If Kiev had a nuclear button

[ducati]

Would/could Russia have walked into Crimea?

Kiev gave up their nuclear stockpile in return for NATO protection. I wonder if they are regretting that position?

[RagnarRocks]

Probably not, the use of nuclear weapons isn't a wise idea for anyone to consider even the use of limited theatre nuclear weapons is an escalation that has no route back. Once you unleash the nuclear genie from its bottle humanity is pretty much done for.

[ducati]

Well it seems the rest of the world will stand by and do nothing when a neighbour marches in to an independent country to "protect it's citizens". Which is quite comforting actually.

[Kevin Milkins]

I think its just a game of Chicken. Looking at the news it all looks like a bit of game and no one is series about making contact.

[RagnarRocks]

All Putin wants is Sevastopol because without it he has no warm water ports I'm fairly certain he isn't interested in the rest of the country unless they are an easy roll over.

[Bobinovich]

All Putin wants is Sevastopol because without it he has no warm water ports I'm fairly certain he isn't interested in the rest of the country unless they are an easy roll over.

That was my thoughts too

[Tubthumper]

I wonder what the USA would do in the event of some kind of revolution in, say, Panama or Mexico? Or somewhare that had lots of oil?

[RagnarRocks]

That would depend on which way the revolution was heading at the moment Mexico is pretty lawless and corrupt, Panama is a fairly corrupt country so I wouldn't think they'd be that worried unless it was heading toward communism. USA has already shown how it reacts when you upset it with Afghanistan and Iraq so they have previous form. Mr Putin on the other hand is a Wiley fox so he needs handling carefully.

[Big Gaz]

I would imagine there would be hell to pay if Putin brazenly sailed up the med and said he was just heading for Sevastopol, his home port

[RagnarRocks]

Wasn't so long ago the Russians sailed into Scottish waters and not much happened, maybe Alex has offered contracts at Govan to replace the loss of rUk business, if he wins the referendum.

[Big Gaz]

Wasn't so long ago the Russians sailed into Scottish waters and not much happened, maybe Alex has offered contracts at Govan to replace the loss of rUk business, if he wins the referendum.

Aye, maybe he has done such a thing but was hell to pay a few months ago when it laughingly took 24 hours to respond to the Russian "Threat". Putin was just sizing up whether or not it would be worthwhile to invade Scotland and turn us all into "Komrades"

[RagnarRocks]

He's a tricksy customer never under estimate him. There's certainly a reason they sailed in then hung around the Russian navy doesn't make little mistakes about whose territorial waters they are in.

[Phill]

Has anyone been keeping an eye on the Moray, no elements of the Northern Fleet creeping in are there?
Putin has been testing the UK & NATO defences over the last few years so knows exactly how little we've got. The US are apparently sending a task force so he could be up for a bit of poking in the eye.

[RagnarRocks]

Russians test firing icbms more sabre rattling....http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-euro...1#TWEET1062043