A War Foretold(theguardian.com)
theguardian.com
A War Foretold
https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2026/feb/20/a-war-foretold-cia-mi6-putin-ukraine-plans-russia
11 comments
shame to admit, I wasn't able to predict the start of the war even though I was in Russia at that time. It's was always some news on the periphery of my brain. At somepoint there were news about the russian army "stopping their maneuvering" and I thought "ah, this was a scare tactic after all, no one is insane to start a war"
I guess in Russia they control the news. In the UK there was quite a lot of Russia about to invade stuff in the news. They even had the date down pretty much as it was assumed Putin was waiting for the end of the winter olympics so as to not annoy the Chinese.
the news were there. I read about the russian army near the border. Russian media posted the quotes by european leaders. Still I kind of ignored it.
Interestingly, people on twitter learned that it happened first, because google maps near border cities suddenly started to display traffic jams early in the morning.
Interestingly, people on twitter learned that it happened first, because google maps near border cities suddenly started to display traffic jams early in the morning.
I find it increddible, that almost the whole personal that allowed putin to wage this war, is still in some ways in office and power in europe. What happened to disgraced figures stepping back, to give the new and capable a chance to recover ? Steinmeier, Van der Leyen, the posts change and become more honorific, but with such a legacy of ashes, who would want to stay at the press conference?
[Link is in german] https://schmid.welt.de/2026/02/25/braucht-deutschland-einen-...
[Link is in german] https://schmid.welt.de/2026/02/25/braucht-deutschland-einen-...
“Allowed?”
How would you approach preventing a nuclear armed state from invading their neighbor?
The only lever they (EU and member states) had was economic, there were zero diplomatic or military options. Russia is essentially a nuclear-armed mafia-owned gas station, so not buying NG would’ve helped a bits
Preventing them from invading doesn’t really seem possible once you account for nuclear weapons.
How would you approach preventing a nuclear armed state from invading their neighbor?
The only lever they (EU and member states) had was economic, there were zero diplomatic or military options. Russia is essentially a nuclear-armed mafia-owned gas station, so not buying NG would’ve helped a bits
Preventing them from invading doesn’t really seem possible once you account for nuclear weapons.
He removed his own teeth through years of inaction and got dependent on the deliveries from his "dealer". How is he responsible for his lack of bite and his anbility to cut ties?
Europe also has nuclear weapons directly and indirectly. The uk, the us and france should have donated one too Kjiev!
Europe also has nuclear weapons directly and indirectly. The uk, the us and france should have donated one too Kjiev!
Absolutely everyone who didn't stop Putin "allowed" him to wage his stupid war. So, everyone needs to resign now?
I have zero sympathy for von der Leyen, by the way. The only thing that she's good at is failing upwards.
I have zero sympathy for von der Leyen, by the way. The only thing that she's good at is failing upwards.
Yes, a whole paradigma and the politicians who grew up on the failed soil of a "utopia" around the corner, ignoring all the signs, should step back into the void of history instead of rotting away in office, hopeing in every sentence that the "good times" will return any minute now. They are clearly unfit to handle reality or even percieve it.
They didn't believe it because they needed not to. Simple.
I think it's a shame that the west wasn't more forceful to stop Putin invading. I mean the US, UK and Russia signed the Budapest Memorandum when Ukraine gave up its nukes, agreeing to respect the borders. It would have been quite reasonable for the USAF/RAF to threaten to take out invading troops and maybe have saved thousands of lives.