A lot of talk about a war beginning soon

Today thirty years ago: 1991: Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus signed an agreement to form the Commonwealth of Independent States in the wake of the demise of the Soviet Union.

Thirty years later: Western powers have called on Russia to lower tensions with Ukraine.

Responding to fears of a Russian invasion, Mr Biden agreed with leaders of the UK, France, Germany and Italy to use “all the tools at their disposal”.

The present-day definition of Donbas or Donbass a historical, cultural, and economic region in south-eastern Ukraine overlapping territories of Sloboda Ukraine

Moscow denies it has plans to attack but said that Nato expansion into Eastern Europe risked plunging the world into a “nightmare” of military confrontation and accused Ukraine of sending more than 100,000 troops to its Donbas conflict zone. Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister, issued the warning before talks in Stockholm yesterday with Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, on the spiralling crisis over Ukraine. “The alliance’s military infrastructure is being irresponsibly brought closer to Russia’s borders in Romania and Poland, deploying an anti-missile defence system that can be used as a strike complex,” Lavrov, 71, said. “American medium-range missiles are about to appear in Europe, bringing back the nightmare scenario of a military confrontation.” President Putin has warned that he will train Russia’s new hypersonic weapons on western countries if Nato moves a missile defence shield into Ukraine.

There is a lot of talk about a war beginning soon.
Both sides are not only upping the rhetoric but also their actions against each other. Ukraine sits on the border between east and west. Russia wants it in “the east” under its control – Nato says it is up to the country itself to decide if it wants to join “the west”. Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato chief, issued a stark rebuke to Russia this week, saying:

“It’s only Ukraine and 30 Nato allies that decide when Ukraine is ready to join Nato. Russia has no veto, Russia has no say and Russia has no right to establish a sphere of influence to try to control their neighbours.”

These words will infuriate Putin as he sees the collapse of the Soviet Union as the greatest geopolitical disaster of the 20th Century. The Bible says that Gog will be pushed into coming down to Israel. Ukraine might be that push…

[Gog] will greatly honour those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.  “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. (Daniel 11:40 NLT)

Find our Weekly World Watch

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Preceding

UNHCR recommends measures for strengthening security and refugee protection

A genuine European Union to ensure welfare, security and democracy

We and the other – unitary idealism and tribalism

Risk of accidental war with Russia highest in decades, general warns

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Additional reading

1. “If Perestroika Fails…”: The Last Summer of the Cold War – June-July 1991.
2. Mother of Ukraine or Crimea
3. Battling Borshct in Ukraine
4. Mastery from Kiev, Ukraine
5. Ukrainians should be free to shape the future of their country
6. When Crimean people made their choice
7. Crimea votes overwhelmingly to join Russia
8. A Plan spoken of in long past times
9. 70 years later
10. Russian take-over of Crimea
11. Swallowing up Crimea, who is next
12. East Europe in 2017
13. Signs of the times – “Ukraine under pressure”
14. Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine update
15. Estonia 2021 update
16. Andy Walton’s Weekly World Watch of October 17 – 23, 2021
17. Britain in talks to sell missiles in first arms deal with Ukraine
18. Prepare for Russian invasion of Ukraine, US warns European allies
19. Iranian nuclear programme geared towards creating a bomb
20. Russia taking full advantage of energy crisis in Europe
21. Russia reacting to attempts to break ‘strategic parity’
22. Germany blocks Nord Stream 2 pipe from Russia
23. Russia not wanting it neighbours countries to cooperate with the West
24. Russia not wanting it neighbours countries to cooperate with the West
25. President Joe Biden speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin to expect a clarification about the troop build up at the Ukraine border
26. Tensions increase along Ukrainian frontlines amid Russia conflict
27. Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Russian troop movements

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Related

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3. Ukraine’s president visits Donbass as tension mounts with Russia
4. Ukraine denies it is ‘preparing to attack Donbas’
5. German Chancellor Merkel Demands Putin Pull Back Troops From Flashpoint Border As War Between Russia And Ukraine Seems Imminent
6. Russia Amassing 100,000 Troops At The Border Of Ukraine
7. Ukrainian President Reminds Biden And U.S. Of Promise To NATO As Tensions Escalate With Russia
8. (Ukraine) President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold a crisis summit after days of bloody escalations in the war-torn Donbass region, insisting it hasn’t actually been invited to take part #AceNewsDesk report
9. March to War or Annexation?
10. Donbas Conflict Deepens: imperialist interests and working-class politics
11. 04/19/21 Antiwar: EU Walks Back Claim of 150,000 Russian Troops Near Ukraine Border
12. President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to “meet anywhere in the Ukrainian Donbas, where there is a war.” #AceNewsDesk report
13. Ukrainian leader calls for revamp of peace process to end Donbas war
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15. Warmongers
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17. Writing Through Ukraine’s War: ‘Absolute Zero’ and ‘Grey Bees’
18. 08/31/21 Antiwar: Biden Pledges $60 Million in Military Aid to Ukraine
19. Tskhinvali Leader in Donbas: “We Fight for Russian World”
20. The Border Crisis Is Just The Beginning