I've read about the Russians making up new reasons on the fly as well, however I don't know how much this is true. The western medias read so much like propaganda these days that I feel like I cannot take their work for it.

Do you read the news from russian medias directly? (I can't)

Yes I do because I agree to a point with western media bias - all of the biolab and other things are being pushed in these channels too.

It looks very rational to me. I say that as someone who lives across the Black sea and have suffered under their rule and feels for the Ukrainians.

Placing weapons next door to any powerful entity is recipe for conflict. It sounds like you're repeating the same talking points over and over.

Russia felt threatened and attacked. What did the US do to Cuba when the Soviets put weapons there? Oh, that's right. Eternal embargo. No war because they couldn't risk it at the time.

How can you feel so rightous is beyond me

Your history is wrong. The sanctions against Cuba were all well in place before Cuban missile crisis began.

Haven't been lifted because... completely unrelated reasons? Is that it?

Haven't been lifted because the same regime which justified the actions in the first place is still in power doing the same things. Foreign military weapons installations didn't have anything to do with it then, and doesn't have anything to do with it now.

If that is all you can say, I don't think we should interact ever again. Reads like standard US propaganda. Must be nice living in that one dimensional world

Sour grapes, said the fox when refuted on his original point.

> It looks very rational to me.

Based on...?

> Russia felt threatened and attacked.

By what? By Ukraine's Bayraktars?

If you want me to get off my high horse, please provide something that can change my position

You may find this article interesting https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2022/03/11/john-mear...

No, I don't. This narrative is so ridiculous and obvious Russian war justification propaganda I don't understand how people don't see through it. What the viewpoint is suggesting is that sovereign smaller countries (like Ukraine, Finland, Baltics etc.) shouldn't even allowed to think about making alliances to protect THEIR OWN INTERESTS (Not American, Russian on any other superpowers) lest they anger someone in the process.

This guy would rather see smaller independent states swallowed by Russia than provide any kind of resistance. Surely you understand that as a neighbouring country to Russia who has dealt with subtle threats from them for the past 80 years that there's absolutely no kind of sympathy for this viewpoint over here.

Kreml's human embodiment resembles a paranoid schizophrenic who thinks everyone is out to "get them" when in reality it's their irrational warmongering that countries want to shield themself from. Or do you really think NATO has some super secret agenda of assembling an offensive for conquering Moscow?

I don't control the media that surrounds you. Cannot change your opinion

I haven't consumed any mainstream media for the past 5 years.

Believe it or not I sympathize with the generic Russian citizen's autonomy and interest for retaining their own identity and culture. It's a tremendous shame all this has happened. As a Finn, we could have a great country right next to our border with something completely culturally unique and different from your average European country, which more and more meld culturally into a generic Euro-American amalgamation, indistiguishable from each other.

Instead it's turned into a nightmare dictatorship which has now ruined everything above and more importantly has potential life-threatening consequences to me personally and my country.

There is nothing here but sorrow for everyone involved.

You are just venting. Keep I mind I haven't said Russia is great to its people and neighbours.

I am of the opinion that it's not all their fault and there are other bad actors. Worse even.

You Russian troll factories need a new tactic; this ”no but USA” trope is exceedingly obvious and tired