Quote Originally Posted by poop
Ukraine using a dirty bomb makes no sense at all.
We're talking about them acquiring one, not using one. This isn't pedantry, it's an important distinction. The point of nuclear weapons is pure deterrent, not shock and awe.

Russia nuking, or staging a nuke, on their own troops as an excuse to nuke Ukraine makes a lot more sense.
I'm glad you acknowledge the potential for false flags here. Just don't assume that potential only exists on one side.

Yes, Russia could stage a nuclear attack on Russia to justify a nuclear attack on Ukraine. Likewise, Ukraine could stage a nuclear attack on itself to force NATO's involvement. This is why I immediately had doubts about the assault on the nuclear power plant.

The mayor of Konotop is a Ukrainian nationalist and member of the Svoboda party. He is far right-wing and probably anti-semitic. Calling him a neo-Nazi is taking it a bit far though imo, unless you're willing to call far-right UK politicians like Farage neo-Nazis too.
Let me know when Farage proudly conducts an interview in front of a Nazi. I mean really, you're comparing Farage to a guy whose registration plate in 14/88. I shouldn't need to tell you think is fucking stupid. You should know it is.

Farage is not a neo-Nazi. Calling him a neo-Nazi is an insult to everyone who has suffered at the hands of Nazis. It's using the word Nazi as a political slur. I'm not calling the Mayor of Konotop a Nazi because I don't like his politics. I'm calling him a Nazi because he's an actual fucking Nazi.

Party Svoboda holds 6 out of 450 seats in Ukraine parliament. That's about 1.5%. Not exactly a strong voice in the country.
Fair enough. He's a mayor in the news right now, so he's in the spotlight. But it's worth pointing out that he got voted into office as mayor. How does that happen in a country that doesn't still have a problem with its Nazi history?

No-one now says that any of those other countries were run by Nazis or were full of Nazi sympathizers in WWII.
When I mentioned Finland's awkward Nazi history, cocco immediately described it as a source of national shame, and rightfully so. Finland does not celebrate its Nazi sympathisers today in 2022. Ukraine does. There's the difference.

Of course I'm not oblivious to the fact USA gave jobs to top Nazi scientists instead of charging them with war crimes. But I don't see mayors and politicians openly celebrating Nazis.