Comments by "duncan smith" (@duncansmith7562) on "Ukraine seizes key Russian-occupied supply hub in east • FRANCE 24 English" video.

Ukraine is advancing toward Slovyansk and Kramatorsk? When did Russia capture Slovyansk and Kramatorsk? Fake news
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what are their names?
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@nomadicjack original post said "ministers" obviously opposition members in the Duma are going to protest Putin's actions. That is what happens in a democracy. Couldn't happen in Ukraine of course because all opposition in Ukraine is banned!
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@valevisa8429 it's not me that said Russia is a democracy. The post said Duma deputies had written protest letters decrying Putin's leadership. I said that that is what happens in democracies...it's called freedom of speech (currently such a protest would not be possible in Ukraine), so my conclusion is that, at least in the matter of free speech against the leader, Russia is MORE of a democracy than Ukraine. How could one conclude otherwise? Unless you are living in another universe.
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@wom_Bat sounds like what happens in a vibrant democracy where freedom of speech is tolerated......couldn't happen in Ukraine!
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@jeckjeck3119 what does any of the above have to do with a group of Russian political leaders exercising their democratic right to express their opposition to Russia's leader? Again, I merely point out that the same could not happen in Ukraine, agreed?
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@jeckjeck3119 pointing out incidents that you claim show Russia is far from a democracy does nothing to challenge the fact that freedom of speech in Russia seems alive and well in the case of these Duma deputies protesting Putin's leadership. You don't seem particularly willing to explain why, if Ukraine is a democracy, such written and spoken opposition to Zelensky's leadership is completely banned!
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@valevisa8429 Calling a special military operation a "war" is not a crime in my book, and it is not the freedom of speech one would associate with a democracy. But, again, you refuse to address my point! I never said that Russia was a perfect democracy. I said that a group of Duma deputies proclaiming their opposition to Putin IS an example of the kind of freedom of speech that DOES happen in a democracy, and that all those who think Ukraine is a democracy NEVER address the FACT that such a declaration of opposition to Zelensky would not even be possible, given that Zelensky has, most undemocratically, banned all opposition parties. You can ignore the elephant in the room if you wish, but the fact remains....there are elements of democracy that exist in Russia that are totally banned in Ukraine.
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@valevisa8429 what about the man in Latvia jailed for stomping on a Ukrainian flag? Given you LOVE pointing to undemocratic court sentences, how about you condemn the "democracy" of EU member, Latvia?
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