One does not demand that invaders leave one's lands.

One either kills the invaders, or if one can't kill the invaders one sues for the least humiliating peace possible. And then position oneself such that one can kill the invaders when they cross the line.

One can imagine Putin's smirk upon hearing this.

When the bully takes your lunch... either kick his rear end all up and down the school yard or give him your lunch money and beg him not to hurt you?

No room for "tell him to leave you alone and convince the adults that the bully should be spoken to"?

And Putin doesn't really care what anyone else has to say, only what they can do to hurt or help him.

Ukraine's government can make all the speeches they want, and it will only amuse Putin.

Not until they get a lot better at killing Russians will he really care what they say or do.

Self-help is still the rule in conflicts between nations, especially those in the shadow of a nuclear power.

"Aw gee... tough luck... but these things happen"

But obviously the adults DO care (and have made the exercise very costly for Putin). They just haven't stooped to the bully's level and punched him in the nose.

You may be right... That may be all a bully understanding... but it doesn't mean that he's right.

Russia has a few centuries of this behavior--(1) expansionist nationalism; and (2) national pride in being able to endure suffering and deprivation. Sanctions give them a chance to demonstrate their virtue by suffering the consequences.

Please explain such a smear.

Robert Parry. Nuland. Neo-nazis. John McCain. 2 Broke Girls.

There, understand now?

Since the OP is about Russia vs. Ukraine, and you've called the head of Ukraine a Nazi, how would you describe Putin? Is there any way that fascist does not fit? Or do you have a more positive impression. Hero? Savior? Strong Man? Or just use another cartoon to express your opinion, if that is more your style.

More than a dozen Russian military units linked by media reports to the fighting in eastern Ukraine have refused to disclose their casualty figures for 2013-14, while one that provided the data showed a rise in soldier deaths from zero to six, a news report said Thursday.

The St. Petersburg branch of the Soldiers' Mothers Committee — an organization that defends conscripts' rights — sent requests to military units that soldiers' families and media reports had identified as suffering losses last year, including in eastern Ukraine, the Vedomosti business daily reported Thursday, citing the group's spokesman Alexander Peredruk.

A total of 17 units have responded so far — with all but one with refusing to disclose their casualty data, the report said. The one unit that provided information said it had lost six soldiers since July 2014 compared to no casualties a year earlier, according to Vedomosti. The report did not identify the unit nor specify how many soldiers it comprised.

The military units cited various reasons for their refusal to provide casualty data to the Soldiers' Mothers Committee, from saying the information constituted a state secret, to directing inquiries to higher military command, Vedomosti reported.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russian-military-units-linked-to-ukraine-hide-casualty-figures-report-says/515802.html