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Ukraine


Gardian
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I saw that one or two ‘dodgy’ posts on another thread have been deleted earlier - just thought that I might start a new one that (perhaps) has more relevance and that we can all contribute to rationally.

Scary stuff today, eh?  It can’t be ignored though, let alone the panic and fear that the citizens of that country are currently experiencing.  I suspect that none of us can begin to imagine the trauma of feeling that they might have to leave their home and head off ......... to where ?

Some context for us.  Our younger son lives and works in the Czech Republic.  It doesn’t adjoin Ukraine, but it isn’t that far away.

Accordingly, very worrying for us.

We’ve often asked him and his partner how they (and the rest of the populace) were about the ‘Velvet Revolution’ (essentially separation from the USSR) which took place in the 90’s.  

He wasn’t there then, but she says that it was a ‘release’.  None of the younger generation, and by that I mean under 60’s, would want to even contemplate a return to the ‘old days’.   Some of the older folk though .........    A return to the ‘imprisonment’ , literally and culturally of the old regime, would be a disaster for the country.

I don’t doubt that those comments would apply equally to the Ukraine.  It’s going to be more than difficult in the coming days folks - let’s hope for some sanity.

 

 

 

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My parents used to talk of the damage done by the 2WW, of the need to live day to day and not plan; my generation in Europe have been lucky by and large as we have been able to plan our lives as we wished and to live them out. We were largely untouched by the unwinding of the Soviet Empire, unlike the old Yugoslavia which seemed to go back to settling scores that dated from Ottoman times.

Now, what happens; do we live with constant insecurity, shortages, military action encroaching on our quiet lives? And what of our grandchildren?

Perhaps the hope is that enough body bags will be returned to Russia for the people to chuck out Putin.

Whichever, things cannot ever be the same again, can they?

It is after all an ill wind…..

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23 hours ago, anotherbanana said:

My parents used to talk of the damage done by the 2WW, of the need to live day to day and not plan; my generation in Europe have been lucky by and large as we have been able to plan our lives as we wished and to live them out. We were largely untouched by the unwinding of the Soviet Empire, unlike the old Yugoslavia which seemed to go back to settling scores that dated from Ottoman times.

Now, what happens; do we live with constant insecurity, shortages, military action encroaching on our quiet lives? And what of our grandchildren?

Perhaps the hope is that enough body bags will be returned to Russia for the people to chuck out Putin.

Whichever, things cannot ever be the same again, can they?

It is after all an ill wind…..

 

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Our elder son & wife live in the Thames Valley & have long-standing friends there.  Nadya is Ukrainian.

Her sister lives in Kiev and decided to leave a day or so ago to head for her Mother’s place in mid-Ukraine.  Made it OK.

Choices?  Stay put, or head west to Poland?   Seemingly not much happening on the ground, but a Russian aircraft shot down close to them by Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire.

Stay put (vs being a refugee amongst ‘000’s) seems the best advice, but easy to say from afar.

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Our younger son who lives in southern Czech told me last night that families are arriving there from Ukraine.

The children were going to be taken to school today - it’s a small city / big town.   Obviously language will be a problem, but it’s almost certainly a means of ‘occupying’ the youngsters and giving the parent(s) some time to recover and ascertain what accommodation possibilities there are ......... and just to give them a break.

The Czechs will be anxious to help - they can well remember 1968 !

In situations like this, you witness the good and the bad extremes of human behaviour.

 

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A very interesting piece AB - thanks for posting it.

I suppose that there’s nothing new in these ‘regional differences’ - there’s Netherlands vs Belgium, Brittany vs the rest of France, even Scotland vs England !

The real difference for the most part though, is that unlike this headbanger Putin, people don’t go around trying to annihilate the other side. 

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On 27/02/2022 at 22:56, Gardian said:

Our elder son & wife live in the Thames Valley & have long-standing friends there.  Nadya is Ukrainian.

Her sister lives in Kiev and decided to leave a day or so ago to head for her Mother’s place in mid-Ukraine.  Made it OK.

Choices?  Stay put, or head west to Poland?   Seemingly not much happening on the ground, but a Russian aircraft shot down close to them by Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire.

Stay put (vs being a refugee amongst ‘000’s) seems the best advice, but easy to say from afar.

Heard from our son this afternoon that Nadya’s sister and mother are OK,  all the vital services are still operational, and there’s no fighting close to them.

They’re insisting on staying put.

 

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  • 1 month later...
1 hour ago, couldstay said:

Don't feel too worried about these things, times have changed

I'm sorry couldstay, I don't understand your post? Should we not worry about the atrocities committed in Bucha and Kramatorsk ? 

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17 hours ago, couldstay said:

Don't feel too worried about these things, times have changed

Unfortunately the only things that have changed are the dates and the increased efficiency of weapons that can kill and maim!! 1st WW,  2nd WW, Korea, Vietnam, Middle East, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Crimea, civil wars in many African countries. No doubt there are more I have missed and now Ukraine. To be complacent and not worried displays an amazing disregard, not only for one's own safety in this world but for the millions that 'have to be worried'! No, times have not really changed at all. There will always be the Hitlers, Stalins, Maos, Genghis Khans, Napoleons  and Putins who want to change the world order, ( and no, Britain wasn't exempt!) Wars have been fought and will continue to be fought as sure as days follow night. Anyone who believes war won't happen must be an imbecile. That it it is not, on this occasion, in our own country, is no reason to be complacent. With the weapons now available feeling 'worried' is perfectly normal

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