[ethbr0]

By that standard, the UK, Spain and France are also in civil wars.

IMHO, once military forces reach rough parity, civil wars should never be a justification for external involvement, because it always ends badly.

Internal problems need internal solutions.

If Russia and NATO had both stayed out of Ukraine, it would have been better for all Ukrainians. But we zoomed past the Rubicon on that when Crimea was invaded with actual Russian troops.

[cudgy]

“By that standard, the UK, Spain and France are also in civil wars.”

Nice try. How do these compare at all to the Ukraine Donbas conflict? During the span of 2014-2022, the war in Ukraine (pre Russian invasion) between Ukraine and Donbas region resulted in the following:

Ukraine troops 4,647 killed, 70 missing, 13,800–14,200 wounded

Donbas troops 6,517 killed, 15,800–16,200 wounded

3,404 Ukrainian civilians killed 14,200–14,400 Donbas killed 51,000–54,000 wounded overall

1.6 million Ukrainians internally displaced; over 1 million fled abroad

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Donbas_(2014–2022)

[_kbh_]

> During the span of 2014-2022, the war in Ukraine (pre Russian invasion)

The Russian invasion began in 2014.

How do you think these 'separatists' got Russian anti air equipment and Russian MBT's?.

[cudgy]

By that definition, the US invasion began in 2014 too. Who do you think primarily supplied Ukraine with weapons and training?

https://www.npr.org/2019/12/18/788874844/how-u-s-military-ai...

[_kbh_]

> By that definition, the US invasion began in 2014 too. Who do you think primarily supplied Ukraine with weapons and training?

Im not sure what you think an invasion is, but wouldn't a foreign power, stationing their military in your country without your consent qualify?.

Where as when you invite another military to help you out its not really an invasion?.

[capableweb]

No, Russia literally had military presence in Ukraine by 2014, see the occupation of Crimea.

[fuy]

wtf, this is just a lie. Have your looked at actual casualty numbers in 2016-2021? i.e after the initial bloodbath that Russians started in 2014 and that finished in 2015.

it's been around 100 killed per year (both civilians and army) for 5 years before the current war - still 100 more than should be, of course, but it's less than the number of DAILY casualties since February 2022. Also, what you call a "Ukrainian Donbass conflict" is called a Russian military aggression, if you're not a pro-putin shill

[ForestCritter]

Well, I'm basing my next statement on a statement from an ex military individual from Crimea, but he said that the Crimea business was a backend deal and that the military in Crimea was explicitly ordered to not engage under any circumstance. The Crimea government had no desire to stand. I do agree that Russia and Nato should keep their noses out, but then I also think so should we. Russia being bad guys doesn't make Ukraine good is the point I was trying to make.