RE:RE:RE:RE:RE: Vladimir Putin warns Nato against eastward expansion
it's a risk, but the potential gains are worth the risk, and honestly I'm not convinced that there will be an invasion... this is a good article that goes over the various facets of the conflict: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/3/how-real-is-the-threat-of-a-russian-invasion-of-ukraine to summarize: there has been tension since 2014, and this is the second time recently that Russia has amassed troops at the border. If they do attack, it won't be pretty for them. When they invaded in 2014, Ukraine was under equipped and under trained.. now they have been re-arming for some time, they have a ton of battle experience, and much better training. If Russia attacks, then the EU and the west will place sanctions on Russian hydrocarbons and fertilizer, maybe more, which would wipe out a significant portion of Russia's foreign trade revenues, and have a serious (very serious) impact on their economy. Although unlikely, there is also the possibility that NATO or the west could deploy troops and step in to help. Also if they attack, it is unlikely that they will try to take the entirety of Ukraine. According to Ihor Romanenko, a retired lieutenant general and Ukraines former deputy chief of staff, Putin wants his troops to reach the Dnieper River that dissects Ukraine, seize a land corridor to annexed Crimea and ensure the resumption of water supply to the arid peninsula that was cut off in 2014. We are on the other side of that river if I am not mistaken. Although by that point black irons project could be in trouble or massively delayed, depending on the state of the Ukrainian government, market sentiment, etc... I think that there is a good chance that this whole thing can de-escalate without an invasion.. it's important to take in information from a variety of sources and use your critical thinking skills in these situations, because the news is generally sensationalist, but I like Al Jazeera, and that article does a good job of presenting both sides of the debate.. let it serve as a starting point for your research into the matter, and once you feel you have adequately educated yourself, then you can decide whether the risk of this project and this situation is within your risk tolerance, and within your risk capacity..