Since 1/72nd scale or Zvezda are no longer the subject, I see no point in further discussion
Happy US president elections!

Fair enough. It doesn’t pertain to the hobby. I tried to find a way to delete my response but I don’t seem to be able too. I hope we can move on with no animosity.

Absolutely

Amen Asher.

I have served in the REAL military before anyone gets a bee in their bonnet. I KNOW the people who kill and die for their countries and what it does to them.

You don’t have to support Putin to realise that this war is only going to end in negotiations. The ACW and WW2 ended in unconditional surrender but otherwise wars don’t generally, and certainly not this one.

Unfortunately it’s how many thousands of deaths will take place before we get to that point. It’s time people started to talk instead of shouting at each other and yes, there WILL be compromise - on both sides.

Pouring in ever more deadly munitions forever is not and never was an option.

This goes for other conflicts around the world that are in-going too.

I really sympathise with Ukrainians but from where I sit it is not a black and white matter - wars never are. There are historic rights and wrongs going back decades. The West has failed Ukraine after the fall of communism but realpolitik comes into it - what actually is possible. I cringe when I see partisan sloganeering and blood thirsty posts on this site. It has no place here. This is not a political blog. We are all humans and humans get killed in wars regardless of the politicians or ideology who start or continue them.

Did anyone boycott Western products over the invasion of Iraq?

Just as well Israel doesn't make figures then....

Asher if a certain Mr McCarthy were around today he would probably be knocking on your door.

BTW Russia exports to the west are ongoing.

Infact if Russia stopped exporting Uranium, nickel and Titanium the west would be pretty stuffed.

So it's your governments funding Russia, not figure companies.

Ah, Australia is on wire
You have missed the keypoints:
• as this is a free will world, none must boycott Ruzzian -made products, but I respect those, who do;
• the hobby doesn't determine personal choices people do and their behavior, so "international hobby unity" is a myth so far;
• boycotting or not Ruzzian-made hobby products is about the respect to those hobbyists, who fight against Ruzzian invasion and lies dead now;
• the idea of "supporting Ruzzian-made products" is just disgusting.

And yes, Ruzzians have not much respect here. They picked Z-stickers as the symbol of their aggression - now they got it. So no place for insults here.

Except of course if I buy Zvezda figures off ebay from someone in Sydney. I'm not contributing anything to the war in Ukraine.

Your government is.

The argument is ridiculous.

Hi Ahead,

I really like your email and I think your reasoning is clear. I haven't bought Zvezda
or other Russian products either since the war started although I try to buy more Ukraine made figures. I believe that with enough support, Ukraine can win the war. Unfortunately there is a lot of ruzzian / maga propaganda out there.

Slava Ukraini and stay safe!

Andy

At the start of WW2 the British public were asked for scrap/surplus metal to help the war effort, everyone chipped in, lots of that metal was in reality of little use, the government knew that, But that was not the point, it was done to make people believe they were helping the war effort even in a small way, to focus minds on the task ahead . I want to help end this war and my contribution is pitifully small and utterly inconsequential , but every little helps and I can look Ukrainians in the eye and say I am trying to help and I wish you and your country well.

I really appreciate hearing everyone’s opinion on the topic. Looking back I probably shouldn’t have mixed 1/72 scale soldiers and politics, but here we are. Some of the Ukrainian perspectives have definitely changed the way I’ve thought of some things.

However (this doesn’t have to do with the war), l would like to point out that those with differing opinions aren’t simply a victim of “Ruzzia/maga” brainwash. Pretty hilarious when considering the political orientation of every major western corporation and public organization. You’re probably not on the brainwashed side when you can be jailed for posting comments opposing the agenda of those in power. Alas we are all entitled to our own beliefs and I will not look at anybody with distaste for speaking up for what they believe.

And though I detest communism down to the bone Alan, I would say that Mr McCarthy was infringing on the rights and privacy of many Americans to try and catch what was largely a phantom threat. Something that we know the government is still doing unconstitutionally thanks to the work of Snowden.

There are several mis-conceptions about US aid to Ukraine. Most of the money the US spends is spent here in the USA. Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles are taken out of storage, refurbished and shipped by rail to ports, then by ship to Europe, then by rail again to Ukraine.
The value of those stored weapons is counted, the Americans who are paid to refurbish them, the US train companies that haul them, the American longshoremen who load them on trucks all get a portion of that Ukraine aid money.
The other thing Ukraine gets is credit to spend in the US to buy new products, mostly 155mm artillery ammunition and other ammo, that is made in the US, again American workers are employed and American companies make money.
The other thing that credit does is provide money for Ukraine to buy weapons from NATO nations that are usually American built, like F16 fighters and are then replaced by new American fighters for the NATO nation with F35 fighters. So again Americans are employed.

Does Ukraine have a corrupt political system? I suspect it is about as corrupt as the US political system, so make your own mind up about that.

Don't blame MAGA people for any of this, Former President Trump has never said he would end aid to Ukraine, but he has said he may extend loans and make them pay the money back when the war is won, not unlike the Lend Lease system that was used in WWII and the UK, France, and others had to repay those loans to the US. The US is heavily in debt and giving money away to foreign nations, even for a good cause is difficult.

Russia under Putin has invaded Moldova, Georgia, Chechnya (twice) and Ukraine 4 times. Putin has been supporting wars all over Africa and the Middle East.

The War in Ukraine is the same war as the war in the Middle East right now with two Western Nations, Ukraine and Israel fighting a coalition of Iran, radical Islamist groups, Russia, Communist China, and North Korea. Those groups want the destruction of all Western Democracies from Japan, to Israel, to New Zealand, and the United States. They are starting with Israel and Ukraine.

Bunkermeister

Well said Mike, and pretty much spot on.

Gee Putin nearly sounds like the US.

Except he's not arming a genocide.

Asher, I was never implying "guilt" only that your comments would have got his interest, and no need to apologize to any of us, we are all entitled to and allowed to express our views and thoughts one of the benefits of democracies, unlike China and Russia where you risk arrest and worse for not towing the state/dictators line.

Appeals to foreign individuals to boycott Russian-made products seem somewhat odd when Ukrainian government has been happily transiting billions of cubic meters of Russian gas thus facilitating its sales.

How did Ukraine end up in a situation when its close neighbors (along with part of your compatriots) are willing to take up arms against it? Where did it take a wrong turn?

I have no more time for communist propaganda than I do for anyone else's , open your mind and think for yourself.

https://youtu.be/JsilnLnyWCA?feature=shared
Whose propaganda turned "communist" this time, MPs' or Independent's?
Point is - general public understanding of what's going on is pretty much on par with that of these MPs - they don't know whom they applaud and for what.