I respect that you're questioning everything. I understand the benefits of trying to understand each side of a conflict. I acknowledge that Kiev would want to play up war crimes for maximum PR. But all that said, Russia has a reputation for killing everything in its way by simply paying men to do so. Of course, Russia offers whatever its interested in some money before it rolls in. Putin tried to win Ukraine over. But whatever money he though was going to Ukraine was probably pocketed before it ever got there. Russia doesn't seek to kill people, BUT, it doesn't offer deals one is really free to turn down ;)
It's not like in the U.S. where if a Senator wants to visit Taiwan and the President doesn't want it the Senator doesn't do it anyway. There are MANY political interests. Ukraine is playing that game with amazing skill. Putin plays nothing. Do what he wants or he will keep killing and destroying everything he can. I mean, this isn't hidden. It's right out in the open.
To say that Bucha happened but the Ukrainians did it makes very little sense. Let's say they did it and the West found out. That would literally be the end of Ukraine. Why doesn't Ukraine attack Russia directly. It surely must want to!
Ukraine wants to join others. Russia will only work with others if it is in charge. I respect that. But Russia must sleep in the bed it makes.
The reason the United States doesn't pay people to go fight (like in Iraq), or pull people out of prison, is that an undisciplined Army always loses in the end. It's just history. Putin doesn't get that. He doesn't get it because so far he has only bitten off as much as he can get away with using the above methods.
Whatever happened in Bucha. Ukraine won the PR war, fair and square in my eyes. Germany would LOVE to give Putin what he wants. But he simply won't negotiate from a position of weakness. It is what it is.
There's nothing flimsy about radioactive poisoning. You're arguing that dozens of doctors in both Britain and Germany lied about what happened to those men? They don't care about framing Russia.
I believe, because you're probably Russian, you believe it is easy for government to cover things up. It really isn't here in the U.S. or Europe. It hasn't been my experience. For every person who wants to cover something up there's another who will gain more influence by exposing it. That's the game. And the rule is, no killing your opponent.
