Conflict in Ukraine's Donbas Region: The Geology Behind the Headlines

[@AlexCataldo-t4i]

Lindsey Graham said the quite part out loud about the natural resources in eastern Ukraine and how much money is involved.

[@cauwenberghsroeland8607]

On both sides. But locally, there are identitary motivations. The approach of Ianoukovitch was less interesting for the West.... So there are material motivations on both sides... of meddling foreign powers...

[@ThomasGellos-e6v]

He let that one slip out

[@HiwasseeRiver]

One day the Govt tells us coal is bad, the next they get all lathered up and want a war to obtain coal. The Clown Show can't keeps it's lies straight.

[@jamesgornall5731]

He really did say the quiet part out loud, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Nice to hear someone without a political filter, for a change, however.

[@ETALAL]

A lot of western investors lost their shirts in this project, They are holding huge volumes of worthless shares that can only regain there value if .........

[@drmikevasovski]

Reports like this is why I spend so much time on KZbin. Thank you.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

And appreciation like this is why I find time to make an occasional video. Thank you!

[@lilblackduc7312]

@@EarthandSpaceSciencesX Two years ago, I understood Neon Gas was a byproduct of the steel making in this area. It was being sold to the computer hardware industry, being used in the ASML silicon wafer manufacturing machines. Since the war, neon gas had to be sourced elsewhere at a greater cost. Rumor, or not?

[@WalterVetterli]

Same here!!

[@utubewatcher806]

True, someone tried to sell me on the idea that Ukraine was an impoverished region of the USSR, but it was and always has been resource-rich and an agricultural gem.

[@fibber2u]

Me too. Sadly you do have to wade through a quagmire of dross to get to this sort of stuff.

[@pablokagioglu2546]

Paul, I have watched all your videos and I must say, you are an outstanding educator 👏 Your enthusiasm, clarity and delivery make for a very engaging and informative experience I wish my college professors have had half the game you do Can’t wait for new content. 😀

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Thank you very much for the encouraging comment!

[@100kwatt_Neville_Goddard]

The resources in that area are secondary to the strategic long term military and commercial use of the warm water ports..

[@generalputnam2990]

Granted. But geology/topography &.resources have always determined population levels and human economic adaptations.

[@davidgleinbach7316]

RUZZIA ALREADY HAD A 50 YEAR LEASE ON SEVASTOPOL PLUS NEW PORTS IN SYRIA. SORRY....

[@marinblaze]

​@@davidgleinbach7316Amerikkka views some countries as enemies. Coincidentaly those countries do not have US military bases

[@glennjames7107]

To Russia they are secondary, to the western leaders, the minerals are the only reason they are in this. They aren't worried about whether they can put nukes on Russia's border. They already can, they could put them in Sweden. It's all about the oil and other minerals, ie it's all about the money. It always is, and always has been.

[@NUMMEHARBEN]

Russia had free passage from the Azow sea to the Black sea before the war.

[@rayspencer5025]

It is not always what you gain from conquest, but what you deprive your competition of.

[@victoreous626]

What an interesting comment. Thanks for posting it.

[@poneis88]

True, Putin's ultimate goal now is to weaken the Ukrainian state by depriving it of economic assets and then going for conquest in the future. If he manages to get a peace deal that allows him to keep the occupied territories, this will put Ukraine in a very fragile situation, as no financial investments will be made in an area that can turn into a warzone in any minute, plus the lost resources. Ukraine needs to keep all of its territory to remain as an independent state.

[@dan-bz7dz]

True. Russia already has abundant natural resources. But I think the more pressing issue is the fact how many Russians ended up in Ukraine due to how the Soviet Union drew the borders. And the unwillingness of Ukraine to solve the bloody civil war that had been raging there for 8 years before Russia intervened.

[@TheKobiDror]

@@dan-bz7dz The trolls are working here... Who stoked the conflict in the first place? Back to topic. It is exactly that. Ukraine already has the infrastructure to transport natural gas. They "only" need to flip a switch to replace the Russian gas with Ukrainian one and would become one of the major players in Europe's natural gas market. That's why Shell was exploring in the East and it's one contributor for this conflict.

[@TKUA11]

Agree. People still refuse to call this a genocide, when Putin has clearly said Ukraine doesn’t exist. He says that Ukrainians are just Russians that have lost their way: Putin would rather burn down all of Ukraine and kill everyone, than allow his own citizens to watch a successful post Soviet country

[@nesa6582]

I dont think those resources play major role for Russia, i mean Russia has immense resources. Primarly it is strategic question.

[@NexPutax]

More one of unbridled greed!

[@brankoprosic5852]

@@NexPutax I don't think so. The thing is to deny Ukraine its industrial output directly and reducing Ukraine's overall GDP, of which huge chunk comes from the Donbas itself...not less than 25%. If Russia stops at those 4 provinces, it will still unable Ukraine to develop its industry in a close vicinity, which will further diminish its independence. Plus, everything that those regions produce will contribute to Russian GDP.

[@jimgraham6722]

Ruzz wanted to ensure it remained a monopoly supplier of energy and minerals to Germany. That enabled it to have a strategic hold over the EU and NATO. With Ukraine threatening to horn on its European resource market ruzz was determined that shouldn't happen.

[@sparkyfromel]

certainly , strategic security has always been Russia first motivation , but increasing economic resources are part of security too all countries know that , including the USA

[@harriemeeuwis978]

​@@jimgraham6722Interesting you talk about 'ruzz'. 'Ruzz' (phonetically) was the name the Viking/'Swedish' founders of Kiev called themselves and it's considered to be the start of the Russian nation.

[@ockertwessels649]

I am not so certain that Russia's motive was gas and oil, because the 2022 peace negotiations approached a settlement that made no provision for the transfer of mineral assets of any kind. In my opinion Professor John Mearsheimer's work dating back to the 1990's and after best explain the reasons for the Ukranian conflict. A little more insight and a lot less greed, would have served the West, its partners, and the World, so much better than strategies followed. I don't like to talk like that, but it is what the facts leads me to believe.

[@magicsmurfy]

I agree - Russia has loads of that already. I actually believe Putin was trying to protect the Russian speaking Ukranian and he was also trying to anticipate what NATO and USA were doing to the region, slowly eating away any nations who would be doing business with Russia closely. After Ukraine, they will do regime change for Beralus this is very obvious.

[@FranceBernardof0609]

Thank you for these in-depth explanations of the geological factors of the Ukrainian conflict with Russia. Also we can add, the exceptional riches of the Ukrainian topsoil, which contributes vastly to the country's wealth with the production of wheat and maize and other type of cultures. The name of this particular topsoil is, "Tchernozium". It is a large band of earth stretching from the northwest of the country and going well into Russia to the southeast, and measuring around 1500 km in length, with a width of around 200 km to 400 km.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

It's interesting to me that you bring this up because when the conflict broke out I immediately thought of that magnificent soil...second most productive soil in the world behind America's Blackland Prairie. Historically, that soil is not only fantastic for agriculture, but during times of conflict, it serves as a natural hazard for invading forces during the springtime. It's not hard to find photos of German tanks stuck in the mud during WWII and predictably tanks and trucks were stuck in the mud during the opening weeks of this conflict for the exact same reason.

[@glebarhangelsky4351]

Yes, we would like to take those back from Black Rock.

[@terike9738]

Yet Russia is the world's number one producer of wheat and grain.

[@begun65vdal5]

Have to correct you, its named чорноземи- chornozem. Check out on Wikipedia.

[@georgesbv1]

​@@terike9738 30 times larger country?

[@taimalik1110]

Hello Professor Day, I love your videos so much! Thank you for covering the geology and science of Ukraine, which is a totally different way to understand the region than geo-politics! Professor, would you also please be able to cover the recent earthquake in Turkiye and Syria that took place Feb 2023, from the science and plate tectonics perspective, as we've learned from your video lectures? Thank you Professor Day, and stay safe!

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

I am deeply interested in that geological disaster and want to cover it when more scientific answers are known. It's one of the most heart-breaking tragedies of my lifetime.

[@Robert.Chauval]

Just found your channel today. Im impressed with your technical content (im not a geotech but have a lay interest) and your professional manner with not even a hint dramatics... you got a new sub... Your geo take on the conflict adds a very important extra dimension to the discussion. And this conflict is anything but 1 dimensional. I personally think Donbass geo resources werent the primary driver for Russia however it would def be in their interest to restrict a neighbouring LNG competitor to the EU..... of course the US bombing of the Nordstream supply to Germany/EU after Russia rolled into Ukraine would make it a hell of a lot easier to be the LNG pipeline of choice to EU (and Blackrock et al etc).... taking out the competition for Ukraine LNG makes sense now I am not of the opinion that Russia wants to take all of Ukraine and then roll all over the EU. Thats nothing but fear-mongering dramatics and plays into the hands of certain interest groups.... and well trained anti-commie haters enmass... I'd be more interested in the rare earth metals and who wants that very sensitive resource more considering the China supply chain and their response to illegal sanctions.. personally i dont blame them for responding in kind.... What about the mineralogy of the volcanic shield band.. surely there's gold and copper etc etc that's normally associated with volcanic hydrology? I suspect that's got to be a significant player in the equation? I will be binging on your content now thanks. Really like your work. Any interest in discussing New Zealand geology????

[@ehoworka]

There is no such thing as "LNG pipeline" - contradiction of terms...

[@hausi7401]

Ural

[@rilmehakonen9688]

@@ehoworka Not quite clever enough, ehoworka, you forgot to explain why. Pipelines carry gas as a gas. L = Liquid. LNG is liquid because it is either very cold or at great pressure.

[@WalterVetterli]

Agree totally!!!!

[@sonytab2018]

what about rare minerals? (e.g. titanium, lithium etc)

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

There's quite a bit of those too. Glossed over that because I didn't want the video to be too long but those could also be relevant.

[@sonytab2018]

@@EarthandSpaceSciencesX do you think this could be one of the drivers (not the main one) for what is happening over there? kzbin.info/www/bejne/iILTf2CCm6qliqs

[@tonysherwood9619]

Probably when Elon sold large share in tesla!

[@SurfTopsail]

and what about the uranium deposits?

[@kwokpuitsang9472]

@@SurfTopsail If Putin successfully control the city name Кривий Ріг, Russia uranium reserve will be increased by 50%.

[@user-yq2wk6yg8s]

I don't know whether I'm to blame for not paying attention at school or whether the content was so much drier in the 1960s. This stuff is really interesting and the teacher is so enthusiastic. Mind you, what would happen if your audience would have rather been out fishing?

[@thibaultkreutzer4534]

Student in geology from Germany, thank you for this very interesting video!

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@generalputnam2990]

Have been waiting for this explanation. Thank you.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

You are welcome!

[@Stan-b3v]

I have been as well.

[@garrycompton7214]

Good geologic synopsis but Ukraine has only been a country for 20 years - and always controlled by Oligarchs. I was a Geology major at Wisconsin from 1969 to 1971 and have worked and still live in Ukraine/Russia - now over 12 years- { construction management and now retired} I looked at the Geology back in 08 when I worked out of Kiev and Crimea. I thought the same as you, but Ukraine{ Kiev} never took advantage of much of it.Kiev was a mafia government - very corrupt. There always were coal mines and such in the Basin - many decades worth of work for the local Ukies/Russians. I certainly enjoyed listening to your research and those that want the Natural Resources is Wall Street and the Globalist - same game as Iraq's oil, Syria's, Libya's, etc. Russia , they say is worth 80 Trillion in resources, but they will certainly open up the Donbas Basin and drill far out from Crimea. They are mostly interested in keeping 1/2 of Ukraine , the Russian part/ heritage and keep Nato out. From where I stand - Crimea- Russia will take NovoRossiya, including east of the Dnepr, Odecca, etc. and help start a New Neutral Ukraine because Russians/Putin , don't want people that don't want to be Russians. It'll take 5 to 10 years maybe but things will turn out better if Russia and Belarus keep the Russian parts normal and New Ukraine - Ukrainian, with normal ties to Russia and Europe { once Europa gets normal - that is. Brics will be using the ports in Odecca to do business and both Ukraine and Russia will be OK as long as the outside influence is eliminated. I feel positive about this. Спасибо

[@golddigger8759]

It's always amusing how Z-trolls expose themselves, isn't it 🎉😂 No one else is stupid enough to go all-in making post ergo propter hoc "political history"....on the Geology channel 🤣 Why didn't your forecast materialise?

[@jamesgornall5731]

​@@golddigger8759was that the 3 day operation, as Mark Milley had forecast?

[@frankdesantis8078]

Gary, fascinating input from someone knowledgeable about the topic. I agree with you, particularly about keeping outsiders (our CIA and plundering investors) out.

[@tomaskinoshta7589]

wrong, Ukraine is now a colony of the American Empire. Ukraine is a parasitic nation and survives by sponging off another country, Before Ukraine sponged off Russia, now Ukraine sponges off the USA.

[@tomeks666]

What you demonstrate is pure rus-speak. Use chatgpt or something to remove rus-speak, because it sounds funny when somebody is trying to pretend a westerner while using Russian propaganda buzzwords.

[@Markdmarque]

It's why the West is so interested in Ukraine. Russia are there because of the Ethnic Russian people needed protection from Ukrainian shelling for 8years

[@KovietUnionDefector]

Exactly!

[@AXYEJIu]

Global corporate versus local people. Luckily someone had balls to stand up to this.

[@haribo836]

First time viewer of your channel. Came here because of my interest in the war in Ukraine, but geology or any science for that always catches my eye. Very interesting angle to make a video of a warzone, but I loved it. Learned about the war, learned about geology. Ive subscribed to learn more about geology, you present it very well.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Thank you!

[@brettbenson7690]

Thank you for this. I've spent countless hours scouring the internet for some of this information, it's good to hear it from a professional.

[@Lepermessiah54]

Dude, this explains a lot. Thanks!

[@johncourtneidge]

Many thanks. I'm a PhD Chemist who did Geology 1 rather than Physics 1A at Bristol in 1969. I have a 2" thick hardback book entitled 'Ukraine' published by Cambridge University Press in 1940. Lots still to be read there by me. The geology as well described here is an important factor. As is the Federal Reserve Bank system-generated USDollar: issue as Interest-bearing debt. That, I'm sure, is at the heart of all this.

[@kevindarroch7332]

Good thoughts thank you..

[@davidstevenson9517]

Great presentation! Stripped of ideology, War is competition for resources; that's the bottom line. Thank you to our host geologist for a concise explanation for laymen.

[@nothanks3236]

Interesting stuff, thanks!

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Thank you very much for your appreciation!

[@Tonguetamotorizada]

Im also a geologist in Argentina. This is a super interesting topic. Thank you, very original and useful

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@anthonysteele3466]

I find it interesting that coal gas and oil is found in an area that is so very old. It means that there was a huge amount of plant life in the history of early earth

[@spudpud-T67]

Plants without the organisms to decompose it.

[@NickMirro]

Excellent comment! Our species has only been here for 0.00009 percent of the time life has been evolving. Who can scarcely imagine the colossal legacy that we're burning through in an instant?

[@christiank1251]

Keywords being: 1) Mackinder, 2) Lebensraum, 3) Burisma. Geology is a nice accompanying melody line.

[@catalincarceanu7991]

Add Wolfovitz and Zbigniew Brzezinsky

[@AddieHilton]

Nuland-Kagan cabal.

[@marinblaze]

@@AddieHilton PNAC

[@frontiervirtcharter]

Russia was just mad that American oligarchs would benefit from Ukraine instead of Russian ones. How many trillions of RMB would that coal and iron sell for?

[@eddieBanke22]

I don't know how many of you have actually seen this region. I have. There are what looks like little mountains everywhere. These are slag heaps, mainly from coal mining. Even before the war, there was very little coal mining so most of these slag heaps are unchanged for the last 30 years. This area with the exception of the cities is mainly agricultural and sunflowers are the main crop. There are also large gullies and small ridges so those areas are scrub brush and are not farmed. In climate, this is like Kansas and Missouri. hot and dry in the summer but surprisingly cold in the winter. Prior to the war Donetsk was the most prosperous and modern city in Ukraine. but 10 years of continuous shelling by Ukraine has driven half of the civilians away, mostly to Moscow where there are good jobs. Almost all of the small villages had some sort of industry before the war,. Unfortunately the villages and small cities in what was and is now the combat line is total devastation, not a single house survived. Probably Mariupol will never again be a major steel manufacturing city and instead will be a city of tourism and small industries. That Azov steel plant was obsolete even before it was severely damaged.

[@didierdenice7456]

As a Frenchman I have no beef in this Ukraine tragedy. But as a History teacher who went 3 times to Ukraine (2015, 2016, 2017) and who travelled, extensively lived and studied there for over 6 months... I can tell you that 85% of the people in the West get it all wrong... because they are being fed on a daily basis the usual American hegemony propaganda that they enthousiastically parrot and regurgitate in the social media without having a real clue of what they are talking about !... and yes, that applies to trained geologists as well 😉

[@stanleytolle416]

The UN observers documented there was really little Ukrainian shelling in the Dombas area. The out flux of people was the result of deteriorating economic conditions of the area. The shelling issue is really Russian false propaganda. If you want proof simply look at the satellite images of the area which show little or no shelling damage except in actual conflict areas.

[@annaaljorani9298]

"continuous shelling by Ukraine" is this a misstake, or you are a russian lover? It`s Russia bombing the whole region and destroing cities and land. People was forced by russians to move to Russia and many of them than moved to Baltic countries, others escaped to Ukraine. So please, don`t spread a fals information.

[@georget7028]

Kiev called it the rust belt in 2014.

[@stanleytolle416]

@@eddieBanke22 both the UN observers and satellite imagery have documented that the Dombas area was not heavily shelled. In fact, most of the "shelling" was short falling shells attempting to fire into Ukrainian held territory. So it was not shelling that has driven people out of this area. Most reports of the cause of out migration from this area blame poor economic conditions and political repression.

[@guilhermeborsa]

What a Nice Channel you have here. Cheers from a Fellow geologist!

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Hey, thanks!

[@lotharschiese8559]

Great easy to follow presentation, very informative.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Glad you liked it!

[@billshockleyiii2288]

Best maps I have seen of eastren Ukraine. For that alone this information was priceless. Thank you. Bill

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Thank you for watching!

[@edwardchipp7200]

I suspect it is a major deposit of natural hydrogen that was discovered. It has all the hallmarks of hydrogen potential (a failed rift overlying cratonic basement similar to South Africa, Kansas-Nebrasca, Mali, northern Pyrenees and Lorraine Basin in France, coal etc). Russia has been keen on hydrogen longer than other nations and supported abiotic oil/gas origen more than in west. They are more pragmatic than others because they place more emphasis on geology and science. In the west we have political scientists making decisions which leads to bad decisions. Your explanation for why all the fighting makes more sense. Thank you.

[@davidgleinbach7316]

PEOPLE THROUGH OUT HISTORY THOUGHT SCIENCE WAS MAGIC. THAT MADE NO SENSE....*_°... 🔱⭐

[@dan-bz7dz]

Yeah, it. had nothing to do with the CIA overthrowing the democratically elected government there and then telling Ukraine they could join NATO. And it also had nothing to do with Ukraine constantly violating the peace agreement they had signed with the Donbass militias that they refused to implement. Not at all.

[@sprocket5526]

Like riding putin eh?

[@Stonefeather53]

The people that settled in the Donbas Region are mostly ethnic Russians as you pointed out at the end of your video. They never wanted to be in a country that became hostile to their ethnicity so they formed a break-away country. As you said geology was the reason the Russians settled in this region as miners and industrialists.

[@StipanRamon]

Excellent analysis. Thank you very much!!!

[@bobschmitz3882]

The lithium deposits: is this the result of the evaporating tethys/ parathethys seas? How far north and west was this located?

[@Russkiy_Partizan]

Thank you. It would be very valuable if you updated this program

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

I'm considering it. Many people seem interested in the lithium aspect of this conflict.

[@PvtSchlock]

Geology is fascinating. We have to take the intro level classes as part of our preparation for physical anthropology. This is my admission that I have the highest level of fogg, fuzzy and imperfect understanding of wjat is being discussed here. "Oh right I remember learning about that as I desperately crammed for that test.." Thanks for the fine video production and great discussion. Salute!

[@maxfandorin]

Weird how this video shows up a year after being made. But two things: Donetsk and Donbas get their name from the river Don that’s further east. And second, while mineral resources play some role, the people of Donbas who have since roughly 890’s identified as Russian rose up against a coup government in 2014. Without understanding that the geological map won’t tell you much

[@annaaljorani9298]

This coup was created of Russia. In in this region came russian militery and with force made people to rise against Ukraina. About identity of people who lived in this region - year 890 belonged this area to nomadic turkish tribes, then to Cossacs. A Cossac ataman Chmielnicki made a agreement 1648 with russian tsar to get his support to be a independent Cossacs Hetmanat. Russia exploit the situation, proclaimed those territories as russiens and the Cossacs fought against the tsars many centuries to come. Now russian speaking people in Ukraina don't want to speak russian anymore and change to ukrainian.

[@leonidragozin2247]

Not exactly Don River but rather 'little Don' River, Donets, Don's main right confluent.

[@AK-ze7ro]

If you research the statements made by Igor Girkin he openly admits that he fired the first shot in the Donbas region because there was no interest in reunification with Russia by the locals.

[@photonicemitter9227]

you may be surpeised but actual russian soil is a former ukrainian land. And dosnt matter who and what is said about identification as russian. Wait for a decade and Steven Seagal wil say he is ruzzian

[@CharlesSmith-kx4cy]

Great angle to look at events from. The agriculture is a tremendous resource that falls into the geologic realm.

[@golddigger8759]

As a Finnish (2nd year Geology student), I salute you for doing this episode 👏 I watched your videos when preparing for my entrance exam (without your content, along with your excellent pedagogical skills, I wouldn't be at the university right now). But but but why didn't I spot this episode earlier 🤬🤛 Just thinking 🤔 would you consider giving us a mini lecture series on the geology of Scandinavia and Finland (as a geologist, you know that Finland isn't part of Scandinavia. We use term Fenno-Scandia to describe Norway, Sweden, and Finland)? ...and if so, what amount of greenback in super thanks 😊 would make this even remotely possible? I'm currently all-in, in supporting Ukraine, and this other idea came to my mind: Ukraine's Geology in depth with a fundraiser (for anything that is close to your heart that you wish to protect/preserve/help in Ukraine). Anyway, I just wanted to acknowledge that without your channel, I wouldn't have passed the entrance exam. Thank you so much for everything you have done 🙏👍💪🤝 Best from Finland (from somewhere near 67th parallel north, and yes, the 24/7 sun does mess up sleep cycle likewise 0/7 during winter does 😵‍💫 )

[@thomasarmstrong1706]

A nice intro into the geology and its relationship to key strategic issues in the region. No matter what the Russian or Ukrainian interests actually are, the geology plays a major role in it. A question regarding the tectonics and the structures of the Donbas region. You (and several other geologists that have published on the geology of the region,) interpret the basin as having formed within a bulk extensional setting (evidenced by the extensional faults in the area). Yet the overall structural geometry, as deduced from the A-A' cross-section, is one of bulk shortening. If you were to conduct a palinspastic analysis (that is, put a string along a major contact and across the A-A' cross-section) and then pin one end of the string, while pulling away from the other end, the string when flat (undeformed) would become longer than the string in its previously deformed state. This leads me to my question: is it possible that the basin actually formed earlier and was subsequently deformed during one or more compressional events? If so, it could have a big impact on the actual thermal structure of the basin (post the younger deformational event influencing unconventional gas and oil deposits). Just curious thanks to your fantastic treatise on KZbin!

[@fantasticoadidas]

I think you really hit the nail: Resources are one of the biggest reasons for motion in this conflict. Thanks for sharing !

[@marcitschner8479]

Phantastic content. The missing puzzle piece. Now I understand.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Thank you!

[@richavic4520]

One advantage of shale oil and gas development is that it's easier to modulate production in response to the market.

[@ruthbech8850]

The access to a southern harbor is more important to Russia than the geology. The geology is more of a factor in 8-9 years of civil war supported by the US and EU fought against the oblasts in the east. Oil and gas, iron, lithium and rare earth minerals are very interesting to the western nations.

[@joe_ninety_one5076]

The EU and US have supported no 'civil war'. They have supported Ukraine’s sovereignty in accordance with the UN Charter. It is the Kremlin who instigated this 'civil war' (in which most of the people of Donbas had no interest) by sending in mercenaries and regular forces in 2014. The 'Western nations' were quite happy to purchase the products you mention from whoever is selling them, as they normally do. They have no intention of annexing parts of Ukraine as Russia has, after attempting to take the whole country. It is pretty obvious who wants these resources for free, just as Prigozhin said. You have reversed the true situation.

[@joe_ninety_one5076]

The EU and US have supported no 'civil war'. They have supported Ukraine’s sovereignty in accordance with the UN Charter. It is the Kremlin who instigated this 'civil war' (in which most of the people of Donbas had no interest) by sending in mercenaries and regular forces in 2014. The 'Western nations' were quite happy to purchase the products you mention from whoever is selling them, as they normally do. They have no intention of annexing parts of Ukraine as Russia has, after attempting to take the whole country. It is pretty obvious who wants these resources for free, just as Prigozhin said. You have reversed the true situation.

[@joe_ninety_one5076]

@ruthbech The EU and US have supported no 'civil war'. They have supported Ukraine’s sovereignty in accordance with the UN Charter. It is the Kremlin who instigated this 'civil war' (in which most of the people of Donbas had no interest) by sending in mercenaries and regular forces in 2014. The 'Western nations' were quite happy to purchase the products you mention from whoever is selling them, as they normally do. They have no intention of annexing parts of Ukraine as Russia has, after attempting to take the whole country. It is pretty obvious who wants these resources for free, just as Prigozhin said. You have reversed the true situation.

[@CosmicValkyrie]

​Nonsense. Watch some proper reportage of that time. It was a civil war and US and EU are the suppliers and instigators of it. Why is Lindsey Graham shamelessly talking about the resources there? Please use your brain, the head is not just for storage. ​@@joe_ninety_one5076

[@samanmaleesilva3774]

Thank you for sharing your valuable knowledge on this subject. I learned a lot. Thanks for the time and energy you put into making these videos.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

My pleasure!

[@klausellrich5785]

Thank you for this usful information. The geopolitical angle is much more important. The best analysis is provided by Prof. Sachs and Prof. Mearsheimer. Let there be peace in Ukraine.

[@Robert.Chauval]

Agreed. The end game is really a 2 part one.. 1. Destabilise, divide and conquer Rxssia. Its exactly what the AIC modus operandi is.. then raxpe and pillage the Rxssian economy and natural resources.. theres plenty of history demonstrating exactly this scenario.. 2. UXA cannot go to wxr with China until Rxssia is knee-capped and the threat of their massive nuk arsenal is under control . Theyve been steadily trying to drive a wedge between them for quite a while now. But theyre not stupid.. Interesting how EU is in full on war mongering mode nowadays. Could it be that Rxssia was not meant to be winning by now and they were expecting an unstable Rxssia to pick off bit by bit... All i see is panic in the west after their cowboy plans failed ...AGAIN..

[@DerDop]

:))) sachs lol 😂😂😂

[@jasonreed8553]

Mearcheimer...I believe I have more cred than Mearcheimer...He reads and listens to the same people as myself. I haven't heard an original thought come of dude ever.

[@jasonreed8553]

@@DerDop Sacks is the man. He was at the table with Gorbechev!

[@DerDop]

@@jasonreed8553he’s a shill.

[@hasehirokazu72]

Great thanks for your explanation on geology -natural resources background of Ukraina. It greatly helps me the meaning that this war has been continuing so long time.

[@MichaelSteffen-g3w]

If you want to understand the military aspects, there is no better source than the Military Summary channel. Thank you for your video, I found it confirmational.

[@tonyfernandes3557]

Thank you for your great summary!

[@jerryjackson9481]

In 2006 I served with a medical mission team in Donetsk, seeing a large number of residents as patients and interacting with our local support staff. This does not make me an expert on the region, but I did gain a sense of the people there. East of the Dnieper River everyone speak Russian. I have read of the mass starvation in that region during the 1930’s. Combining that with your excellent commentary on the oil workers moving there from Western Siberia, it seems that the former population had been replaced by people migrating from deeper inside Russia. We went through Deniepro-Petrovsk which is up on the shield east of the Donbas. The region between Donetsk and Deniepro held amazing agricultural land. Does not geology determine to some degree the quality of soil? I suspect Russia wants the Donbas and areas to its east for multiple reasons: to repatriate native Russians, to regain the agricultural zone for wheat and sunflower production, for the oil and gas, and as a strategic buffer from the West. I do not feel any of this justifies the resulting human tragedy. And all this is only my personal speculations.

[@moblet]

Putin speaks exclusively about the invasion's purpose being to subjugate the Ukrainian people, and all the Ukrainian commentators I've observed have framed the conflict in terms of Russian colonial ambition and haven't mentioned natural resources in relation to Ukraine, although some have contended that most of what we call Russia is an expanse of colonies whose resources are plundered for the benefit of ethnic Russians. There is clear demographic evidence that the bulk of the "Russian" soldiers sent to Ukraine are drawn from "non-core" regions primarily populated by people who are not ethnically Russian. That said, the Donbas being an economic powerhouse gives it strategic value in the struggle, as controlling its output can be used to weaken Ukraine (although I read somewhere that after 2014 Russia didn't displace the Ukrainian oligarch who basically controlled it; this changed in 2022). From a purely military standpoint the numerous urban centres and terrain of the Donbas area will make it more difficult for Ukraine to liberate than any of the other occupied areas, so it was a good target for Russia in 2014 from that perspective too. A standard Russian tactic is to maintain at least one "breakaway region" in countries that aspire to join NATO and/or the EU (e.g. Moldova & Georgia) as territorial incompleteness is a barrier to entry.

[@radiozvrk6784]

So what are the reasons for West to fight across the globe? For freedom? 🤣🤣🤣 Good old western peacekeepers 🤣🤣🤣

[@IFarmBugs]

​@@radiozvrk6784For the first time in history, defending your country's sovereignty and preventing the desolation of your culture is considered a foreign interest. The Ukrainians in occupied territories who are kidnapped and tortured for not converting to the Russian language should just suck it up right.

[@moblet]

@@radiozvrk6784 Firstly, "the West" isn't fighting, it's only providing material assistance to the Ukrainians so that they can fight for themselves. Nowhere near the level of engagement that occurred in the World Wars. It has sent observers under OSCE (prior to 2022) but never peacekeepers. Some reasons for providing this assistance include: - Having been parties to security agreements with Ukraine prior to the start of the war. Russia was in an agreement to guarantee Ukraine's security but decided to break it. - The Ukrainians want to be an independent democratic country and not to be controlled by a foreign power, and they've asked pretty much everyone on the planet for help. For the US in particular this has been enough reason to get directly involved in other conflicts, and the fact that the US hasn't is a clue that this fight isn't about supposed US control of Ukraine's natural resources. - Putin has made it clear that if succeeds in Ukraine he won't stop there, a direct threat to other European nations. He has made many statements about changing the current global order, from which the US is the largest single beneficiary. A good source for interpreting Russia in this regard is any leader from the Baltic states. They're all on the same page. - Preventing nuclear proliferation. If Ukraine goes under then other small and medium sized nations will be more likely to conclude that they need to have nuclear weapons to protect themselves.

[@stavrosk.2868]

Are you an American? By your logic, LEAVE right away back to your ancestors' homeland and give the land back to the indigenous people.

[@stardustjazztrio]

Excellent presentation. Thank you.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

You are welcome!

[@junetrenholm9810]

Although this video was done a year ago, this is the first I’ve seen it - very interesting. Bachmut was of interest to Russia because western Ukraine had spent 8 years militarizing it, there were about 30,000 troops stationed there, and it was a weapons storage area. It supplied the troops and weapons that attacked and shelled eastern Ukraine, mostly civilian centres, for 8 years, 2014 to 2022, prior to Russia entering Ukraine. 14,000 people died in those years, mostly civilian and mostly east Ukrainians. Removing Bachmut and Avdiivka from the fight was a strategic necessity for Russia. Of geological note, both areas had large underground tunnel systems related to coal mines, that connected the centres to areas deeper in Ukraine, that allowed for easy, undetected resupply of troops and weapons.

[@elbuggo]

East Ukrainians are basically Russians.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

I appreciate you posting your views and insights on this issue. Indeed, I made this video way back in 2022 and was just watching the movements of troops as they would appear on a geologic map and began asking myself these questions. I did not know that history of a military buildup in Bakhmut, that is very interesting.

[@glidermike1]

I think you stretched the truth a little there! The troop were stationed there in RESPONSE to the revolt in the Donbas and an attempt to be part of Russia. In fact it was a 2014 invasion by Russia, remember the anonymous "green men" that Putin sent?

[@RichardSmith-ms6hh]

Thanks for this - I found the geological explanation very interesting and valuable. Writing in Sept 2024 - nearly two years later - you come over as a very sane person.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Thank you!

[@Moneymyke357]

Interesting subject matter, a new channel to subscribe to.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Glad to have you watching!

[@robinmorritt7493]

Absolutely fascinating and beautifully narrated by an engaged and caring person. To mess with the figures, I can see how the geology is 80% responsible for the historical circumstances leading to conflict and 10% of the reasons for engaging in the conflict today. The 90% factor right now is great power rivalry. Ukraine is piggy in the middle.

[@philiptilden2318]

During his mutiny, Prigozhin said the war was all about seizing Ukraine’s resources and dividing them up between the oligarchs. So the geology is probably quite important.

[@marekjanczewski]

Prigożyn był durniem.

[@nx3696]

Prigoshin had visions of grandeur. look at the map. The Don bass is probably just 2% of Russia. Russia already has vast land and natural resources.

[@marekjanczewski]

@@nx3696 It's true 👍

[@pierrevincent9568]

@@philiptilden2318 just like britain in its colonies

[@ViceCoin]

That's why resource-poor West is spending $trillions on a Eastern European failed sate.

[@bradwalsh8985]

Excellent explanation for a first time learner about Ukrainian Geography. Thank you.

[@anthonyhill6943]

Thank you for this very interesting video.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Thank you for your appreciation!

[@gglp2457]

Thank you for this thorough explanation. It is fascinating to hear something else than the usual war reports or political based analysis. As a teacher of natural science for middle school, I usually tell my students that geology is the first science humans took into account. I mean that the knowledge of the geological resources helped humans, since the stone ages, to understand where to dig, where to settle and what to look for. Flint, quartzite and other types of rocks used to make tools were the first, but later came gold, copper, tin, iron, etc. And things haven't changed much in the last ten thousand years. We still go to war for oil, coal or uranium. I was aware about the coal and iron mining and the steel industries developed during the soviet era in the Donbas, but your video has brought more interesting information I did not know and explain a lot. Thank you sir.

[@HoroRH]

Thx. I'd suggest that if you're using maps with small lettering, you use higher resolution

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

I wish I could. I recorded this on an old MacBook Air manufactured in 2014 and it’s limited in that way. However, it’s still my go-to computer and works like a champ.

[@AmazingPhilippines1]

Very much appreciate your take on the geology of the area and a new sub here. There are a number of sites that "map" the war, some pro west, some pro Rus, and some "neutral". A sight called Military Summary on yt does just that in summing up much of what is happening on the ground.

[@mrblack5554]

Glad someone has put a video together on this .. I have been presenting this information for about 6 years. When Chevron (west Ukraine) and Shell (east Ukraine) made their discoveries in 2010 and then worked on proving them, the fracking potential in Kramatorsk area was estimated to provide Ukraine with $40B / year and make it the Saudi Arabia of Europe. October / November 2014 was when Yanukovich signed the deals with Chevron and Shell. If you overlay the timeline of when Mikola Schlochevskiy (Burisma and the Minister of Interior in charge of leasing under Yanukovich) murdered his business partner Lissan and then hired Hunter and the capital investment of CEFC for Burisma to obtain and control the leasing rights to the prime plays in DonBas .. things start to make sense. Yanukovich and Firtash controlled the gas gathering and transportation through Dima Firtash’s NaftoGaz control (their silent partner was Semyon Migolyevich and Putin) .. and Yanukovich and Schlochevskiy controlled the leasing and land (their silent partner was Biden and EU). The EU wanted to control Ukraine’s development (like a corrupt trustee rapes a foster child of their wealth and future) through IMF loans ($15B) subsidizing gas cost to EU and Ukrainian oligarch steel works so both sides benefits - but Ukrainian people would see their gas prices go up to pay for the loan. Putin’s loan didn’t push subsidies on Ukrainian people AND didn’t have the land reform that allowed foreigners to buy up the land.. very very important. The crime we committed (I was there at energy conference backstage when Nuland told Biden Yanukovich rejected the deal and he freaked out screaming). This entire war is a coverup for a crime .. in which both sides were going to sell energy and food to China.. Insanity and Vanity.. all about geology

[@tomaskinoshta7589]

bogus report. Although the gas under Sloviansk is reported to be the largest in Ukraine (2 trillion m3 of gas) that is puny compared to Russia with 48 trillion M3 of gas. Of course, Russia will not allow the USA access to 2 trillion m3 of gas less than 100m from the Russian border.

[@telebubba5527]

Interesting. But Yanukovich was not in power anymore in 2014. The Revolution of Dignity took place in February 2014 and he was voted out by his own party. Also the EU never wanted to control Ukraine's development and it never ever tried to. The EU was even happy for the EU deal to go together with the Russian offer, but the Russians didn't want it that way. Putin has been extorting the Ukrainians since he came to power in 1999. Frequently he shut off the fuel supplies, even under his own stooges in the Ukrainian government. That was what the Revolution of Dignity was all about. Putin's 'loan' would definitely have pushed the Ukrainians into higher costs and he would have kept them on Russian gas and oil to keep controlling them. Developing their own resources was a too large risk, as it would have made Ukraine independent on Russian fuel and give them a constant flow of energy and they would have earned from it by selling to the EU. Your reasoning is very flawed and reeks more like the Russian propaganda.

[@hakanlundberg]

⁠​⁠@@tomaskinoshta7589Lol. The EU is evidently about minimizing corruption. And it’s done in an open fashion where most information is open to the public. And you Russians. You do under that the EU is an organization of 27 independent nations with governments that are critical to each other, some left wing some rightwing. They all have bureaucratic organization inspecting spendings and actions, and they all inform their public all numbers in different ways. And some opposing politicians would dream of finding dirt on other parties/nations. And as you know there are anti-EU and pro-Russian politicians too having access to all information. Most of these nations rank way way lower than Russia (and even the US) when it comes to corruption. That type of ranking is done by international organizations that Russia also has insight into. Like in Sweden when one of the worst cases of national political corruption was when a ranking member of the parliament by mistake payed with her parliamentarian debit card instead of her own when she bought a chocolate bar for her kid… and her own party was so upset she had to leave politics for a few year. You really then believe all… any… politicians in the Swedish parliament, including the more Russia-positive ones, and environmentalists who ejects anything fossil fuel, etc., who have access to the full information of the national and the EU budget and spendings, would not find out and would not reveal it?! I mean, in Sweden even details in military spendings are seldom secrets. Nah… some secret plot where the EU is in on whatever you claim isn’t possible. You don’t understand what the EU is. Neither do you understand how the independent international institutions, where Russia also has insight, that defeat corruption globally works. All your conspiracies are just in the head of someone from a nation where similar things would be possible and also happens. Ukraine wanted to join the EU for the obvious reason that every nation who join gets a boost in economic and social progress. And the whys to this are known. And it isn’t because corruption prosper and governments or the rich steal from the taxpayers. Obviously Ukraine would have been, and will now be even more, a net receiver for long. As many other member nations are. Whatever you claim the EU is about to scam Ukraine with, even if it were true, the other EU nations will evidently provide massive amounts more to Ukraine to eject Russia and rebuild Ukrainian infrastructure. There were UN organizations and other international organizations, the EU (all 27 nations), a bunch of other nations, and the US (Joe, but obviously taking to much credit for his part) who demanded that Ukraine fired a pro-Russian prosecutor who had a track of doing nothing to end corruption. When he was fired the new one started to go after corrupt organizations, including Burisma and the pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch who owned it (through other corporations). Neither Ukraine, the DOJ under Trump’s administration, and the GOP lead House turning every stone to find dirt on Biden, have presented any evidence that Hunter himself was involved in corruption in Ukraine. Although Hunter’s actions can be criticized from a moral perspective (leaving it here). Earlier the leases of natural resources was governed by bribes (and yes, western corporations were involved, but you’re forgetting that Russian oligarchs owns many western corporations directly and indirectly), so the pro-Russian or Russians who owned the leases (and Westerners too I suppose) didn’t get to lease any longer. And the leases are now governed by capitalist principles: The entity that gains the taxpayers the most, get to lease them. Although sure, you can always find details to criticize. As is there still more corruption in Ukraine than in most (possible all) EU nations and the US. But it has been decreasing since Russian corrupt entities were ejected.

[@tonyoostenbrink7808]

you stated "October / November 2014 was when Yanukovich signed the deals with Chevron and Shell." I'm surprised because this is a full year after the Maidan uprising started in the Fall of 2013, and a half-year after Crimea voted to join Russia, and Yanukovych was pro-Russian.

[@glidermike1]

Because of the large gas potential of the Donbas this was a direct threat to Russian gas supplies to Europe, competition lowers prices. In addition, a number of gas pipelines to Europe pass through Ukraine so exploiting the fields would be easy. This is why the original invasion plan was to also take Crimea and all coastline to Odessa to Isolate Ukraine from the Black Sea large gas fields within their sovereign territory.

[@mathiasalexander6119]

great presentation

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Glad you liked it!

[@Spinningininfinity]

A truly fascinating perspective on the geological perspective to this war.

[@robertharneis9506]

Very interesting geologically but. Naive geopolitically. This is a civil war in which Russia intervened not just a fight between Russia and Ukrainian Defense Forces. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians are fighting on the Russian side. For Russia this is hardly about geology at all except to ensure the region is viable after the war. For the US and then EU it is 100% about geology and agriculture, and 0% about the welfare of the Ukrainian people.

[@garrycompton7214]

Agree 100% - look at the Oakland Institute's research - Theft and War - this will show who bought all the farmland right after the 2014 coup. It's Wall Street and the Globalist. And they are going to lose their billions. lol

[@ms.erania9848]

I agree 👍

[@comment6864]

Very well said!

[@GarrisonFall]

For the US, EU and other civilised nations, they are drawn into the war to protect Ukraine's sovereignty. Putin, on the other hand, is concerned with wealth and power. The natural and industrial resources are two reasons. The agricultural production is another. The area is called Europe's breadbasket. Since the beginning of the war, the Russians were exporting stolen Ukrainian grain. The Black Sea ports of Crimea provide Putin with some of Russia's only warm water ports. The southern oblasts provide Putin with a land-bridge to Moldova and beyond and would allow Putin to cut off Ukraine's access to the sea. The civil conflict in the Donvas was engineered by Russia, which provided military equipment and manpower to the small minority of so called 'separatists'. Igor Girkin, a Russian officer, boasted that he started the war in Ukraine by leading his (disguised) troops to take over governmental headquarters in the area. This war was started by Russia, no one else. He wanted to topple the Ukraine government and gain control of the whole country. Any concern he expressed for 'ethnic Russians' in Ukraine is a fiction invented to disguise the true reasons for his invasion.

[@Brommear]

So Russia wants a viable Ukraine after the war - but bombing every city to smithereens? En serio amigo?

[@davidpaulmert800]

I think Putin didn't like the idea of a pro west developed Ukraine. It would have made him look bad comparing standard of living between the 2 countries. Whatever was there for resources was a bonus

[@thecyberseer]

Very interesting video. Thank you

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@dodemocracy2426]

Please excuse my bad spelling! The geology is a big part of the problem, since the Ukrainian government was taken over by the US backed Maidon faction in 2014. In the east, US corporations like Monsanto began buying up farmland. People also talk about companies like Blackrock investing heavily in Eastern Ukraine. There are rich Oligarchs who own the mines in West Ukraine and they are very concerned about losing their coal mines. Apparently, the West (US and Europe) are more concerned about getting the bigger prize of natural resources in Russia than they are about the resources in the Donbass, otherwise they would not have given them up. They gave these resources up by oppressing and threatening the Russian speaking population in this area. Thay made it illegal to speak the Russian language. They harrased the Russian Orthodox church and now it has been outlawed completely. They did more terrible things that I don't have room to write. When people in the west began holding referendums and calling for autonomy within Ukraine, they were labeled terrorists and the US backed and trained Ukrainian military began its war on their own citizens. Zelensky said that if people wanted to be Russian they should leave and go to Russia. And they did. They held more referendums and declared independence from Ukraine. They left and they are taking their land with them! Which brings us back to the geology. By attempting to drive the Russian speaking and other minority speaking people out of Ukraine, the Ukrainian government has lost the most productive part of their nation. This is why Zelensky insists on regaining the 2014 borders. Its geology. Territorial integrity they call it, but this narrative is a lie. After the deaths of over 14,000 people in war in the west of Ukraine that started in 2014, the people of Donbass and Crimea will never and I mean Never rejoin Ukraine. It's called Democracy. They have the right to live free of oppression. So, in terms of geology NATO gave up the small fish in hopes of gaining the whale. Instead, they have basically handed Russia more resources, which they will use for their people, not international corporations. As far as the Oligarchs are concerned, Russia is no longer Communist so they probably will not lose what they own, but war is always bad for business, unless you make bombs for a living. This is the Readers Digest version. You can confirm it all as it is part of the historical record. The US State Department has their own version of everything most of which cannot be confirmed. So yes, the geology of the situation is very much important. Actually, it is the whole point. Western corporations coveting the resources of another nation, which is Russia. Apparently, they are willing to kill for it. Down to the last Urainian.

[@vanfja]

Ukraine is just a tool. It is a tool and the real power players don’t care about Ukrainian resources or Ukrainian people at all. But it’s convenient to make up theories about resources to play the complacent population to support and send more money into this money laundering scheme. No amount of facts, logic will convince the complacent population, it’s a waste of effort trying. They sit on their nice peaceful homes across the ocean and will just do as their governments tell them.

[@tjij-mbai]

Great presentation.... You are hinting at a connection and it's not too far-fetched. It's also not too far-fetched to say that both parties want the same thing.

[@wassiswallylokhankin191]

So that was why NATO kept expanding eastward and did (still doing) everything to draw Ukraine into its orbit - despite all of Russia's requests and warnings. Why give up a nearby colony rich in valuable minerals, gas, and cheap labor? Imperialism in all its glory. Never gets wiser unless there's a mighty fist in front of its nose. Thank you for opening my eyes Professor Day.

[@MrTarmakan]

Americans: "Did somebody say OIL??!! Democracy on the way!" As always...

[@Brommear]

But this time it is Russia that is after the oil!

[@blind8686]

Please entertain putting the joint down. And after you finish gaming, please consider making your bed and locating your socks.

[@tomaskinoshta7589]

Ukraine does not have much oil, but Ukraine does have the biggest iron ore deposits in Europe (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast)

[@SG-js2qn]

The US doesn't need oil, but Europe does, and Russia is continually trying to control Europe by controlling their foreign lines of energy. It's the Great Game, not a US hunger for oil.

[@donaldcarey114]

Helpful hint: Get paid in vodka, Komrad, the ruble isn't worth the paper it is printed on.

[@loumcast]

All of eastern and southeastern Ukraine are historical Russian territories given to Ukraine to administer by the communists during the years of the Soviet Union, all the cities from Odessa to Kharkiv and in between are Russian founded cities, that's the reason the people in those areas speak Russian and not Ukrainian. During the years of the Soviet Union people moved around to work in different industries, but they did not come to that area in mass like you're leading to believe. Today, there are over 10 million Ukrainians living/working in Russia, and that happened mostly during the years of the Soviet Union. The main reason why this war is going on its due to security, Russia does not want to be encircle by NATO nor do they want western offensive weapons near its border.

[@callejondorado]

Rusia is going for the 4 Donbas regions. Period. The south part is almost done, but the top part is a wider area for the Russians to cover. Interesting geological description though.

[@kubhlaikhan2015]

Russia wants security for itself and for the Russian populations that dominate Crimea and the Donbas. NATO wants to steal Ukraine's mineral resources and arable land, followed by Russia's. Chalk and cheese my friend.

[@GarrisonFall]

Because of the mineral, agricultural and industrial wealth of those four regions. The access to Crimea's warm water ports, blocking Ukraine's access to the Black Sea, and a land bridge to Moldova and beyond are also major factors.

[@richard999]

The geology is definitely on the minds of both the Russians 🇷🇺 and Blackrock Investors 🇺🇸. Great video and so good to get the insights. Because of my own interest in Geology as an amateur rockhound I have always considered that resources were a key topic.

[@barryobee1544]

Very interesting video, different perspective! Enjoyed

[@kwokpuitsang9472]

I didn't go through all the comments to this video, so that I don't known if my arguments already mentioned by other audients. I can say that you have provided a very interesting points to explain Russian's agressive actions in this region in pass 10 years. Before the outbreak of the war, I already noticed that there are a lot of interests on resource than other factors for Putin to start the war. I find from other web site argued that Ukraine discover, before 2014, a lot of gas reserves in the areas you had mentioned and also in Azov sea and Black sea between Odesa and Crimea which is sufficient for 35 years Ukraine domestic usage. Originally, Ukraine government's engery policy was to develope nuclear power for the country and European countries and exporting gas / oil. Also, Ukraine government had sign contract with foreign large engery company to develope gas / oil export from this areas to European countries. Once the plan fully executed, the gas price will be lower which was/is Putin don't want to see. I think it was possible that Putin's actions by 2014 is to stop Ukraine's engery policy to export gas/oil. After Donetsk and Luhansk under the control of Russia, the company stop the contact with Ukraine government and Putin's plan to secure the gas price was sucessfully implemented. Also, if we look at Russian's progress on the war by 2022, they were approaching a city named Кривий Ріг which is a very large iron ore fields, surranding areas has alot of uranium reserve. If Russian successfully control these areas, Russian uranium reserve will be increased by almost 50%. I think Putin's plan is to 1. put Ukraine under the control of Russia by replacing the goverment with a pro-Russia president so that to control the country's engery resource, 2. further weaken Ukraine by seeking to turn the Ukraine into a land lock country, 3. to build a land bridge to Moldova for exert power over the country, 4. put European countries under the infleunce of Russia in terms of engery, economics, and military. Putin take 2022 to start the war possible 1. both the economics and social stability of western counties were weakened by covid-19 and these counties may be more likely to close an eye on Putin's war, 2. covid vaccine started to delivery to other countries. If Putin didn't start the war at that time, it is possible never to be happened. 3. Putin's friend, Angela Merkel, is leaving the position and the new politicients may not want to continue the appeasement policy. 4. Biden was considered a weak US president. There are my thoughts on the war.

[@glasperlinspiel]

Compelling assessment. Having been close to the development of fracking in shale, that technology is a game changer and strategic for the US. It might have been equally so for Ukraine, giving Europe an alternative to Russian gas. Moreover, since the globe must wean itself from burning hydrocarbons, their shelf life better be short-more incentive to behave stupidly

[@adrianosverko6601]

It has also been Russian since Catherine the Great, thus, before the USA declared independence. It was given to Ukraine as appeasement, in an era when the 2 states were allies and leaders of the Soviet Union.

[@RobertBDANIEL-ouest7est]

Original angle given in video .... Perspective is new to me. Good job ! ! 🎉🎉🎉

[@markrobinowitz8473]

Also, coal mining peaked around 1976. There's a lot of it, but fossil fuels are finite. Harder to say how much gas is there, but clearly enough for an imperialistic takeover. There were also population disruptions after the Holodomor (Stalin's forced starvation of Ukraine) so that's part of the reason why Donbas has a higher percentage of Russian speakers as opposed to the rest of Ukraine.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

You make an interesting point about the Holodomor having a major effect on the demographics of that region which I had not previously considered.

[@yordanlilov]

Gladomor (holodomor as you call it) is forced not only by Stalin. It is also result of Polish and Romanian politics at that time. Think that there are mostly russian speaking people because those lands used to belong to Russia for a long time. Just before the USSR there used to be Russia

[@vladnut]

@@yordanlilov is not true

[@bunsdad4530]

A lot of this is metallurgical coal which is much more expensive per tonne. There is also many many other goodies here salt titanium gold rare earths etc

[@davidturgeon2087]

I do not think you are correct in thinking the famine to which you refer had any effect upon the demographics of the Donbass, which had always been a majority Russian speaking region since the time at least of Catherine the Great.

[@annafilippova7505]

All five congresses of the Russian Communist Party were held in Europe. Three of them were in London. The division of the state into national regions is a path to disintegration. The bankers in London and Washington knew this very well. They paid for the work of professional revolutionaries (Lenin and his command). At their behest, Lenin did everything to turn the Russian Empire into the union of national republics. The socialist state invested a lot of money on the development of national languages and culture. Good books in Russian were in short supply. In libraries, people signed up to read a novel or a novella... At the same time, the same novel was freely sold in the languages of the Union republics... Lenin literally cut off Donbas from Russia for many years, despite appeals with similar requests from other regions of Ukraine. Thus, in the hustle and bustle of the never-confirmed world revolution, Donbas became part of Ukraine. And he stayed there all these years, never becoming, according to the new Ukrainian authorities, the real Ukraine. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the gap between the two parts of the country only increased and became incredibly huge after the coup d'état and the events on the Maidan in 2014. Look at the globe! Where is the USA and where is Ukraine? The Russian word "Ukraina" means "periphery". In order to make private counterfeit money a worldwide means of payment, bankers had to organize several financial crises in the United States, revolutions in Russia and other countries, two world wars, and wage constant wars in different countries. The shelf life of the Federal Reserve system was 99 years. It was legalized at the end of 1913. And now the warranty is over. The collapse of the world into currency zones will lead to a significant reduction in the role of the dollar in international settlements. The actions of the deranged rulers of the United States and the Fourth Reich could lead to a nuclear war. Banksters don't care about the number of people who died. "You can also make money on creation, but twenty times slower" - Rhett Butler (Gone with the Wind).

[@marjendemhare5892]

Very interesting.

[@apachewolfscout]

A very well researched,interesting, courteous and humane presentation. Thank you.

[@AKAKiddo]

Great video of Ukraine aspect not talked about too much. Loved the overlay of geology with the fighting. My own thought is that Putin is more interested in protecting ethnic Russians, and for reasons you point out, they live in the Donbas region.

[@jonsore9795]

Protecting his little gren men you mean?

[@telebubba5527]

He cares nothing about ethnicity. That's just a propaganda ploy. He doesn't even care about Russians themselves and throws the happily into the meat grinder. So why on earth would give a toss for the Donbassians? Over 300.000 dead or severely wounded. They are reaching unprecedented levels with that.

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

Because whenever you think of Putin, you think of altruism? If this WAR has proven anything, it is that he doesn't give a damn about people, Ukrainian OR Russian.

[@matheusc.3713]

That's an interesting take, as the invasion was by far the largest event of displacement and killing of ethnic Russians in recent history. Both in Ukraine and Russia. Not to mention the complete erasing of entire cities from the map. Now serious question, do you really believe Putin took a decision to declare a full-scale war because he deeply cares about his ethnicity? Wouldn't that be laughably naive?

[@davidnilsen7336]

Thank you for a very informative and interesting video.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@peterlangan1181]

Interesting video.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@frankebert4474]

great lecture. thanks from germany

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

You are welcome!

[@mrpaul5726]

Awesome

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Thank you!

[@daveblack3111]

The first priority for the Russians is the protection and preservation of the ethnic Russians in the Donbas. A parallel priority is the retention of the Black Sea port and Naval Facility. The geology has resulted in the Donbas historically becoming the industrial engine house of the region, without which Ukraine would revert to an agricultural base with much reduced GDP. The conflict sadly is predominantly "Politically" driven with the objective of driving Russia further East and the expulsion/genocide of the ethnic Russian population. What is so devastating is the senseless loss of life, expendable in the eyes of the architects of this war.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Thank you for this thoughtful response.

[@AmuserPio]

I was born in Donbass. My parents arrived there from their village in the central Ukraine after WWII to escape famine and unpaid slavery work in fields of state farms. I grew up together with children of ukrainian peasants and russian criminals. The last arrived there escaping from justice in Russia. In Donbass it was easy to get a job without a reputation investigation. That's how the Donbass 'culture' grew up.

[@Heater-v1.0.0]

Thank you for that insight. It is not often that we hear anything from the people of Donbas or anything much about its history. Only the story spun by Putin that it is an area of Russians that need "rescuing".

[@glassini]

Ukraine did not exist until Lenin Stalin and Kruschev. Amazing your parents never taught you that. Originally a name for Galicia ..Borderlsnds in Ruthenian..then for a short period A secondary name for the Cossack Hetmanate..then a small patch in Kharkiv. If your family is from the West you are Polish Lithuanian, Romanian or Hungarian of origin as that region rebelled against The Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th Century seeking the Russian Tsars protection creating The Hetmanate and becoming Tsar Nicholas 1's mass murderers of Peasants and Jews..The Pogroms..In WW2 the Western Oblast became Nazi..Called The Galicia SS and fought with Germany declaring their independence from the USSR..They were the guards for all the Polish and Hungarian Death Camps..much of my young life they were tracked down and arrested.. The starvation after USSR saved Europe from The Nazi killed 26 million Russians..it happened because The West that had been saved by The USSR led by Britain and The USA sanctioned all grain exports to the USSR..as the USSR and and all its people had been forced to use a scorched earth defense to stop Hitler they were short of Grain..so we in the West decided to STARVE The USSR into submission and break The USSR and grab their oil coal and metals. It did not happen. Ukrainianisation making Russians that had been there for 50 Thousand years have a Ukrainian identity and aly that to the 1917 uprising of The Western Regions who are ethnically as described above not Russian....This was instigated by Lenin who created The Ukraine Adminstrative Region of The USSR in all its form except Crimea which Kruschev attached much later in 59..Lenin was in fact attempting to hand this region to the Odessa Jews which had once after Catherine the Great of Russia built Odessa become up until Nicholas and his Cossacks the greatest Jewish City on Earth..The birth place of Zionism earlier than Herzl and from whence Zionism was exported to The USA. Lenin like all Slavic Jews were not accepted by the burgeoning Zionist movement already moving back to and purchasing land in Then Palestine..Herzl and his German and British Zionist Cronies regarded them as " No better than animals" and "Sub Human" that is a direct quote..they in fact refused initially to issue them Israeli passports and sunk a refugee ship of these Slavic Jews straight after WW2 but were in the end shouted down as Ben Guerions troops were majority made up of Russian USSR army. A rather nasty bit of history that we old enough well remember.. So contrary to the rather historically challenged person who has also commented. UKRAINE as YOU know it IS A Bolshevik Invention..The Eastern and Southern Oblast fought with The USSR during WW2 not Hitler and suffered harshly during WW2 because of it. They are Ethnically Russian who settled the region and began in this region being called various names like Epigrigravettian and Muscovy..The Tartar which are like the Mongol and from the 11th Century from The Western Siberian Steppe and Mongolia ..Turkmenistani from the 14th Century Ottoman empire Invasion. There is Greek DNA from the Byzantine Era as well... Putin gave an abridged but accurate description it is a pity that Racism dominates the mindset of many who would not know what The Cossack Hetmanate was if they heard the term.. Nor the history of NATO Expansionist Theory. And I am Russian, Estonian, Lithuanian Ukrainian ( Galicia) Moldavian Romanian German Swedish and Irish..and l know the history of all my ancestors and clearly yours. Now what are you really?

[@AK-ze7ro]

@@glassini And Putins tells the truth? So his version of anything is reliable? I think not. Remember Kyiv was thriving long before Moscovia ever existed.

[@glassini]

@@AK-ze7ro Yes ..exactly..The Kievan Rus...The Rurik Dynasty..so you just proved to yourself ..Kiev is Russian..very well done you have reached the grade of an 18 year old Wikipedia writer.. Now next step is..The Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth..And maybe we can get you to The Odessa Jews..well done.

[@glassini]

@@AK-ze7ro Oh..and l forgot..Putin. Knows the same history everyone else does ...it's real history..unless of course they think you are stupid..in which case you probably think that yellow and blue thing is the Ukrainian Flag..lol..

[@whenuakitekid]

Thank you Paul ! I like your style.

[@ruslanmustaev8170]

I totally agree that it is all about geology. Especially UK involvement and so strong support of Ukraine because of the Shell.

[@catalincarceanu7991]

UK 's involvement is of political nature and is aimed at the keeping intact the teritorial integrity of the Kingdom.

[@ciarandevoy1769]

From a greedy oil company's perspective it's the oil

[@joe_ninety_one5076]

The UKs foreign policy is not much influenced by Shell.

[@ruslanmustaev8170]

@@joe_ninety_one5076 yeah, keep saying that...

[@RSpuhl]

Outstanding analysis!

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Thanks!

[@davidferguson804]

I saw another report on KZbin that said that before the war, Ukraine had the storage capacity, and pipelines to supply western Europe with all of the natural gas they needed. If Ukraine joined the European Union, and developed that orange area that you're talking about; Ukraine could replace Russia as the natural gas supplier for the EU. This would ruin the Russian economy, not good for Putin.

[@buzzpatch2294]

HERE IS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG- REASONS- >>> For those who ask: “Why does Ukraine matter? “ >>> How the nation of Ukraine ranks: >>> 1st in Europe in proven recoverable reserves of uranium ores; >>> 2nd place in Europe and 10th place in the world in terms of titanium ore reserves; >>> 2nd place in the world in terms of explored reserves of manganese ores (2.3 billion tons, or 12% of the world's reserves); >>> 2nd largest iron ore reserves in the world (30 billion tons); >>> 2nd place in Europe in terms of mercury ore reserves; >>> 3rd place in Europe (13th place in the world) in shale gas reserves (22 trillion cubic meters) >>> 4th in the world by the total value of natural resources; >>> 7th place in the world in coal reserves (33.9 billion tons) >>> Ukraine is an agricultural country: >>> 1st in Europe in terms of arable land area; >>> 3rd place in the world by the area of black soil (25% of world's volume); >>> 1st place in the world in exports of sunflower and sunflower oil; >>> 2nd place in the world in barley production and 4th place in barley exports; >>> 3rd largest producer and 4th largest exporter of corn in the world; >>> 4th largest producer of potatoes in the world; >>> 5th largest rye producer in the world; >>> 5th place in the world in bee production (75,000 tons); >>> 8th place in the world in wheat exports; >>> 9th place in the world in the production of chicken eggs; >>> 16th place in the world in cheese exports. >>> Ukraine can meet the food needs of 600 million people. >>> Ukraine is an industrialized country: >>> 1st in Europe in ammonia production; >>> 2-е Europe's and 4th largest natural gas pipeline system in the world (142.5 bln cubic meters of gas throughput capacity in the EU); >>> 3rd largest in Europe and 8th largest in the world in terms of installed capacity of nuclear power plants; >>> 3rd place in Europe and 11th in the world in terms of rail network length (21,700 km); >>> 3rd place in the world (after the U.S. and France) in production of locators and locating equipment; >>> 3rd largest iron exporter in the world >>> 4th largest exporter of turbines for nuclear power plants in the world; >>> 4th world's largest manufacturer of rocket launchers; >>> 4th place in the world in clay exports >>> 4th place in the world in titanium exports >>> 8th place in the world in exports of ores and concentrates; >>> 9th place in the world in exports of defense industry products; >>> 10th largest steel producer in the world (32.4 million tons).

[@phil20_20]

YES! One of the first targets of Putin's 2014 incursion was Donetsk Airport which is right in the middle of this Orange Area that you are talking about. They have been fighting tooth and nail to hold their strategic advantage in this area. Not only is it pivitol as the hub of the battle line, it is the flank of any effort by Ukraine to retake the South Eastern part of Ukraine and protects the critical supply line to Crimea. As you say, the Gas Fields aren't as important to Russia as they are to Ukraine, but limiting Ukraine's resources is very important to achieving victory. This area is clearly pivitol to Russia's plans. It holds the keys to all of their objectives, both to the North, and to hold onto Crimea. Your presentation has just firmed up my strategic evaluation of their objectives that I arrived at from analysing their battlefield movements and tactical priorities. Russia wants everything from K'yiv on down to Rostov on Don for all that fossil fuel. By removing that from what's left if Ukraine's economy, the will starve Ukraine into submission. In the South, you have all that steel production and the Crimean resort area for all those rich oligarchs. So apparently, Putin is being honest about his peace proposal. "[Give us all your good lands, and we will leave the rest so you can farm, like a good little satellite country.]"

[@phil20_20]

I.e. L'viv would become their new, "provincial capital."

[@ALLMOUNTAINMTB]

Tremendously enjoyed this. Subscribed

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Awesome, thank you!

[@weeciaran2967]

That was most usefull, thank you, I have been viewing this from a historical ethical political point not a resource basis, glad I came across this, most useful. 6/23/2024

[@thomasmeier4012]

Very interesting fundamental analysis about the topic. Some food for thoughts. Interesting point is, that Russians from Sibiria settled down the eastern region of Ukraine during the industrial revolution. These ethnic Russians are now fighting the West-Ukraine along with official Russians. For me, the fact that Russia already has most likely far the biggest resources of raw materials as a single country on earth, implies that the war is not only a war due to natural resources. But for the West the picture might be different. Thx for the interesting contribution.

[@markrobinowitz8473]

Russia has been trying to control Ukraine's resources for centuries. The yellow on the Ukrainian flag symbolizes wheat. They have excellent farmland. "Lebensraum," Russian style.

[@EarthandSpaceSciencesX]

Ukraine's fertile soils are probably worth more than all of it's gas and coal combined, much of it atop the Ukrainian shield. Only the rich, black soils of the American midwest exceed Ukraine's soil fertility globally and even then not by much.

[@hawkbartril3016]

Wow really. Do you realize Ukraine was in Russian hands until after ww2. Where do you get centuries from, unless your trying to put some western SPIN on to it. And no doubt the nazi faction of Ukraine would rather have their fascist insignia on the flag, as they have on most of the flags the Ukrainian military brandish

[@geoff3ry]

The European Organization for Security and Cooperation recorded violations of the cease fire under the Minsk Agreements by Ukraine military Feb 16, 2022 , 56 violations, Feb.17, 316 violations, Feb. 18 , 654 violations ,Feb. 19 1,413 violations ,Feb. 20-21 , 2026 violations , February 22 , 1 484 violations, at which point OSCE observers declared it unsafe to remain . This ramping up was part of the invasion of Donetsk to retake Crimea Ukraune and its NATO allies had wargamed . .On Feb 23 Russia recognized the Republics of Lugansk and Donetsk Russia entered the Donetsk region February 2022 , citing UN Charter , article 52 , right to protect . Following the 2014 Kiev coup , the new government of Ukraine overturned the official status of the Russian language , leading to seven eastern oblasts holding referendums for independents . During the civil war Ukraine gained control of most of them . Between the signing of Minsk II,2015 , and January 2022, over 18,000 had been killed in ceasefire violations . 2019 Ukraine voted overwhelmingly for Zelensky and his promise to end the war and implement Minsk ,a promise he repeated at his inauguration but never tried owing to threats to hang him if he tried . btw July 2021 , Ukraine made Russian speaking Ukrainians 2nd class citizens in law . According to Jacques Baud former Colonel , Swiss / NATO intelligence officer , Russia was not involved in Donbass war before February 2022, the DPR and LPR being supplied with weapons by defecting Ukraine military . Following Zelensky reneging on the Istanbul Agreement , Russia held additional referendums and accept four of the original independent republics into Russia . Mariupol is being rebuild as a tourist destination .It doesnt appear Russia is in any hurry to exploit the minerals . visit the KZbin channel Videos of Mariupol, its fascinating

[@ms.erania9848]

You have raised an interesting question. I’ve learned a lot. Thank you.

[@manuelvega1100]

A year later and you are still spot on overlapping the conflict with the precious iron gas and coal zones. I can imagine it applies to the Helium , lithium , titanium deposits as well that are necessary for defense electronic , semiconductors, and metals manufacturing Russia seems close now to capturing most of it. Would love if you can update to do a map with those. Again Kudos for your hard work