiscriminately maim and kill.
The report contradicts previous claims, including from Human Rights Watch itself, that Ukraine has only used anti-vehicle mines since Russia invaded in February 2022. Those types of mines are generally permissible under the laws of war.
"Russia has used these weapons in even greater numbers than Ukraine in a much more widespread fashion in different parts of the country," Steve Goose, the director of Human Rights Watch's Arms Division, told NPR. But, with these revelations, Ukraine's "moral high ground has been compromised." .. ..
.. .. Last August, Amnesty International suggested Ukraine may have committed war crimes for placing weapons too close to civilian areas. The human rights group later backpedaled on some conclusions after its local staff resigned and Ukraine's government accused the organization of creating a false equivalence between Russia and Ukraine.
Human Rights Watch says its evidence of Ukrainian mining activity in Izium, however, is more unequivocal than past allegations of Ukrainian war crimes. The group is calling on the Ukrainian military to conduct an internal investigation into its adherence to the country's international obligations.
"I think, without question, this is the worst violation of the Mine Ban Treaty in its 25 years of existence," says Goose.
"Ukraine's moral high ground has been compromised" Let's talk Russia. Ukraine has no nuclear arsenal. Why did you post this article?
Both Ukraine and Russia insist on using very bad land mines that attract children.
Even Belarus got rid of their stockpiles of them.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine can claim the high ground on much of anything when it comes to using land mines that maim innocent children. Incidentally, Russia SFSR and Ukrainian SSR both contributed many troops and equipment to distribute mines all over Afghanistan which were manufactured in Ukrainian SSR amongst other places.
Josh wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2023 4:32 pm
Both Ukraine and Russia insist
I would say Ukraine was forced to deploy them.
Mines are two things, area denial and defensive buffers. The only way Ukraine would be forced to use them is if Russia was advancing and they couldn’t stop them.
Josh wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2023 4:32 pm
Both Ukraine and Russia insist
I would say Ukraine was forced to deploy them.
Mines are two things, area denial and defensive buffers. The only way Ukraine would be forced to use them is if Russia was advancing and they couldn’t stop them.
Russia has been attacking across what... a 1,000 mile front? since February 2022. Just because they haven't been particularly successful since the initial phase of the war doesn't mean they aren't trying. It just means that Ukraine's defenses have solidified. And anti-tank mines have played a part of that as you can see from endless videos of Russian tanks blowing themselves up on Ukrainian anti-tank mines.
It would be negligence for the Ukrainian military to not have defenses prepared all along the 1000+ mile front.
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A fool can throw out more questions than a wise man can answer. -RZehr
