Comments by "foil hat" (@foilhat1138) on "NATO marks 75th anniversary amid rising Russian threat | DW News" video.

@Zuzka3158 Can you read? There wouldn't be any casualties in the Donbas, Ukrainian or otherwise if Russia hadn't invaded.
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Putin didn't request to join though, he wanted to be asked to join because in his words he "didn't want to be on a list with a bunch of countries that don't matter." That's not how NATO works though. If Russia asked to join and went through he necessary reforms they had a decent chance of joining the alliance.
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@Zuzka3158 Wagner was there, and as Putin admitted they are a branch of the Russian military. “I want to point out and I want everyone to know about it: The maintenance of the entire Wagner Group was fully provided for by the state. From the Ministry of Defense, from the state budget, we fully financed this group.” You haven't said a single correct thing so far this thread, that's impressive in its own way.
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@Zuzka3158 All people in all countries have roots in other countries, what a brainless statement. Kyiv predates Muscovy. Both states were founded by Varangians. I'm not sure what this has to do with anything though, unless you are suggesting Russia be returned to its rightful rulers the Swedes. Ukraine was recognized by every state on earth in '91, including Russia.
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@branimirsalevic5092 NATO isn't the one invading Ukraine. It was Russia that chose war.
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@Zuzka3158 No they didn't. In 1991, Boris Yeltsin sent a letter to NATO, suggesting that Russia's long-term aim was to join NATO. That's not asking to join, they also weren't denied.
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@Zuzka3158 If you write a letter saying you want to join my precision engineering company at some vague unstated date but instead decide to become a brutal autocracy and invade and annex your neighbors. What would you summarize that means for you?
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@Zuzka3158 Strelkov also crossed the border with Russians. The unit was mostly Russian Armed Forces 'volunteers' from Russia that wore no insignia. Girkin admitted that this action sparked the Donbas War. He said "I'm the one who pulled the trigger of war. If our unit hadn't crossed the border, everything would have fizzled out, like in Kharkiv, like in Odessa"
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@Zuzka3158 It also wasn't the first time Russia tried this in the Donbas. After the poisoning of Yushenko failed in 2004 Russia was unhappy with the result. Russia plotted a coup in Eastern Ukraine. Sveredonetsk was the epicenter of a pro Russian congress. The congress hosted Yuri Lushkov, ex mayor of Moscow and leading figure in Putin's party. In ‘94 he had advocated to let Crimea join with Russia. The movement failed, but10 years later things would be different. Putin had decided to send regulars and mercenaries along with annexing Crimea.
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@Zuzka3158 Moreover the 'historical context' argument from Russia's pov is ridiculous, because you have to 1. ignore that Kyiv predates Moscow, and 2. ignore all the historic claims other countries have on Russia. Do you support returning outer Manchuria to China? Or the Kuril Islands to Japan? Russia occupies Georgian territory Abkhazia and South Ossetia, along with Finish territory Karelia and Salla and many many other countries territory. Russia didn't even begin its expansion until after the Mongols left, maybe they should just return all its territory to its rightful owner, Mongolia.
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It might have been headed that way, thanks to Putin though it now has two new members and is stronger than ever.
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@davidschlageter5962 Russia didn't ask to join, they wanted to be asked to join, thats not how NATO works though. In Putin's words he "didn't want to be on a list with a bunch of countries that don't matter." If they had asked and gone through with the necessary political and societal reforms they would likely be in NATO today. He stopped wanting to join right around the time he cut a deal with the oligarchs becoming one of the richest men in history, funny how that worked out.
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@branimirsalevic5092 I hate to break it to you but Russia was expanding long before NATO existed.
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