Regarding Ukraine's pleas to NATO to enforce a no fly zone...

Attempting to understand Americas foreign policy actions does not exonerate Russias own actions, they are things to consider alongside the tragic suffering of the Ukrainian people. To simply ignore them in some kind of misguided loyalty or patriotism seems somewhat dimwitted if you ask me. Being capable of holding these 2 ideas in my head at once- Russia did a bad thing, but also what’s the agenda of the US here? does not make me an apologist for that invasion, and attempting to shutdown those awkward questions I’m afraid makes you sound like someone incapable of critical thought. I guess we should all just shut up and get behind whatever it is America want us to do because Putins a naughty man? Nothing to debate here, we just need posts parroting the government line and blind obedience to the narrative fed to us. Brilliant.

 

Ukraine asked for a no fly zone. America, the UK, nato and everyone else, said no.

Russia invaded Ukraine. You apologise for them, you defend them, you try to victim blame. And seemingly it is because of your hatred for America when the rest of us are trying to discuss an invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

 

I think originally the fear was partly nuclear weapons, but also if you launched jets from Poland to enforce a no fly zone then Poland becomes a target for long range Russian missiles launched from Belarus, or Russia.
It's fine to sit on the internet asking for a no fly zone when any retaliation isn't likely to affect you.

It's possible that request is now somewhat redundant given Russia's defeat/retreat back over the border and it's seeming reinforcement of Donbas and Crimea. Ukraine now has plenty of airspace to fly its own jets, although I'm guessing it could do with more as its clearly had a good number shot down.

There's now an element of the roles being reversed as Russian troops in major Donbas population centres are dug in and Ukraine would now have to try and enter them to remove them just as Russia tried and failed to do. Its been suggested that unless military progress is made reasonably quickly there's the chance that these areas are lost to Russia. One Ukrainian politician has said that they won't turn it into an Afghanistan to try and get them back.

That said Russia has seen massive losses and moral must be pretty low. The losses of equipment and no doubt soldiers during their retreat is pretty wild. Also some quite horrific images of Russian bodies left piled up at Hostomel Airport as Russian troops left the area as they were seemingly unable to remove them back to Russia.

 

Also some horrific footage of civilian dead bodies littering the Kyiv suburb of Bucha and some allegedly shot whilst their hands were tied.