IMO there are many on this thread with a bad dose of Confirmation Bias:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_biasThe old saying ; It takes 2 to tango" is very relevant
with respect to this war in the Ukraine (or the Gaza War for that matter)
Those with "Confirmation Bias" trawl news media outlets for specs
of info to confirm their prejudices and completely ignore information
(historical or current) that does not fit their point of view..
When the specs of info are exaggerated away out of proportion/context,
then we get propaganda and of course this thread is not immune.
IMO to understand this Ukrainian war (or any war for that matter)
its is first necessary to understand the history leading up to it:
eg: The break-up of the Soviet Union/Warsaw Pact and the creeping of NATO
eastwards towards the Russian Border and Russia's red line (we may not accept that)
regarding its perceived national security threat of Georgia & the Ukraine joining NATO.
On the other hand, we have two newly independent States, Georgia and the Ukraine
who want to join NATO for self protection against their perceived threat by Russia.
After that we have tactics:
Political movements in both Georgia and the Ukraine (aided and abetted by NATO ...defacto the USA)
electing governments with the mandate to join NATO.
Then we have Russia snookering those aspirations by:
(a) invading Georgia and annexing 2 Oblasts thereby causing a border dispute which precludes Georgia
from joining NATO. That happened in Aug 2008 lane to date it has been successful (whether we like it or not)
of preventing Georgia from Joining NATO
(b) Russia annexes Crimea in 2014 and initiates or reinforces the separatist movement in Donetsk
This in itself precludes the Ukraine from joining NATO again because of border disputes.
Then Russia invades part of the Ukraine in Feb 2022 and that war/operation is ongoing.
Who is right and who is wrong in both Georgia's and the Ukraine's predicaments is
a matter of judgement but in Geopolitics moral issues are only relevant if they
add to power/minimise power where power is the determinant....not morals per se.
So in summary, those wit a bad dose of "Confirmation Bias" can find all kinds of spicks
and specks of info to , in their minds, confirm that bias but when this war is done and dusted,
the historians will, no doubt , analyse it in a more circumspect and academically honest
fashion. That has been true of past wars so why should this one be any different...eh?
PS: There seems to be a kicker attached to those with a "Confirmation Bias" which
is "if you are not with me , then you are against me ...or if you don't barrack for the Ukraine,
then by implication you are barracking for Russia. IMO that "kicker" is pathological.
