Would you oppose Ukraine invading/annexing Russian territory?

[TheReckoning]

If Ukraine manages to push back Russia to its pre-2014 borders, and subsequently manages to invade/annex some of Russian territory as well, would you condemn this?

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

No

[nicholas.slaydon]

Of course. The territory internationally recognized as part of Russia is part of Russia, and any attempt to change that would not be ideal for the maintenance of global peace.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Considering it would likely only further poison the well of relations among Slavs and worsen long-term relations, I can't say I would favor it. But Russia, in starting this conflict, has left itself open to the possibility of losing territory.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Yes, and this question is an excellent means to distinguish people who actually support peace from warmongers who are only upset that the wrong group of civilians is suffering and dying.

[bagelman]

Not really because Russia deserves to lose territory. But Russia still has a giant pile of nukes so this may not be the greatest idea. Also war is bad etc etc. 

[7,052,770]

I'm assuming this is a setup to a question about Israel?

[Pericles]

Ukraine should not be conquering parts of Russia.

Legally, they have every right to occupy parts of Russia if that helps them win the war. It's not like they stopped at the borders of Germany in WWII after all. Russia has nuclear weapons though and cannot be completely defeated in a conventional war, so they should just stick to taking back their own territory and establishing a new reality in Ukraine that Russia has to recognise.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Voting no only would justify Putin's war.

[Vice President Christian Man]

Yes

[America Needs R'hllor]

Annexing- hard yes, of course, literally no justification for not opposing.
Invading- yes for existential reasons. If Russia didn't have nukes, I would not oppose Ukraine invading to force them to accept a just peace if it was necessary (leaving the entire Ukraine alone).

[Antonio the Sixth]

I mean, life under Ukrainian occupation might honestly be better than life under Putin for most Russians at this point. That wouldn't have been true a year or even just 6 months ago, but it feels increasingly true now.

Still, there's no rationale for why occupying parts of Russia would be in Ukraine's strategic interest, and since Ukraine's defense is my paramount concern, I would probably oppose it on pragmatic grounds.

[dead0man]

a year ago, yes, of course


now, no, of course not

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

a year ago, yes, of course


now, no, of course not

If you change the rules to try to break new ground, you can't really complain too much if you lose under the new rules you designed.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Not really because Russia deserves to lose territory. But Russia still has a giant pile of nukes so this may not be the greatest idea. Also war is bad etc etc.  

This is not the Middle Ages or the era of empires simply trading land. It is in no way in the interests of Ukrainian democracy (or justice and security in Europe) for the Ukrainian state to either initiate ethnic cleansing or rule a population they cannot afford to allow to vote.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Not really because Russia deserves to lose territory. But Russia still has a giant pile of nukes so this may not be the greatest idea. Also war is bad etc etc. 

This is not the Middle Ages or the era of empires simply trading land. It is on no way in the interests of Ukrainian democracy (or justice abd security in Europe) for the Ukrainian state to either initiate ethnic cleansing or rule a population they cannot afford to allow to vote.

It should be a red line in a worst-case scenario for Russia that if Ukraine wants presently Russian land, it must allow it to vote in Ukrainian elections, consequences be damned.

[Cassius]

Well, it would be a good way for them to lose the war.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

NATO already told them not to invade Crimes but would be okay if Russia attacked a NATO country but Putin had his chance and didn't take it when a Missle hit Poland because he knows Crimes would be taken if he attacked NATO

[Catholics vs. Convicts]

Ukraine has a right to its pre-2014 borders and thats about it. If there was a limited circumstance like taking over a military base or pushing the Russians back to a nature landmark like a river for defensive purposes I could see that. But I would not support Ukraine occupying any Russian town.

[Sir Mohamed]

Yup, invading and annexing territory is 19th and 20th Century like.

That said, Russia must return all annexed territory to Ukraine pre-2014, so including Crimea. Russia also must pay reparations to Ukraine for the immense damage and loss of lives they have caused.

[DaleCooper]

I oppose it because it's a really bad idea, but morally who cares? Russia is a sh-thole and deserves worse than having its territory annexed.

[President Johnson]

It's certainly a pipe dream and may even read obnoxious and offensive to some, but that's my honest opinion: I'd rather prefer Russia to be dissolved and broken up into a few smaller, completely demilitarized states that are geopolitical neutral and can't pose a threat to anyone anymore. Some of its revenue from energy exports should directly go into Ukraine as reparations. The rest should be directed towards the Russian population in form of social services, education and civilian infrastructure. Meanwhile, Putin and his entire regime should face tribunals for war crimes and numerous murders of domestic opposition leaders. Then be convicted and locked up behind bars for the rest of their lives.

I don't think Ukraine (or anybody) should invade and annex certain territory. Ukraine however should get back 100% of its original territory according to the Budapest memorandum. Ergo, borders prior to February 2014.

[Orser67]

Yeah, though like another poster I would distinguish annexation from invasion.

For invasion, my objection is mostly because I don't want to see the escalation of a war involving a country with nuclear weapons.

For annexation, I don't think that any country should be forcibly annexing territory in the 21st century.

[Statilius the Epicurean]

No. I support the reunification of Kievan Rus.

[jaichind]

No.  I respect the right of conquest.  In either direction.