I have just read a story on the BBC about a guy in Kharkiv, less than an hour's drive from the Ukrainian-Russian border, with thousands of Russian troops currently positioned just over the border, saying that he was ready to defend his family and his country from any potential Russian invasion. I went to Kharkiv all three times when we played Shakhtar (and also went to Dynamo Kiev) and had a great time, the people there were really friendly and it was a good place. It's horrifying to think that it could be a war zone in the near future, with good friends I met there potentially taking up arms to defend their city and country, and risking their lives. Something most of us over here could ever imagine. Now let's hope this doesn't happen, and Putin is just posturing, but it's a fairly tight call at the moment, no-one really knows. All the same, I am just posting this to register my support for the people of Kharkiv, Kiev and Ukraine generally. One thing I hope for is that if Putin does invade in any way than the football world unites and moves the Champions League final from St Petersburg. I know politics and football should not mix, but this is different.
Kharkiv and Ukraine
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urban genie
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As the final was due to be in Isatnbul when Turkey was invading northern syria and kurdish teritory murdering locals, I doubt the european footballing body give much of a shite about such things.
It will stay in St Peterburg unless there is a sporting embargo upon the Russian FA and Uefa won't be bold enough to call for one.
It will stay in St Peterburg unless there is a sporting embargo upon the Russian FA and Uefa won't be bold enough to call for one.
Totally agree. I only did Kharkiv the once but loved the place and the people were great.
If anything happens Uefa will not have the balls to move the final especially as Gazprom are huge sponsors but I will register my support for the cou try as well.
If anything happens Uefa will not have the balls to move the final especially as Gazprom are huge sponsors but I will register my support for the cou try as well.
Grassland Blue
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Sports and the arts are, unfortunately, inextricably linked to politics.
Any ideology which has to use violence (or even the threat of it) will ultimately fail.
I hope your friends and their families and friends and everyone else are spared the horrors of conflict.
LongsightM13
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Viva Ukraine
Fuck Russia and Fuck Putin
Fuck Russia and Fuck Putin
LongsightM13
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We need the Zinchenko song loud and proud.
Katsunari Takayama
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I didn’t know we had one.
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Deleted member 77198
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The 1966 World Cup and Euro 96 were held in England despite Britain’s involvement in Northern Ireland/“The Troubles” throughout the decades.
The 2018 World Cup was held in Russia despite them doing this to Ukraine for years. They also held the 2014 Winter Olympics right at the time they invaded Ukraine for the first time.
A Europa League final was held in Baku despite the Azerbaijan-Armenia wars over the ethnic Armenian area of Nagorno-Karabakh.
They were going to hold last year’s final in Istanbul despite Turkey pushing ethnic Kurds from their own land, in a war that has been ongoing since 1978.
Cameroon is currently in a Civil War yet it’s holding the ACON that’s going on now. A Senator was assassinated there this week! And about 500k people have been forced to leave their homes yet it’s bigger news that 6 people died in a crush at one of the ACON games or that Salah scored the winning penalty for Egypt yesterday.
USSR and China have been(/were) allowed to compete at sporting tournaments despite their Communist regimes killing over 100m of their own citizens over about ¾ of a century (although Cambodia didn’t compete in the Olympics for decades). Moscow hosted the 1980 Olympics despite USSR contesting borders with Afghanistan and other neighbours.
China has been at war or in conflict with many neighbours, including Turkestan and Tibetan nationalists within China… yet they were given the 2008 Olympics.
Even back in Nazi Germany, the 1936 Olympics were held there.
The 2018 World Cup was held in Russia despite them doing this to Ukraine for years. They also held the 2014 Winter Olympics right at the time they invaded Ukraine for the first time.
A Europa League final was held in Baku despite the Azerbaijan-Armenia wars over the ethnic Armenian area of Nagorno-Karabakh.
They were going to hold last year’s final in Istanbul despite Turkey pushing ethnic Kurds from their own land, in a war that has been ongoing since 1978.
Cameroon is currently in a Civil War yet it’s holding the ACON that’s going on now. A Senator was assassinated there this week! And about 500k people have been forced to leave their homes yet it’s bigger news that 6 people died in a crush at one of the ACON games or that Salah scored the winning penalty for Egypt yesterday.
USSR and China have been(/were) allowed to compete at sporting tournaments despite their Communist regimes killing over 100m of their own citizens over about ¾ of a century (although Cambodia didn’t compete in the Olympics for decades). Moscow hosted the 1980 Olympics despite USSR contesting borders with Afghanistan and other neighbours.
China has been at war or in conflict with many neighbours, including Turkestan and Tibetan nationalists within China… yet they were given the 2008 Olympics.
Even back in Nazi Germany, the 1936 Olympics were held there.
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Del_Bosque
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I do wonder what the situation would be for VISA’s if the UK, US and EU all impose heavy sanctions on Russia
JRockBlues
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When are you scheduled for treatment for your polonium poisoning?
I hope the youth of Ukraine have more about them than the adolescent kid who thought it was brave to to sneak up behind me, a 75 year old, pull my City bobhat from my head and run like fuck laughing. God help the Ukraine!!!
You are probably among his best memories of youth. The day he stole a hat from a big rough nasty English hooligan. He will be telling the story for years and years until he is old and walking from a match when a stupid kid sneaks up behind him and steals his own bobble hat.
Bigg Bigg Blue
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I'm surprised that you remember anything about the trip
Berts Neck
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You sound like a Yank, not a Manc. !!!
Let us not forget that it was the good ol' USA along with Britain and Germany that funded the Bolshevik Revolution from which communism stemmed.We sent Lenin and Trotsky back to Russia. Wall Street did not want a free enterprise in Russia, their banks not only supported the Bolsheviks but also funded the Japanese to fight the Russians too. Russia lost 27 million soldiers and civilians in WW2 far more than any other country. The USA in WW2 only joined after Pearl Harbour. Yes they loaned money, and that was finally repaid in 2006.
When Cuba asked for help from Russia after the Bay of Pigs invasion, the thought of missiles on the USA doorstep nearly caused a major crisis. One similar to the Ukraine. But Ukraine has a bout a 20% ethnic Russian population, much higher in the East of Ukraine.Kharkiv, mentioned by the OP has about 60% ethnic Russians. Crimea, about 70%, and they voted to become part of Russia. Given the history of terrible losses and the fact that it is surrounded by Nato members, the thought of Ukraine adding to the list is a concern for Russian people. Indeed USA has about 50 military bases outside the USA, Russia about 10, and those are mostly on its borders.
As for posturing. Look at the wars outside WW1 WW2, the USA has been involved in the last 100 years. Haiti, Grenada,Korea, Cambodia,Cuba,Vietnam, Laos, Lebanon,Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan as well as interventions in Nicaragua and Guatamela. WMD disgrace.Probably more, and not many successes to boot.
I am afraid the Western media portrays a very one sided view of this scenario and it is important to take a balanced view. I think more and more people who know of the history of these two world powers are inclined to say Fuck USA.
LongsightM13
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Putin is a fascist and a psychopath. He is probably the most dangerous individual on the face of the planet.
Whataboutery and ‘look over there’ nonsense demeans the very real terror the people of Ukraine feel right now
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Deleted member 77198
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To a certain extent, I do agree. The most dangerous man on the planet is usually whoever the US president is (no matter who it is, even if you think he’s a decent bloke he’s someone who should worry the fuck out of the whole world!)
But Russia and Putin are only less of a worry because they’re actually a small nation in many ways. They have as small an economy as Spain or Italy and far less military might than they portray. But their aims are still a worry. They are at the root cause of all our social media extremes in the West, which you might think is a joke compared to bombing a country, but long term it actually causes more unrest among society than a bomb does.
All the extreme Trump, MAGA, Brexit, BLM, Covid conspiracy, anti-vaxx stuff we’ve seen blow up online over the last few years all starts online with Russian interference, bots, WUMs, trouble causers all lighting a fuse and seeing thousands of people drawn in and the bomb goes off in another way. And look what it’s done to our society!
Novichok poisonings… Gas prices (our bills increasing are down to Putin playing games)…
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Fordyboy46
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Russia and China, fuck them both. The two most evil countries on this planet. Apologies for this descending in to a political thread