Russia and Ukraine - NOT amateur radio

 After all this time, I am completely puzzled why Russia is doing the damage it is on Ukraine. For many years to come the Ukrainian people will hate Russia, as will much of the world. Surely this is not productive. All this wanton destruction seems so pointless. Why don't we concentrate on real threats rather than waste all this money on destroying things?

Mr Putin, what are you hoping to achieve? - NOT amateur radio

The "special operation" by Russia against Ukraine is now in its second year. At one time the Ukrainian people had a certain respect for Russia. Indeed many in both nations have relatives in the other country. All respect by the Ukrainian people for Russia has gone. The Ukrainian people HATE Russia.

In my view, this war/invasion is totally and utterly stupid. What good can ever come of this? Every country has the right to determine its own future. By free and fair elections the people can choose their own future without external interference.  I sincerely hope peace can be created. 

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65524104 .

Ukraine - NOT amateur radio

This "special operation" (in the West we call it war) is almost a year old. It seems President Putin was surprised by the reaction especially when the West did nothing when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. He probably thought he could just walk in and the war would be over in days.

I have nothing at all against the Russian people: they have been fed a line by state media. At the height of the cold war many Russians were worked on amateur radio and, in a small way, barriers were broken down. After all, they were just people like us.

This war has to stop. It will. Let us all hope that everyone is able to think it a victory. 

In the end, wars rarely solve problems. Most can be traced to earlier grievances. In the end, true justice for all is the only way.

Ukraine war - NOT amateur radio

The war in Ukraine is almost 1 year old. What a total waste of everything! 

I hear now that Germany and the USA are sending tanks. I am sure we in the west, as well as people in Russia, are not being told the whole truth. This often happens in wars.

Russia is paranoid about its security, but at the same time invading a neighbouring country is not the answer. More countries (Finland and Sweden) want to join NATO. If these countries were attacked or any NATO country, the reaction would be devastating.

In the end I very much hope some sort of peace can be found. It seems to me that the elements of this must include:

• No nation to be invaded by neighbours.
• Russia gets guarantees that nobody ever intends to invade it.
• Sweden, Finland and Ukraine do not join NATO but have their security guaranteed by NATO.
• Russia has access to Crimean ports for its Navy. 
• Sanctions are lifted with guarantees of good conduct after a fixed period.
• Both Ukraine and Russia do not apply war crimes against each other.
  

All conflicts are resolved in the end, usually with some degree of compromise by warring parties. This is  stupid waste of lives and property. The sooner everyone tells the whole truth the better.

Ukraine war - NOT amateur radio

 At the height of the cold war I had many SSB contacts with stations all over the world including stations in the USSR. Sadly these days I go on SSB infrequently because of my poor voice. Amateur radio was a way of breaking down barriers.

A report in The Atlantic says there was a Ukrainian drone strike in early December on a Russian airbase some 500 miles south of Moscow. This airbase is supposed to house nuclear weapons. As far as I know, we heard little about this.

Sadly, we live in dangerous times.

In my view, most, if not all, conflicts are based on insecurity. It is much better to talk to avoid conflict than have wars. One of the dangers of wars is that all parties tend to hide the truth.

I very much hope the stupid conflict in Ukraine can be brought to an end quickly. Jaw, jaw, not war war ..... please.

Ukraine - NOT amateur radio

By any standards, what is happening in Ukraine is barbaric. 

Putin will be despised for years to come, whatever "victory" he achieves by brutal force. He will be hated by people who he calls his own. All to recreate a failed autocratic system.  Any threat to Russia is of his own making. Ask yourselves: have recent actions made Russia safer?

In the fog of war, both sides put out propaganda to suite their own ends. However, it is hard to argue with the sheer numbers of refugees fleeing the country and those displaced in their own lands.

I desperately hope a fair and just settlement can be arrived at soon.

Says it all? - NOT amateur radio

This waste bin expresses what many feel probably.

I can't understand how so much suffering can be inflicted on fellow Slavs who share so much history. 

It is hard to see how in the future there will be warm relations between the Ukraine and Russia.

Momentous times - NOT amateur radio

Just occasionally, we seem to live in very important times.

I hope, in the end, there is (soon) a peaceful resolution to the tragedy in Ukraine. Sadly, for the ordinary people, food and energy costs are bound to be higher. Inflation is bound to go up.

My personal feeling is we will avoid WW3, although this is the closest we have ever been in my view. 1962 was scary.

Hopefully, this will be a wake-up call for the world. There are some ruthless people about. Our food and energy sources cannot be taken for granted. There are some very kind people around.

Radio amateurs in Ukraine

Since the recent troubles began, radio amateurs in Ukraine have been asked to keep off the air on TX. This has largely been observed. 

Whatever your views, innocent civilians are being killed or displaced. I hope a peaceful way can be found to stop the bloodshed.

Even at the height of the Cold War, radio amateur chats with stations behind the Iron Curtain continued. In a small way, we all tried to break down barriers.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2022/march/ukraine-maintains-ham-radio-silence-in-state-of-emergency.htm#.YiTBi4rP3rc .

The new world order - NOT amateur radio

Peace and harmony have always been my wish. We in the west are far from perfect, but I think recent actions by Russia are counter-productive with many countries being appalled by Putin's heavy handedness against fellow slavs.

In the end we all want peace. Let's hope good sense will prevail.

New world order? - NOT amateur radio

With the recent invasion of  Ukraine by Russia, it suddenly feels that the world order is changing. 

Now, I know that there are always 2 sides to any stories in the propaganda circulated in the run-up to wars and we in the west are not prefect. 

However, I am concerned that many in Russia and Ukraine would much prefer not to have wars,  destruction and loss of lives. This is especially true when many have relatives in the other country. Why can't peace prevail?

I also worry about Belarus. If its leader decides to try to attack any of the Baltic states that are NATO members, then by the articles of the treaty, all NATO members are being attacked.

What about China and Taiwan?

No, the balance of power is changing and it will impact the lives of our children and grandchildren.

All I ask is that we all try to live at peace with our neighbours.

Interesting that there we're several people on 40m FT8 sending "CQ STOPTHE WAR" and "CQ ST0PPUTIN". 

Let history judge. 

That move to the right - NOT amateur radio

So the Ukraine has, allegedly, voted a clown as president. All over the western world it seems people are getting disillusioned with their elected representatives. There seems to be a march to the right in many countries. I am not quite sure why this is, but it points to disappointment and a sense of disconnectedness.

Like many things, this is probably cyclical, but it points to a deeper anxiety: we lack credible leaders.

Certainly here in the UK the gap between the richest and poorest in society seems to be growing and the poorer are being left behind. This cannot go on. At some point things will change, either peacefully or violently. Likewise we cannot continue to live on the principle of endless growth, when resources are finite.