@@Manticoruss Russia illegally declared independence from Mongols too. Therefore, we can conclude that Russia is rightfully Mongol owned.

@@Manticoruss Russia is not an independent country. It's basically a terrorist state. Deal with it.

@@Manticoruss cope

@@Manticoruss and russia illegally took crimea from Ukraine, what’s your point?

It would have also given more Russian military support against the Forest Brothers as well

Yep. That's my issue with "The Great Patriotic War" celebrations. I'm American, and I'm generally a bit conservative and religious (I hope not obnoxiously so). I understand a lot of the Russian mindset, and I lived in St Petersburg, Russia for a while. But I now see "The Great Patriotic War" as an obsession. I'll never forget my first few months in Belarus and Russia, and I gawked in utter fascination at the Lenin Squares, Victory Parks, and all the monuments that said 1941-1945. But then I remember my first visa run to Estonia and noticed the obvious lack of Soviet anything. The Museum of the Occupations in Tallinn was impactful. What strikes me is how many Russians deny to an obsessive degree anything that suggests that Russia wasn't the almighty savior of Eastern Europe. It's a problem. The memory gap is very real.

@@markheithaus Very well put

@@markheithaus ​ Well, I'm not sure how Lithuanians and Estonians see it, but from Polish point of view, the "Great patrioric war" as ruskies call it should be called the "Great unprovoked war of agression, butchery and backstabbing". In every conceivable way, USSR was as much a villain of WW2 as Germany was, hell, maybe even more, given all the consequences felt over the next 50 or so years. On another note, russians belive they were "helping" other SSRs and satellite states like Poland and Chechoslovakia, but in reality they were pulling ridiculous amount of resources with nothing in return, causing food crises while moscovites were... well, not living a luxurious life, but at least didn't have to fucking buy meat on monthly debit. There is a USSR-era saying in Poland - it goes something along the lines of "What is the height of mistrust? To drill into the 'friendship' pipeline and check which way the gas is flowing"

@@markheithaus and if Hitler would not have outright attacked Russia (one of the biggest sins ever committed) Stalin would have been content in splitting up Europe between the two of them, as done with Poland.

​@@markheithaus eastern europe. ah yes, the great involvement of allies in eastern front, somehow in the american version(even) of wikipedia there's nothing about that, but at least there is a statistic that says everything that soviets had were 60-70% by lend-lease. ah so true, my memory gap is gone.

@Duplizapper we continue to hate russia, meanwhile germans can't have enough of russian pipes in their mouths

@Duplizapper Lithuania still hates Russia more, as the Nazis caused less pain and suffering than the Soviets here in Lithuania.

@Duplizapper Germany chose hostiles with USSR though....Lithuania was only defending their home

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Russian_sentiment Polish people hate the mist

Respect to Lithuania. Fighting stronger countries and empires since the 13th century.

ukraine suffered the same. well most of countries ocuppied by orcs suffered that

Yh disrespectful fs

@@XXX1NELSON1XXX ahahahaha. Based as f

@@siberiancat9363 attention seeking child spotted

He was being sarcastic when he said brother

true my family is from there when it wa sgerman

Using the logic shouldn't north Americas entirely belong to Natives since they were there for millennia ?

@@unconscious1076 No, it is just for history and context. As far as I know, Germany is not asking for it back. Although now you mention it, given where it’s positioned, it probably just makes sense to split it between Poland and Lithuania now don’t you think? Really the Baltic is a NATO lake now so it is not really a viable territory any more. Maybe have a referendum and see if the residents want to be part of Lithuania and the EU. Much better salaries etc. in the EU.

@@marksullivan2230 agreed

@@marksullivan2230 Na, it will just become our anti Russia. Like a reverse GDR. We let Germany do the finances, Poland does the logistics and the locals finally get a decent government and everyone is happy. Except Putin. He would not be happy. But who cares about that guy anyways.

Yeah, this is important. "Soviet brothers" are like a group of family members, recovering together in therapy, after moving out from abusive josef fritzl style father, calling himself the boss of the neighborhood, because he has a machine gun.

@@weakspirit_ but people watching this don't know this. It's for them, not for the author.

@@jamsky1558 yeah. Uncle Joe was from Georgia. His whole life, he spoke Russian with a weird accent. Not that anybody dared pointing it out while he was alive.

@@weakspirit_ Right, it was sarcastic. The next sentence immediately pivots to "Lithuania was like lol no."

CHITUS, Antanas Sniečkus was not Lithuanian? Krushchev offered to transfer Kaliningrad to Lithuania in the 1950s. But Sniečkus refused, mostly because there were already too many Russians in it by that time. Crimea is larger than Kaliningrad, but Ukraine is even larger than Lithuania. Lithuania only has 2.8 million people today, 85% Lithuanian and 5% Russian. Kaliningrad's population is 430,000 with 87% of them Russian, and hardly any Lithuanian at all. If Kaliningrad were annexed into Lithuania today, Lithuania's Russian population would jump from 5% to 16%. And the worse part of it is they are all concentrated in the southern part of the country. This could possibly in the future give rise to separatists wanting to tear off that bit of the country and annex it to the other neighbour. Like what happened to Coahuila y Tejas.

And the Russians are not helping quell Eastern Europe's fears by commiting war crimes in Ukraine.

No, they all pretty much all hated Russia before the communists as well. Russia has a LOOONG history of invaded its neighbors throughout the centuries.

Honestly people are willing to forget a lot since new generations simply never experienced Soviet version of communism. The issue is that Russia never grew out of its imperial phase It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Poland is not that EU-loving, NATO ass-sucking, West lover. But because Russia continues to act as Big Bad no political party even proposes leaving either of the organisations. Similar thing happens with Nordic as well as Baltic countries and finally with Ukraine

@@angelikaskoroszyn8495 poland infact loves to NATO and loves EU benefits

Same reason Poland is very anti-Russia

HOLY CRAP I didn't knew we at Kaliningrad are so unlucky)

If they gave it to Poland, there would be no problem. They should have as compensation for eastern land they took from us. We would have no problem to populate it and they knew it. But Stalin hated Poland, he took Lviv from us, Grodno with over 80% Polish population which is right next to the border. Imagine "winning" a war and getting smaller.

@@grzegorzbrzeczyszczykiewic1139 Stalin hated Poland? Man, he gave a lot of core German territory to Poland for free. It’s totally unfair. And Lviv was founded by Russian king from rurik dynasty, and the whole area is known as red Rus

@@bogjesrbin484 For free???? 2nd Polish republic was 24,6% bigger than modern Poland. You call this for free? Territories of red rus changed hands several times in early middle ages between Kyivan Rus and Poland. In 14th century it was incorporated into Poland for good and ever since it was a Polish city. Poles made it the capitol of the region, the grandest city in contemporary Ukraine. For centuries it was a center of Polish culture, probably in top 3 most important cities in interwar Poland. Stalin hated Poland because of 1920. At that time he sieged Lviv and refused to sent help to Tuchaczewski's efforts in Warsaw, creating a gap in Bolshevik forces and allowing Poles to counter attack. Taking Lviv from Poland was a matter of personal ambition and revenge. It's funny how you call these "core German lands" when they were founded by Poland and it lost them to Germany around the same time when it got red rus.

@@bogjesrbin484 Besides he was no Russian king, Rus or Ruthenian king. King of Galicia and Volhynia. Much closer to modern Ukraine than Russia.

There was, until there wasn't. That's how love works. It slows ebbs closer or further. Saying you were never brothers is like saying you were never part of the CCCP

I think your rite 🍻

By 'Former Brothers' I imagine it's where one holds the other at gun point and says "I AM YOUR BROTHER! YOU WANT TO BE SHOT!? DO YOU!?!?"

@@777chicha777 because Lithuanians were never part of the USSR by their choice, the baltic were constantly strong armed by the Russians into this "brotherhood" which was more of an occupation than any kind of true cultural connection.

@@orangypteco8858 you're wrong. Russia and the USSR are not the same. The USSR was communist while Russia is democratic (in most ways). Russia agreed to Lithuanian independence and had almost no issues. Their issues with Ukraine were always there.

@@SunriseLAW no

more than a forced step-brother :D

it's a joke

thats how putin sees it

the subtitles say soviet "brothers" so he was being sarcastic

We are though

@@bardanke Sovietinis broli, laimingai gali eiti ieškoti Stalino (o dabar Putlerio) saulės. Kai išdegins akis, gal ką nors ir suprasi.

@@benas_st Tai stalino ar putino?

@@benas_st O tau jie jau isdegino akis?

I know! Where do these people get this B S from?

Ukraine has blocked their own ports with mines to keep the Russians out. ..

@@rafikrabhi7684 Ukraine never mined Mariupol.

@@vgshwk they did with Odessa

@@rafikrabhi7684 they had no choice with Russia stealing Crimea and then snake island.

@@vgshwk that's another point but Russia aint blocking or denying.

Its no different in the Netherlands since WWII, still an intense but subdued lack of trust with the Germans, since being occupied by the N a z i s

@fan there’s no such thing as +-25% russians. It’s as much as 5% or even less.

@@fan-ey8mn The Russian speaking population is less than 5%.

Yes brother or otherwise it is not wise to taunt a big guy hoping that a diversity guy will come and help you

@@fan-ey8mn what are you babbling about, just go check any official source, russian ethnicity number is at 5% (according to 2021 data).

Yeah and it also feels so satisfying playing hard ball with Putin😄

@user-rz8w16st19d You : '' I live 10km away from Kaliningrad, its a bit scary because sometimes we can hear them doing tank shooting exercises, and its a bit scary .'' There are NATO training exercises on your side, as well, how can you tell the difference by the sound ?

I will kind of copy and paste a response of myself that explains this very well: (In response to some guy saying it began with the president of Ukraine being allegedly forced to flee the country) The real story is why the protests even began that forced him to flee to escape justice. Remember 2013? "Russian embargo of Ukrainian goods refers to trade sanctions Russia launched against Ukraine starting in July and August 2013. That resulted from putting all Ukrainian importers to the "list of risk" by the Federal Customs Service of Russia on 14 August 2013 that resulted the embargo of imports from Ukraine to Russia.[1][2]" Wanna know why Russia sanctioned Ukraine? To keep them from joining the EU. Not NATO. Guess why we have this war now? Because Putin lost his puppet in 2014, so he knew that he needed to keep Ukraine out of the EU some other way. Why? Because when Ukraine makes it, in his eyes, he is done. Then it would be obvious that his regime is the problem. Then he would be in the GDR again. Did you know that? He was a KGB officer in the GDR when it all fell apart. And later, the director of the FSB. Conveniently just prior to his election. Interesting isn’t it? And why is he ok with Ukraine jointing the EU now? Because while he didn’t get all Ukraine, he thinks that he already ruined its economy for as long as he will live. The Donbass is its industrial heartland. Was. Before 2014. So many convenient circumstances… Why 2022? After the west was finally weakened enough to make his attempt. Did he care for the civilians? In the second Chechen war, HIS Chechen war, VERY conservative ( propaganda ) estimates say that 120.000 civilians were killed. 120.00!!! in the Donbass, in total, on both sides, only 14.000 found the same gruesome fate until 24 February 2022. Not even mentioning the first Chechen war. Total CONSERVATIVE estimate of civilian casualties? At the lowest estimate, 30.000. If we believe Russia. "Let me tell you about one specific case. I knew for sure that on this day - it was the end of February or the beginning of March 1995 - forty servicemen of the Joint Group were killed. And they bring me information about fifteen. I ask: “Why don’t you take into account the rest?” They hesitated: “Well, you see, 40 is a lot. We'd better spread those losses over a few days." Of course, I was outraged by these manipulations. - Anatoly Kulikov[68]" Chechen war #1 "30,000-40,000 civilians killed (RFSSS data)[16] 80,000 civilians killed (Human rights groups estimate)[17] At least 161 civilians killed outside Chechnya[a] 500,000+ civilians displaced[18]" Chechen war #2 "Civilian casualties Estimate total number of casualties: ~80,000 killed in Chechnya (GfbV estimate),[20] More in neighbouring regions, 40,000-45,000 civilians killed (Kramer),[21] More than 600 killed during attacks in Russia proper. Total killed military/civilian: ~50,000-80,000 * The Committee of Soldiers' Mothers group disputed the official government count of the number of war dead and claimed that 14,000 Russian servicemen were killed during the war from 1999 to 2005.[22]" I hope this clears this up. Also, there are many Russians in this area because under Stalin, there was either a mass genocide or insane incompetence and 3.5 million people in the area starved and were then replaced with Russians, since as you have rightfully understood, there are a ton of recourses there, not just gas btw, also a lot of other stuff. In conflicts like this, I always like to find a good map of the recourses a country has. Often, not always though, very insightful.

@@Arcaryon The civillian casualties in Ukraine are likely much higher than any estimates say right now. The 14.000 dead you mention, is just another estimate. There's no way of checking anything close to a real number, in an active war zone.

How long will we let him hold on to it?

@@Arterexius The conservative 14000 was an estimate until the 24th of February.

@@Arcaryon The invasion of Ukraine started the 24th of February. Meaning the estimation began on the 24th of February. It didn't end there and there's no absolute number of dead civilians from the 24th of February to now. You're saying that the 14.000 dead civilians were an estimated dead, before the war even started, at a time where the entire western world, didn't fully believe in an invasion.

But Putin would have to move all them ships, build a bigger port to house them, Kaliningrad is more than just a warm port in a snow storm, its a place to fire missiles from.

True. I think, for commercial trade that would be somewhat more expensive (one has to deploy one or more ice breakers), but otherwise, fine. For military navy on the other hand, I can imagine that a fixed route provided by an ice breaker, limits the manoeuverability of vessels passing through, which seems to be a grat disadvantage? Hence, I can see why a warm water port still is preferred over a cold water port.

@@erikvangelder6671 It doesn't really matter in modern times anyhow. Warm water ports were vital in the days of sailing ships. Russia's problem is the US Navy. Murmansk could stay ice free but there is still only one outlet and it's to the west. Arctic ice locks down the north year-round. Same with the east. Russian warships are under constant observation the minute the leave port and there's only one exit. Saint Petersburg and Konigsberg are just as bad for Russia. There is only one exit to the west past Denmark. Same with the Black Sea exiting through the Bosphorus, Gibraltar, or Suez. Vladivostok is locked in by Japan, Korea, China and the Bering Strait. No Russian ship will survive modern war unless they are under the ice before the war starts, and no ship at sea will ever make it back to port, unless confined in the Black Sea, Barents, or Baltic.

@@ianscott3697 Nobody can stop nukes, no matter where they're fired from. By the time you have even calculated where an ICBM is headed, it's already too late to do much about it. If it were just one, it would take a collossal effort to stop it. But the fact that each ICBM released a shitload of reentry vehicles, while its still beyond the reach of any anti-missile system, and some of those warheads are real and others are decoys, makes stopping every nuke from even ONE ICBM, basically impossible, even if it's launched from the middle of Russia. Putting them next to your enemy, is just a statement. Tactically, it's kinda stupid, because it gives them a small chance to destroy the missile before it even leaves the atmosphere. A very, VERY small chance. Like you already have planes in the air right next to the silo. Cus by the time the launch is detected, and the information passes through all the relevant phonecalls, and eventually gets to that specific pilot...again...too late.

It's not all about having a warm water port. You also have to be able to defend it, you also have to be able to supply it by land, and finally, the distance and obstacles between said port and the Atlantic is also important. Shorter the distance, longer the patrols.

Same boat as Ukraine on that one. "Holy shit, these Nazi Germans are assholes but they're way better than Russians." Later: "Holy shit they're almost just as bad, nevermind, shoot everyone."

Its hilarious how the Soviets made the NAZIS look like saints. Soviets were truly a fucking black scar on humanity. America has its criticism, but most of the wars its been involved in, and most of the influence its gained, isnt even by purposefully power grabbing. Vietnam was because they had defence treaties with south vietnam, and wanted to prove to Europe that it will honor all its defence treaties regardless of importance. Iraq was because Saddam Hussein would use unusually high quality aluminium for missiles, which normally would be used for uranium enrichment. Stuff like this sent so many alarm bells, that a post 9/11 USA was fear mongered into invading. But even then, Iraq was independent from the US, and actually votes against the US alot of times in the UN. Even then, the US paid reparations to both Vietnam and Iraq. I always loved how Russians try to say the US is "evil and imperialistic", when the Americans look like SAINTS compared to Russia and China.

@@honkhonk8009 So US used chemical weaponry in Vietnam with millions people hurt, they also used nukes to wipe 2 entire cities down. And you say soviet bad, saint Nazis. Well ok, but how about you just understand that you can not call a country good or bad? It does not work this way...

The Ukrainians also welcomed the Germans as a liberation from Soviet Russia which had caused a great famine. Nobody likes the Russians and the same is true nowadays.

@@honkhonk8009America is the lesser evil there is no denying that, but calling them saints is a bit too much for me.

Hi from Latvia, Russia isn’t our brother they are the abusive step dad we didn’t want

Stalin carefully and preventively seized all three Baltic states. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia followed similar steps by Hitler with Austria and Czechoslovakia. Stalin also populated these countries with Russian citizens, hoping to erase their original identity in the future and replace it with Russian culture and identity. He attacked Poland on September 17, 1939, fearing that Hitler intended to incorporate all of Poland into the German Reich. He clearly did not trust Hitler.

@@yanisbaker881 Im from Lithuania and thats bassicly what Russia is.

@RusaForever I do love how Russians claim territories culturally,lingustically and politically completely different, what next will Lithuania be able to get claims and succesful intergration of parts of Western Russia,Belarus and Ukraine, it was an ethnic part of Lithuania for many centuries no?

They were brothers in trenches of ww2, but Stalin wasn’t a brother neither to Russian nor to Lithuanian red army soldiers, who could be executed because of minor stupid inconvenience despite having ton of medals, ton of completed objectives and ton of eliminated nazis and sometimes even being Heroes of USSR

Russia is transporting their stolen washing machines to Kaliningrad, thats why they check the transported goods.

@@Duesi2024 cringe

@@dapygor9339 cringe is stealing a washing machine during a war, what kind of homeless man loots womens underwear and toilets?

@@jared8515 i mean, they're just businessmen, doing business.

Viggio, Whether you are russian or not, how would you like someone sniffing through your personal effects when it has nothing to do with any sort of exports or imports.

*drift phonk music starts playing*

*Tanc a lelek starts to play*

I mean. Technically in this case Lithuania would push the button as they are in NATO.

Really?

For real, the day Russia invaded Ukraine it looked like we were at war as well, military convoys started popping out of nowhere. There's an artillery and tank regiment stationed where I live, in hindsight seeing them mobilise so quickly is reassuring to a certain degree.

I kinda know the feeling Im romanian Romania shares the border with Ukraine and after Ukraine is Russia

Yeah, I was thinking that too. Good to clarify before too many people go "Um, ackchually"

Mine also

I like Tsar so I will ignore it

This dude is dumb. He gets his info from the news

And how the SS were shocked at the brutality of Baltic citizens towards the jewish population when the Nazis arrived.

@@wellardme Jews here welcomed soviets with flowers during the first occupation

@@wellardme ohh i see a vatnik shill . So thats the excuse for the centuries long opression of cental European Countries . Russian are an unapolegeticly expansionist and imperialist country and thers no genuine argument that can support their actions for the last 3 centuries . Hit*er is dwarfed by what colectively russia has dobe to central and western slavic people and other ethnic groups whose land they currently squat on . Work camps , death camps , deportations into icy hell scapes , torture , rape , massacres , rusification , genocide , finantial and economic repression for centuries. And when you try to rebuild you end up like Ukraine , attacked out of spite and jelousy .

SO far this week US tried 9 provocations,a plane flying into russ territory,this btch move by lithuania,israel attacking the airport,the nato forces in moldava,an attempted strike on snake island by romanian air forces and so on,so far the rus kept their cool,but it shows how desperate the US is to create new martyrs.It's funny seeing lithuanian idiots commenting how they support this sht when they are under the effect of fear porn,sadly this will bite them back,but I guess it will be better for them to learn the lesson early cause they pissed off both china,russia and turkey.

True! Moldova is the next.

@@madsuramilitaryallianceupd6388 Don't say that.

@@camar4630 It's inevitable tho

@@Zlaton. it would be inevitable if Russia won the war. Russia is losing the war and RasPutin's sending more cannon fodder won't help him.

Neither did the native americans.

@@eliasziad7864 right, native Americans never want to be Russia's "brother" either 😂

@@apbpa5042 🤡

@@eliasziad7864 nice make-up

Never should be.

let me answer your thoughts about how russia interacts with its neighbours : downright hostile

"Although I do feel bad about Kaliningrad, and hope that it'll be ok. Since I have plenty of friends and some of my colleagues there." They say only 1% is blocked. So for example food and other stuff can be transported.. and people can travell . So I dont think its a huge issue really, Putin just makes it bigger than it is. Yes, it hurts Kaliningrad military, but normal people not so much really... only 1% is blocked , not fulll block like the Russian media makes us to believe.

@@tryingtocorrect 640 of your boys scratched off as of yesterday's reports why don't you join up?

@@josefmengele181 what????

@@vult_r That's what I'm saying

Part of the problem is, young Scandinavian women😘 who are not intimidated by the Kremlin Dwarf,and Lithuania is doing all the right things. Because they don't blend with his ego,and,he has absolutley no control, and,that gets up his nose! It would be a different story if Lithuania wasn't part of NATO. He'll probably start picking on Finland again soon.🤣😂 Good on Lithuania. Stand your ground.

Access to Kaliningrad by Land trough Lithuanian was a prerequisite to Lithuanians independence. It Literally is in the Signed Paper. Voiding the main reason why Lithuania was granted independence, spells doom for that tiny county.

Don't be stupid. Lithuania isn't making this decision. This decision wouldn't be made without the approval of the United States.

@@Charlemagne_III The Terrorists Snakes of ignorance **

@@marrchy2682 Russian people and supplies still have access to Kaliningrad. Lithuania is just blocking sanctioned goods from crossing its boarders. Really putin should of seen this coming, when he started his illegal war with Ukraine.

It is certainly the only nation that has a historical claim of 690 years of unbroken rule in the region until 1945.

maybe then the Germans will also return the millions of lives that were taken by Nazi Germany?

Yes, please. I'm sure Lithuanians would be happier if there was Germany instead of Russia nearby.

Germany can not. They are civilised country and respect the laws unlike Russia🥲

⚡️American military analyst Scott Ritter on the blockade of Kaliningrad: “The Russians will march through Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the corridor will reach St. Petersburg. And these three Baltic hooligans will be finished”.

@@alexstorm2749 yeah well, we are 2 months in and it seems that the only place russians are going is back home in the form of G-200..And they did not even fought NATO :D

@@romualdaskuzborskis Maybe your constant anti-Russia propaganda forgot to tell you about it, but the transit issue had been settled in Russia’s favour and it’s not even being discussed right now. Don’t get too salty over it, ok? Cause everybody knows that the ONLY purpose of your existence is a chihuahua barking at the elephant. 😂

@@alexstorm2749 lmao more russians for Hell

They would first have to build an airbridge to win that priviledge.

Are you another Serbia who also practiced genocide like the Russians are doing again?

@@Carewolf SLAVA RUSIMA!! BRACA!!!

WILLIAM SKIPS HISTORICAL FACTS AND PUTS THE USUAL FAKE NEWS BULLSHIT

@@21boxhead What did he leave out?

@@browngreen933 4:52 PEOPLE OF CRIMEA VOTED TO LEAVE UKRAINE AND JOIN RUSSIA WILLIAM JUST BASICALLY SKIPS THIS FACT AND BASICALLY SAYS "PUTIN'S FORCES SWOOPED INTO CRIMEA" AS IF THE VOTING NEVER HAPPENED OTHER VIDEOS OF HIM LYING HIS ASS OFF TWISTING HISTORICAL FACTS

Lithuania has around 50,000 rubbish equipped army. Government stole everything from army. My dad defended Lithuania in 1991 and for what? For those corrupt idiots in government

One point: it's not 'between' Lithuania and Poland. It's 'shared between' Lithuania and Poland.

@@mth9267 Poland has always been violated by everybody in the region, they are not like that 😂

@@normanclatcher True, i failed to make it clear, but its name leads one to think that. a narrow corridor or valley that would be the shortest route from Belarus, to Kallingrad. If they were to attack it would be the place.

He can try. As a citizen of NATO, my country and 27 others would support both of them. Well, soon 29 others, since Finland and Sweden are gonna join the club.

Not so sure about certainly not but it’s definitely a factor as Ukraine discovered reserves 2012-2014 and Russia annexed crimea in 2014 and russias effectively a petrostate as ~30% of their economy is oil and gas but also Russia is also an imperialistic nation currently and historically so preventing western spread is beneficial to Russia as to protect its identity and pockets overall I would say there is no one right answer

This is why the United States funded to over throw yanokovich yes, to hurt ukraine and russia bottom dollar. The leader of that plan was Joe biden and Hillary Clinton.

@@westenkey9532 crimea was an autonomous republic within the borders of ukraine, and when the euromaiden crisis and over throw of yanokovich, crimea was free to declare independence which it did.

Matt, Russia' s primary interest in Ukraine,and it has been stated ad infinitum by Putin , is not for economic reasons but strategic security (no NATO presence in Ukraine) and the protection of the Russian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk.

The theory about natural gas reserves is deeply flawed because it doesn't take into consideration long colonial history of the region. Russian leaders expressed that they can't become a world power without Ukraine multiple times starting at least with the last century. apart from colonial narratives, it was about food. You can how they use world hunger as leverage today. Since russians see themselves as the other major power of the world that opposes USA, they want to re-establish their influence over ex-soviet states at the least and, possibly, over half of Europe. As for the gas, they have quite a plenty of it themselves and quite a developed infrastructure to supply it to Europe. And now they don't have any technologies to develop potential reserves in Ukraine, no investments to develop infrastructure and Europe that decided to slowly stop buying their energy resources. Their imperial ambitions prevailed over economic pragmatism

Hello

Privet druz'ya! I dont hate the people just the system

At least it makes the roads a lot safer.

Preemptive attacks are the fastest way to start a preventable war my guy.

I agree. I really hope Europe attacks Russia with all they got and Russia just drops it's nukes on Europe. It's a war no one can win and thus no one wants to start it. Simple. I agree with you that the only reason Poland hasn't started a war is because of Nato, ad Nato would not be able to manage the backlash from Russia if it does and Poland would be blamed for the annihilation of Europe (including Russia)

@@creesmith2794 Like Pearl Harbour? ;)

Although you make some excellent points, Let Russia make the First move! Then it will be justified..

I don t think the Russians will back down. NATO started this. Russia will finish it.

Yes, because no one invited them on the Baltic land

Kaatsap is also the term used by Ukrainians for Russians.

@@bobapbob5812 Let me add that it means "slaughterer" or "butcher" in Slavic languages.

Ethics issue

@@bobapbob5812 it's a pretty universal term for Russians lmao we use it on polish as well

As of 2022 May, they are no longer importing electricity, gas or oil from ruzzia.

As they should!! 🇱🇹 ✊️

By then, Lithuania is no more. No one in the sane mind wants to fight Russia knowing what they could do. It would be just like Ukraine, giving aids only.

Then it will be lost from the earth lol

@@rishikeshdora4594 when Putin threatens, everyone concludes it to military war. If Lithuania has anything exported from Russia, then that's where the dominoes will start.

@@danekender5332 Big mistake! Be close to your bad neighbours than friends to the distant ones!

That belongs to Gremany. These Russians just think they can walk over and steal whatever they want.

or for poles Królewiec lol.yep thats literally the polish name for Königsberg

@@Damian-cilr1 like the correct German name for Wroclaw is Breslau - and for Szczecin it is Stettin, and for Olsztyn it is Allenstein - the Poles should better never forget this while tinkering with international politics.

Or for Lithuanians - Karaliaučius

@Dan Beech no, because Roma/Rome or Naples/Napoli had never for a thousand years an English speaking population. Nor were they founded by English speakers.

@dear dear ya cant read?

@dear dear well the geoicide part explains it no?

During Tsardom Kaliningrad wasn't even within Russia

Lithuanians were gone from there by 19th century. Ethnically Lithuanians were minority due to Prussians pushing Lithuanians out and settling themselves there after 3rd partition. And that land never belong to Lithuania to begin with.

They weren't Prussian Lithuanians but Prussian Balts surely?

Another time, I promise!

My mother is from the ddr. Ehe Always says russia was bot a friend Nation, but a brother Nation. As you can choose friends, and noone would choose russia.

Ehe Always says russia was bot... New web Layout doesnt let me edit and correct my reply ;/

😁🍻 Absolutely 💯 correct..

Sadly, we might aswell. With the current global leaders and how dictators acting up from South China Sea, India and Europe.

your god can't give anyone a hang nail let alone help prevent ww3

Cringe.

Kaliningrad should be a part of Germany again.

@@invisibleUser416 Kaliningrad should be remain in Russia.

​@@user-hn5tg1lq7q ruzzians would rather suck The toes of The Kremlin than fight for Self determination and Independence. Living in shit and suffering makes them "masculine" and Proud :D Serf mentality.

@@user-hn5tg1lq7q Its not in ruSSia to start with.

me too

One friend?

I'd appreciate a video retrospective at the activities of Russia's FSB and GRU in the immediate years and decade following the Soviet collapse. I think we get too wrapped up in current events to appreciate how we got here. History leads to the present and everything in the present is easier to understand with a look back at those tumultuous years from 1993 to 2001. Those were the years which laid the groundwork for where we are today.

appreciate the info and content, one only a handful that we watch, Liked, and also just subscribed

Great content William, thanks for putting in the effort.

the big difference is that Russia can use international waters to supply Kaleningrad. Lithuania have no obligations to allow using their railway for logistical conveniences of geopolitical enemy.

Cool, except you may wish to revise that topic of him ‘not’ causing the war - unless you were trying to be punny! 😄 I’m smiling - but serious though...

Resources and peace in the area

I also have mixed feelings now that the channel has become popular. (Or more accurately mixed feelings about *why* it has become popular.) Turkey is just looking for a concession, and they will get it. The Baltics are super important strategically. NATO now flanks Kaliningrad because of them.

@@Gametheory101 But what about some of the Eastern European countries like Croatia, Albania, Czech Republic? Adding those countries to the alliance commits other NATO members to their defense, but I don’t see the advantage to the former members? Considering that great powers are not really into altruism on the int’l political stage, there must have been a benefit. Trying to understand what it was.

All those little countries created an"invisible"wall of security. Alone.....potential "land grab" for Putin....together,an impenetrable safety zone. Thank goodness.

@@Gametheory101 Why so popular? Easy...your presentation is superb. The information you share is excellent,with no wishy washy predictions to encourage "click bait" . Yes,I've liked subscribed,and,shared. Keep up the good work. Super channel.😘😘🦘

Königsberg is the old name Kaliningrad the new.Like St Petersburg was Leningrad

Corruption is the only reason.. You make excellent points though..

Putin doesn't care about outcome.

They are trouble makers mate - would you risk nuclear war so that a pesky "country " ( it only has less than 500,000 in its capital - thats like less than a small village in China ) can grandstand around the world? Last year it was taunting the CCP and this year its poking the Russian bear. Its irresponsible and war mongering little countries like this that could pull the world into nuclear war. They should act with sensitivity. We have only one planet and tiny little countries like these think they can go around stirring up trouble left right and center.

It's no Lithuania's decision, that all is coming from USA/EU.

Ukraine had a treaty with Russia and US that if they did not make Nuclear weapons and stayed neutral they would not be invaded and have their sovereignty guaranteed.

They have

@@joelcolyer2240 Thanks.

So if that is the case. Save the fight and give it to Russia.

@@datsunlambchops4624 only that its not just one man on lithuania side. Its whole of nato

That was the only way until nukes were invented. Now if you have nukes you can at least attempt to remain sovereign from both west and east

@@realpolitics527 That wasn't the statement. It didn't say Nato, it said Lithuania.

@@datsunlambchops4624 the ground reality is that lithuania isn't alone its part of nato. Individually, every single european country is militarily weaker than russia. Only the US is stronger. That's why many european nations joined nato. Lithuania is not alone in a wrestling ring with russia.

U need to think before you speak.... That will be ww3 = to nuclear attacks, Dead to you and probably everyone in the West don't you think....😔

it's a small region fully packed with everything to march to Berlin and back since 2000's. Tactical and strategic nukes, combined air and ballistic missile defense, electronic warfare, paratroopers, special forces, armadas of main battle tanks and battalions of self propelled, towed and rocket artillery. It has been constantly kept to be able to defend autonomously and to initiate attack westwards since 1950's.

Lithuania is part of NATO. What worries me are military exercises of Belarus at its border to Ukraine, happening as we speak. For obvious reasons, I don’t trust them one bit.

@@Arcaryon Bialorus is not a problem itself even only for Lithuanian armed forces. Would cost badly destroyed capital Vilnius and ~10-30% of active personal but even being 4x populous Bialorus has no means to fight conventional warfare because it is more dedicated for internal oppression and suppression of native population. But talking about involvement of RF we would get sadly a mix of Mariupol and Bucha. Like years before in 1939-1941 . Nothing new.

@@ExodentalCADAcademyofNorth No, you don’t understand: I am worried Belarus could directly invade Ukraine instead of just letting Russia use it as a staging ground for the war.

Yea and lithuania is in NATO, so he wont attack

Yeah, the war in Ukraine makes people in the Baltic states feel safer.

Because they want to use it for themselves I imagine, odesa has been struggling to keep up with Ukrainian exports for decades.

You dream! Another provocateur!

@@janestones323 says the Russian with a Western name...

There is no movement for secession There was only outlawed “German Autonomy” movement funded by Germany, but they are illegal anyway

@mindaugas884 You : ''You forgot to mention than in both Crimea and Kaliningrad Russia deported local inhabitants and actually brought people to those lands and gave them the property of the deported ones. Look at the mix of ethnicity of those places before the invasions.'' You better study some Kaliningrad/East Prussian history.The majority of that region were German and fled the region and others were repatriated . Put it in your head that Nazi Germany killed 27 million Russians during their unwelcomed vist in Russia and that the Russians didn't take the Germans kindly when they took East Prussia. Do you appreciate that fact ?

You also forgot that the USA and Canada are Anglophone exactly like Crimea is. If Russia has to forced out of their colonization, let them annex the USA and Canada as compensation.

@@Masquerade456 they should not annex anything, they should be reduced to their core. So in Canada and USA case the lands should be given back to natives.

@@edvsilas8281 Stalin's tactics killed most of his own soldiers. Don''t you appreciate the fact of the brutality of the Russian socio-political reality?

@@crinolynneendymion8755 Stalin died 70 years ago .Times change. People change . Or are you frozen in time. ?

Must’ve missed the part where he was being very sarcastic.

How about you all go back to Russia proper so the Germans can have their rightful land back

For real.

NATO membership may be keeping Russia's response limited

@Tyler Phillips yeah I sort of take everything with a grain of salt at this point, no Nation will willing give their exact number of men and weapons for obvious reasons

@@gigacanno750 nope. Russia's own military might is what is stopping Russia from going against Nato because the outcome would destroy what Russia would be fighting for. Plus destroying themselves. Thus not making it very important

@@gigacanno750 Thats true but you can only push a Nation so far especially a powerful nation like Russia, im sure Russia doesn't want to start a world war but they may be willing to try and call nato out for bluffing and cause discord in the EU with some sort of military or more direct and violent escalation towards Lithuania

@@777chicha777 exallent point,bwe shall see..

Yeah. Very brotherly of them to ruin our state, kill and persecute our people and destroy our culture. Those who miss those times are just lazy workers who like being told what to do by the government and who refuse to take ANY initiative to make their and other's lives better. All they do is yell and complain. Nothing constructive

@@Asbestos_ reminds me of our current times tbh , seems like people didint change

@@dragonmerchant where do you think the term "soviet mindset" comes from. From people who are refusing to change and help everyone build a free and progressive society. They are so afraid of change that they'd rather keep enduring old hardships than step out of their comfort zone. You have to be insane to miss only having one pair of shoes per season that barely endure it. That you had to spend your entire wage just to buy shitty looking clothes. That you had only one car in a lifetime if you're lucky. That you had to wait in lines for hours to get very simple food. It's hell compared to nowadays Nowadays you don't have anyone assign you to work, you have to actually look for work yourself. You have to compete, you have potential and opportunities to reach for the top and go be whoever you want to be. That is freedom that vatniks take for granted

@@Asbestos_ im talking about obeying the government like its the god

@@dragonmerchant yeah, but this time it's OUR government that looks out for us. Of course we shouldn't worship them, but the least we can do is cooperate in things which are reasonable. We should look past the "oh we don't like them" or "ugh it's inconvenient for me" and look at the broader picture. Perhaps the decision helps someone in need or it is the only available option at the time. Maybe it's the best for everyone no matter how inconvenient (for example covid rules). A healthy society thinks not only about each other, but also about injustice happening inside and outside of their country.

If it was that simple, russia would have done by now.

@@realpolitics527 It can happen precisely to the degree to which it is not politically simple at all. Ambiguity introduces uncertainty and under conditions of uncertainty escalations are possible and wars can happen. The same kind of calculation about disunity of western opposition just recently led to the invasion of Ukraine.

The thing is Russia can't. Lithuania is much more rugged with multiple densely packed forests and swamps and difficult to blitz than the flatlands of Ukraine. That's why Russia's best option is to invade Poland first and cut off Lithuania

​@@compatriot852 They can't overcome a military force as formidable as that of Poland without significantly larger force than the one that initially invaded Ukraine. Further difficulty would be that initial gains on open terrain would be difficult to defend against a counter-offensive. The forces Russia has in immediate readiness without mobilization are sufficiently large for them to consider the possibility of overwhelming the smaller Baltic nations before they are able to fully mobilize. They might at first try to do it the same way as they occupied Crimea If possible and then to grind the encircled stragglers down with superior numbers and firepower. In the latter case the Russians would be far more difficult to dislodge and the Suwalki gap to restore to NATO control than a salient of more open terrain on the Polish side of the border would. The Russians could also hope to keep the Polish military out of the conflict a few possibly crucial days longer, after which the prospect of counter attack would possibly turn into a nightmarishly difficult operation.

@@herptek maybe, but with Sweden and Finland joining NATO, the Suwalki gap looses it's tactical value. Sure, it would burden the support from the West, but it would still leave the Northern side open. And with the performance we are witnessing in Ukraine, it is debatable if russia would be able to take the Suwalki gap at all.