Why Did Ukraine Give Up Its Nukes? (Short Animated Documentary)

In 1991, Ukraine had the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world and by 1996, it had completely disarmed. Given the clout that comes with nuclear weapons, why did Ukraine decide to scrap them? To find out watch this short and simple animated history documentary.
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zemnmez

[@jimmyhirr5773]

I'm sure the Ukrainian government asks themselves this question every day.

[@user-es3dr5xk8f]

First comment i found

[@noodles8893]

Especially today

[@hamzahammami22]

@@noodles8893 yup

[@namelessghost8473]

@@noodles8893 Definitely

[@trajhenkhet02]

Should have kept them or at least got rid of them after being a full NATO member. Nation pro tip, don't give up your nuclear weapons.

[@jaredkennedy6576]

What a nice ending, I'm glad everyone is sticking to the treaty.

[@paranoidandroid6095]

What a nice treaty I sure hope signing this won't have dreadful consequences

[@boaoftheboaians]

i see you are from a parallel universe, i wish the best for you there, it must be more stable than our current situation rn

[@user-es3dr5xk8f]

*funni*

[@TheFirefox]

Don’t worry, if former KGB officers are known for anything, it’s keeping promises and respecting international law.

[@vvt-4467]

Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure

[@viktorkomatovic7142]

"Respecting each other's territorial integrity" this aged so well.

[@IsupportIsrael62]

Aged like fine wine

[@maxk4471]

@@IsupportIsrael62 more like milk

[@teanbooks9539]

Rancid milk, you mean?

[@tokyo.peking]

Well...SHOW ME WHERE IS THAT PHRASE IN "MEMORANDUM" and i'll show you the rest.

[@masnyj_rory]

@@tokyo.peking 1. The United States of America, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the CSCE [Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe] Final Act, to respect the Independence and Sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine. 2. The United States of America, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defense or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

[@Mortebianca]

Most "Why the fuck did I do that...." moment in history, probably.

[@tank1503]

Well tbf there were actual reasons

[@dannybaldeonabril2879]

Lmao fam watch the video again and you got your answer

[@tyleralmquist7606]

Hitler and Napoleon with invading Russia lol

[@Revitalization4241]

@@dannybaldeonabril2879 They could have kept their small nuclear cruise missiles and bombs that could be dropped from planes they are cheap to maintain. The video is partly inaccurate, ukraine had strategic bombers that could used the cheap nuclear bombs. Ukraine should have just only gave up their ICBMs and big cruise missiles but not the bombs or the small cruise missiles

[@sb6675]

@@Revitalization4241 All irrelevant as they literally have zero chance to gain air superiority against the Russian air power. It just isn't realistic. Even if they were a part of NATO and thus would have air support, then NATO has plenty of nukes to use and it would still just be an un-needed strain for their country.

[@RickJW-OSM]

Well this aged beautifully. Edit: I left a similar comment in the post 'Why didn't the USSR annex Finland?'

[@leonardoleo5740]

Yes

[@robloxcodes3672]

yes

[@davidweikle9921]

Indeed.

[@Tuevon14257]

Hello from three weeks later. This be feeling like a big oops now don't it.

[@monika.alt197]

Yep

[@directback2284]

"Forunatly it would be sorted out really quickly and would never ever come up again." Some really subtle foreshadowing there lol

[@fausber]

I think this was the first time that History Matters changed his voice tone in a video. That "again" sounded like exasperation.

[@flavivsaetivs5738]

T-posing Putin intensifies

[@alexanderblatt8653]

I wonder if he'll do a video about the crimeia invasion or if that's to new, and if it's too new... how long until it's not?

[@brysonturner6019]

"A few years later, it came up again."

[@SwagMessiahOfficial]

@@flavivsaetivs5738 your t-posing Putin is already declining in physical way

[@anonynym7431]

What a happy ending. I'm glad that everyone is still respecting the treaty, even sending hundreds of thousands of troops to show respect.

[@isaiahheyward1488]

Not that simple

[@HassanAhmed-rf9xr]

tbf Ukraine is cool so... yeh

[@alwaysdisputin9930]

@Jacob Uzume _"not only do they respect their territorial integrity but they also come to the rescue when they are occupied by a fascist regime"_ They should go to the Kremlin & rescue the Russian people from Putin's fascist regime.

[@narkotri1er716]

@@alwaysdisputin9930 Are you aware that having an autocratic president doesn't neccessarily equal to fascist regime? While having a "democratic" government that supports neonazi battalions and doesn't do anything about people openly supporting nazism can indeed be fascist

[@tomlxyz]

What unit is one troop

[@afaella3]

Lesson learned: If you have nukes - never give up your nukes

[@SpadesNeil]

North Korea seems to be the only country to have learned this lesson without getting invaded. Not that I have any compassion for North Korea, but nukes are the "fuck around and find out" of the world stage.

[@nikel-]

@@SpadesNeil NK and PRC. Though PRC had to learn that from _trying_ to invade Taiwan instead

[@zoetje9817]

@@nikel- What about Iran?

[@Kingbob217]

Yes the next country who will regret is South Africa

[@JCB576]

I mean the video explains it. If you can't launch them nor maintain them you really should

[@Lord.Chezzus]

"A mild case of collapse" ah just like my heart during exams

[@Dyknown]

I was a little surprised we didn't get the "glass crash" sound that tends to accompany the collapse in these videos. Ah well, next video.

[@mechanicism8060]

It was mild

[@burakalp34]

There are LGS exams(an exam to determine which highschool you will go to) this Sunday in Turkey and I feel like I am about to have a heart attack from the stress

[@eatinsomtin9984]

@@burakalp34 gcses in the UK do too and I'm stressed aswell

[@Mark723]

Nabil, it's simple: major in History and continue watching History Matters until you are made a Professor Emeritus one day...

[@SpartiniMartini]

Ukraine be like: Aight Russia, you broke the treaty. Give me those nukes back

[@bingbong7238]

Russia: No lol

[@febrian0079]

Russia: "We'll we will give it back but it will be on the condition of launching"

[@SpartiniMartini]

@@febrian0079 lmao

[@skymaster4743]

@@febrian0079 "You ain't Ukrainin' until the nukes start rainin' "

[@AT-xr8qh]

Oh sure Ukraine, we will deliver them to you by air.

[@negi9040]

I remember this being discussed on western tv when ukraine gained it's independence. They said there was a lot of corruption and people were afraid briefcase nukes would end up in the hands of terrorists and find their way to America or Europe. They wanted Russia to take control of all Ukraine's nukes.

[@ralemc1960]

I call b.s. we had at one time a nuclear technology agreement with Iran. And we were worried about Ukraine’s corruption? This is tragic for the Ukraine people.

[@negi9040]

@@ralemc1960 the BS is between your ears if you are going to accept your imagination over reality when you have the internet to look it up. What the hell is wrong with people's brains that they can't even deduce there will be nuclear security concerns when a nuclear super-power breaks up!?!

[@trueperspective6960]

noone talks about it now and no one talks about Putin's aid to ukraine, billions...shame

[@locky7347]

@@trueperspective6960 when did attitudes start to change? I'm too young to remember

[@insideoutsideupsidedown2218]

The ICBMs or any of the nuclear weapons in Ukraine were never under the control of the Ukrainian government.

[@StandTallTx]

I don't think most people realize how expensive it is to maintain nuclear weapons, which isn't something a country with a shattered economy needed at the time.

[@CED99]

Is that more or less expensive that getting invaded by Russia?

[@StandTallTx]

@@CED99 No one has a crystal ball to look 30 years into the future my dude.

[@GH-oi2jf]

@@CED99 - Were Ukraine threating to nuke Russia, they would be flattened. It would be far worse.

[@JonatasAdoM]

@@StandTallTx Indeed. Hindsight and all.

[@47amit]

Pakistan do it, it's a country on verge of bankruptcy for a long time. No cost is high enough for national security.

[@gavinowens459]

"we will always respect Ukraine's territorial sovereignty" Russia: At least for a little while

[@mgollow]

China saw Russia and how nobody cared and decided to do the same to Hong Kong.

[@abbyalphonse499]

@@gumpmosh Right, and the people of Hong Kong certainly haven't been upset about being part of the PRC, no siree!

[@Crabentos]

@@gumpmosh and the population of Crimea is russian. RF just eliminates the consequences of western intervention.

[@khan-cricket]

@@gumpmosh And replace it with Chinese one. And funny how China and HK government crying about its status as normal Chinese city

[@idkwhatnametoputhere5323]

@@gumpmosh Good work comrade, your social credit score has increased by 10 points. Just 320 more points and your family will get to eat tonight.

[@liamreilly5911]

2:16 a fellow man of culture playing HOI4 on the far right

[@andatwsk2810]

PP gone to negative without picking any focuses, what a great nation to play

[@longlethanh7780]

but why Xibei San Ma :))

[@zdravkokostov8536]

@@andatwsk2810 The "Retain Nuclear Arsenal" has the icon of a focus

[@KamepinUA]

Of course Ukraine is improving relations with a Chinese Warlord that hasnt existed ffor 70 years, why whouldnt it?

[@legostopmotionfilms3759]

I see you're a man of culture as well

[@iielysiumx5811]

It’s nice to see that this treaty is still being enforced and adhered too by all parties involved…

[@alexahardaway7093]

Yeah, especially Russia! Amazing how Ukraine and Russia both got along so well Since 2014. Good times ahead!

[@iankemp1131]

"Russia, who the Ukrainian government saw as a steadfast friend ...." Ahhhh yes - the friend who's fine as long as you agree with them on everything and do exactly what they say all the time. With friends like that, who needs enemies?

[@MysticEagle52]

At that point ukraine was under russian influence (like belarus) which is why russia was "friendly". After ukraine decided being a russian puppet wasn't a good idea and had the maidan revolution russia got mad

[@reiniervanderhulst3375]

Found a note on the kitchen table: "Dear Ukraine, I'm out and don't know for how long. I left you some nukes and clouts. Be good, your USSR."

[@redshirt5126]

OUR USSR

[@allftw2677]

@@redshirt5126 YESSSSSS *OUR* (good meme) *communism in the Soviet union*

[@TheAnnoyedHumanist]

Reminds me of the note my dad left before he never came back

[@reiniervanderhulst3375]

@@TheAnnoyedHumanist Well, if it got you the nukes and the coults, I bet it's a win-win situation? ;)

[@mochalo4912]

Miss u ussr

[@Keyblader7762]

Russia now: “yeah sure, I’ll respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. I’ll respect it real hard”

[@dumbledore8949]

Lol😹

[@donaldbestkorea2248]

real...hard? 😳

[@irdorath356]

Zelensky statet on the Munich Conferenz on 20th February that he is considering making a nuclear bomb, soooo........

[@carlrodalegrado4104]

North Korea: see this is why I have trust issues

[@trep2219]

Russia respected the shit ouf of territorial integrity of Ukraine

[@vignotum132]

2:16 love the Hoi4 reference

[@thepylonperspective]

“Having a nuclear arsenal basically guarantees that you won’t be invaded…” *Curb Your Enthusiasm Theme plays*

[@karelstanzel9510]

"The worst deal maybe ever signed anywhere"

[@johnladuke6475]

The Weimar Republic has a history lesson for you as well. Something about unintended backlash.

[@JR-gp2zk]

The Molotov Ribbentrop pact didn't go well for Russia either.

[@bruvlord1133]

Austria-Hungary would be high on the list

[@user-mb3dx5fl9f]

:D I see what you did here. That's Donald's quote about NAFTA.

[@floatingf8783]

Do. . . do you not know what the the treaty of Brest-Litovsk is?

[@edwardgill1882]

"Technically we got rid of them." - Soviet Disarmament

[@zukunftverstehen]

More like the US disarmament, where you can't either way check if they have done at least anything...

[@JBcountryball]

Why only 1 reply with 1000 likes

[@NguyenHoang-mo7hs]

1:12 Maintaining a nuclear arsenal while people are struggling to find work is not a smart idea. North Korea and Iran: Are we a joke to you?

[@erickveraurra3497]

They could had employed them in nuke maintenance

[@Bisexual_power]

​@@erickveraurra3497You're a genius

[@bod-7268]

3:11 A few years later, it came up again

[@kartykredytowe1642]

Ukraine: gives up nukes so Russia doesnt invade it. Russia: invades Ukraine because it has no nukes Ukraine: surprise Pikachu face

[@stugiii3220]

*Nukes are to be used for peaceful purposes*

[@dragosstanciu9866]

So what? Ukraine would not have had the guts to use nukes even if she had them when Russia invaded.

[@acidmana6141]

@@dragosstanciu9866 still a deterrent tho.

[@chadthundercock4806]

@@dragosstanciu9866 "when Russia invaded" Wouldn't have happened if they had nukes.

[@dragosstanciu9866]

@@chadthundercock4806 We cannot know if it would have happened or not, Crimea is too important for Russia to allow it to remain in Ukraine.

[@CoffeeSuccubus]

"Never ever come up again" I had never heard History Matter's voice change into a super sarcastic tone like that before!

[@blackwatertv7018]

That was, that was some MAJOR shade it was great

[@CarlosRios1]

Oversimplified civil war

[@Darkfawfulx]

I enjoyed this new comedic angle. It's as recent as he's got since "Why did the UK join the EU" but I wouldn't say that was the same kind of reference. It was looking back and this is foreshadowing.

[@ryanlane680]

I replayed it 3 times lmaoooo

[@ThatSlowTypingGuy]

There were the times when talking about how Austria was never allowed to unite with Germany, bet even that has less sass.

[@MrFooFighter13]

The Kremlin goes on and on about the Minsk agreements (whilst claiming not to be party to them) forgetting the Budapest Memorandum altogether.

[@machinegewehrUIA]

Украина по факту его не нарушала, надо просто смотреть статистику жертв после 2016 года, их очень мало, и все они от своих же мин и растяжек. А все разговоры про НАТО и ядерку были уже тогда, когда Россия стягивала войска к границам, а в интернете все шутили, где же вторжение?

[@atharvadate7345]

The Budapest Memorandum yeahhhhhhhhh about that

[@JedidiahRose1]

If only Ukraine had James Bisonet, then they'd still have them all.

[@madcat789]

Who? That name seems familiar...

[@pingpong1465]

@@madcat789 that james guy is a patreon supporter of this channel😂

[@20PhantoM07]

Lol 😂

[@ojsilva1975]

Along with Kelly Moneymaker, Moe, Spinning Three Plates and so on. xD

[@marcelolopez1001]

And KellyMoneyMaker stationed in Crimea, just in case... 😂

[@Techno963]

Ah yes "a mild case of collapse", the national equivalent of "caught a mild case of death".

[@Hand-in-Shot_Productions]

Didn't think of that! Humorous!

[@theboogerbomb]

What if Russia caught a severe case of collapse would we get hre looking borders

[@jerikrazik4707]

I hope we crash as well keeping 70% of our main population territory

[@realsinisterminister]

Never mind....the US will be a comunist country soon!

[@SavageJarJar]

@@realsinisterminister No, it won’t.

[@themajor2190]

Those nukes sure would've come in handy right about now

[@woodensmartcool]

FR

[@windowskoala1689]

Theres no way they could have kept up the maintenance on those things. Even today, Ukraine's economy was on the level of an African country. It costs the United States 60 billion dollars to keep their nukes working per year. Thats a quarter of Ukraine's GDP. Some nuclear material or an entire weapon would have been stolen by now, and besides Neo Nazis with nukes is NOT good for humanity.

[@woodensmartcool]

@@windowskoala1689 no need to be so literal about it, also ukrainians arent nazis, the president is literally jewish

[@HSgoldbox28]

@@woodensmartcool did you found a putin-bot? Just asking, cuz that fucker deleted their comment i guess

[@woodensmartcool]

@BlackholeTtson452 zelensky is badass the man has balls of steel

[@natemorrow2911]

"respecting each other's territorial integrity" that one didn't age quite so well

[@jimthesalad]

Yikes. Russia seems to be good at the whole "respecting borders" thing and "keeping their promises" thing

[@adik_from_novaliches]

Could really say the same thing for America lol.

[@nguyenkhoivu3403]

@@adik_from_novaliches I haven't seen many border dispute in the US

[@blackwatertv7018]

@@adik_from_novaliches No you couldn’t

[@joevenespineli6389]

@@adik_from_novaliches I remembered when they annexed my country after promising freedom from the Spanish.

[@adik_from_novaliches]

@@joevenespineli6389 Oh I know that...heck that's kind of what happened to us! 🙈😂 For real though, I'm sorry about three of you here now seemed to have not understood my sarcasm. Again, sorry for that. But yeah, the American Gov't is crap when it comes to these kinds of things. I mean, they don't even care about the treaties set for the Native Americans (which if I'm right, did set borders for these people) way back then

[@kingace6186]

I understand it for the time. It was the most rational option for the good of Ukraine. But now, it is seen as a horrible mistake that doomed Ukraine to the grips of the Russian bear once more. In fact, most of the political chumps that pushed for nuclear disarmament of Ukraine in the US are now recontextualized to be pragmatists that would forsake democracies without any regret.

[@TheRootedWord]

I like the tongue in cheek sarcasm at the end about Crimea.

[@dx3217]

*Ukraine gives up its nukes* "well at least my borders are safe" *Russia* "WELL about that!"

[@stepanovtakiov9311]

Oh shut up. Crimea has always been Ukranian.

[@Zury1ogen]

@@stepanovtakiov9311 Tell that to Putin.

[@brutal_chud]

"well at least my borders are safe" *decades of peace later* "hmm, i'm not doing so well economically, stagnating badly behind Poland who started at the same point in 1991, and i'm notoriously and hopelessly corrupt to boot... but it's not because i mismanaged my country worse than the Poles, it's because I'm not in the EU!! So I think it's worth trying to break away from Moscow and pivoting completely towards Brussels and D.C., instead of trying to be balanced. I'm going to launch a violent, televised event in my capitol and coup the president elected by the eastern part of the country and televise all the expensive stuff we found looting his house. I'm going to embolden far-right ultranationalist paramilitaries like the Azov battalion and Right-sector. I'm going to change the laws to make it harder to speak Russian, teach it, and play it on TV and radio. I'm going to send the military to ironically attack anyone in my country holding May 9th Victory Day celebrations." *years later* "wtf, I'm still notoriously and hopelessly corrupt and poor, and there's also also civil war going on, and i have no one to buy cheap gas from for wintertime, and the west left me hanging and stranded as they always do to their allies" *Ukraine pikachu face* Fixed that for you.

[@Zury1ogen]

@@brutal_chud Thank you. Ukraine being dumb at this point.

[@professorhal8098]

@@brutal_chud so in other words, you want America to deal with the Russians in a more persuasive manner than making sure the world doesn’t sizzle.

[@Robbstark2024]

Ukraine: trying to appease nearby invaders by limiting there capacity to fight Poland: “hey I’ve seen this one before”

[@danteburns7118]

☠

[@harrytheprince6951]

*insert DiCaprio Meme here

[@SavageJarJar]

What do you mean you’ve seen it before? It’s brand new.

[@artos9406]

@@SavageJarJar Poland limited it's army just before Germany attacked them

[@SavageJarJar]

@@artos9406 I was just finishing the Back to the Future quote, sorry.

[@chestersheere]

In fact, Ukraine had enough professionals to keep the nukes. They didn´t need such a big amount and could keep at least 100 missiles. So the main reason was a pressure both from the US and Russia

[@HopeRock425]

And pressure from the people. If they didn't get rid if the nukes the people would have simply eventually elected a government that would get rid of all the nukes. Because saying "Russia would invade" was considered "fear mongering" by most Ukrainian. A ще, ти з України, так?

[@Eric-kn4yn]

They were always under Kremlin command and control period

[@enderreaper1482]

Plus Moscow had all the launch codes so they wouldn't even be able to use them

[@konstantin794]

​@@enderreaper1482 It's not a film. Ukrainian's engineers was inspected and service those rockets at Russia before 2014. You don't need a code from Moscow if you have a thousands of engineers and scientists who developed rockets what you wanna launched. At least if you have little bit more time that a one hour.

[@andrii.romaniuk]

I guess it would be enough to keep all those strategic bombers Ukraine had like Tu-95 and Tu-160 + long-range cruise missiles and aerial bombs. Also, such cruise missiles and bombs have a nuclear version, it's cheaper and easier to maintain and the nuclear yield of such cruise missiles will be enough to wipe out naval bases near Sevastopol or Novorossiysk.

[@________3359]

Fun fact: As Russia received the nukes given away by Ukraine, in return, Russia promises not to invade Ukraine and looks like that promise didn't go well as intended...

[@guillermoelnino]

theres more to the story youre not going to hear from fear mongers and warhawks.

[@web3wizard381]

@@guillermoelnino cope

[@guillermoelnino]

@@web3wizard381 just stand there and hand out quests like the rest of you npcs

[@web3wizard381]

@@guillermoelnino the smartest thing that russian agents did was to convince people like you that they are outside the herd while programming you how they wanted, mentally chained sheep that think they are free, cant get better than that. i respect em for the skill

[@HSgoldbox28]

@@guillermoelnino jesus christ... didn't Putin ordered better Putin-bots? Wait- with what money does he wanna pay it?

[@milaahrens9171]

Nuke Nations: "Sign this Treaty to give up your nukes and we defnitely won't not refrain from not betraying you sometime in the future" Ukraine:" sound's...good"

[@Tom-de9hu]

Heresy!

[@RexIXXXX]

Being fair the corruption in Ukraine during the nineties would make it a very real question if those nukes would not get "mishandled", though Russia had also horrible corruption and according to Russia they didn't "mishandle" any nukes...

[@braydenburgess6064]

Oversimplified reference... RESPECT!

[@HonestBob_]

You almost had me there.

[@Gloverfield]

@@braydenburgess6064 oh wow, no shit...

[@FakeAnarchist]

This has aged INCREDIBLY well.

[@AusRapArchives]

What an INCREDIBLY original comment 👏👏👏

[@paulaswam5909]

@@someonenamedwhat4283 what a very original reply to very original comment

[@quartzking3997]

Russia already invaded Ukraine in 2014, years before this video was made. All the people saying “tHiS aGeD WeLl” are like NPCs in a video game who only care about things when their media tells them to

[@user-bb3zy5sg7x]

@@quartzking3997 oof Russia didn't threat Ukraine with their nukes at that time though

[@survivalizer]

@Jean Very reply to a very comment

[@tomtom3889]

Well now nobody will ever give them up now.

[@occono3543]

Not unless everyone does it at once, no. I don't know how we get there, but we need to.

[@generalZee]

This hits like a Ukranian Molotov on a Russian Tank.

[@blackwatertv7018]

“Ukraine saw Russia as a friend” Ya, that was their first mistake.

[@Yora21]

"Are the Russians your brothers or your friends?" "Brothers. Friends you get to pick."

[@I_want_White_Cheddar_Popcorn]

So 2 countries have Russia in them, pRUSSIA, and RUSSIA

[@shayaldwarka7907]

Ukraine had a new pro western leader. Hence why many Crimeans voted to go back to Russia

[@riograndedosulball248]

@@shayaldwarka7907 wouldn't it also have something to do with the deportation of most original crimeans to Siberia and replacement with Russians? And the Russian army presence at the voting sites? And rigged counting of the votes?

[@OfficialRapMV]

@@riograndedosulball248 shhh, anything to keep them ignorant caused by comical Soviet planning

[@TheDCGuitar13]

And that my friends is why you never disarm yourself…

[@aperson22222]

Watching this now is just heartbreaking.

[@hamzaferoz6162]

Ukraine: *Gives up nukes on American protection guarantee* Russia: Invades anyway Ukraine: *ah shit*

[@teru797]

That's what they get for stabbing a friend in the heart.

[@thehistorynerd8537]

Less of a friend, and more of a bully.

[@starestairs5090]

Lol what Country would trust Russia

[@AndrD1406]

And America, as always shits in pants instead of doing what was promised

[@RWKIN]

Nathan Taffijn Kremlin Bot, you're disposed.

[@seank2251]

"this saw the USA, Russia, and the UK all agree to respect the territorial integrity of these three states" lololololol crimea says hi

[@redshirt5126]

Putin be like: "BRUH Crimea is totally Russian"

[@PSL416]

Russia: Sends troops to Ukraine USA and UK: Imma pretend that didn’t happen Ukraine:……………

[@theHoldac]

NATO also promised to not move an inch east but look what happened

[@kungolaf4499]

@@theHoldac NATO hasn't disrupted the national integrity of any nation even though US armed forces very much have. All countried who have joined NATO have done so through a democratic vote to protect themselves against invaders. Right now parts of Ukraine are being invaded by Russia, and Ukrainians are desperately trying to get to NATO. I guess when that happens I guess you will blame "belligerent NATO" for that incident.

[@billprep1855]

@@PSL416 poland: SEE?

[@kiruz9455]

I'm watching part 2 of this video live on the news right now

[@aydenmalina9863]

Glad to see this treaty has lasted such a long time

[@Famous_Athlete_Hashimoto]

"Maintaining a nuclear weapons program when people are struggling to find work isn't a good look for them" Kim Jong Un would like a word

[@aabb-zz9uw]

Pakistan ate grass to become a nuclear power.

[@UnholyWrath3277]

@@aabb-zz9uw always depends on how desperate they are. Pakistan and north Korea both knew without the nukes they would be facing a much stronger adversary with very little chance of success. In Pakistan's case it was always a very unlikely outcome that they could beat India in a conventional war so they need the deterrent

[@shivmalik9405]

@@UnholyWrath3277 So did Ukraine however. Russia is a big threat to them

[@UnholyWrath3277]

@@shivmalik9405 at the fall of the USSR Ukraine had nukes but also didn't have any way to maintain them nor the infrastructure/military expertise in that field to be a nuclear power so they gave them up willingly. Russia is a threat however one would expect them(Ukraine) to not have been so antagonistic towards the large nation right on its border. Not that I favor Russia but it simply isn't a smart play

[@Osterochse]

@@UnholyWrath3277 what makes you believe that they didn't have the military expertise and infrastucture to maintain them? they obviously maintained them up to this moment and why woudlnt there be any military personel around to operate them? Ukraine certainly had the option to maintain them.

[@ThePeacemaker848]

25 years later: "...we shoulda kept those nukes."

[@Cortesevasive]

and do what ? nuke crimea ?

[@wat-ch]

Congratulations, free WW3 for everybody.

[@ThePeacemaker848]

@@Cortesevasive It's all about the deterrent.

[@Cortesevasive]

@@ThePeacemaker848 Nobody does open wars anyway, its all about civil wars and human right defence nowadays

[@stephenhartley2853]

@@Cortesevasive no nuclear power has ever been invaded cuz you know, nukes

[@smala017]

So much foreshadowing lol

[@alexcrazy1492]

Now I see why they wanted to keep them

[@korb9664]

"Improving relations with Xibei San Ma" All hoi4 players: w h a t

[@Ptaku93]

What is it anyway?

[@sharkronical]

@@Ptaku93 a fucking warlord clique next to xinjiang

[@democraticturtle2564]

I saw that and I was confused as to why Xibei San Ma was there and people actually cared for it

[@Simjorfeo]

It's a typical AI move. The AI tends to improve relations with countries that have the same ideology and I don't think they check for geographical location or strategic importance.

[@democraticturtle2564]

@@Simjorfeo Yeah

[@fasy_630]

Fun fact: Yaroslav Horoshko was a veteran of the war in Afghanistan (He was awarded the Hero of the Soviet union award), who has rejected serving the Soviet union in his retirement and instead returned to his homeland of Ukraine, where he was responsible for defending Ukraine's first president during the Gorbachev's kidnapping shenanigans. He was staunchly opposed to giving up the ukrainian nuclear arsenal and as such he has suspiciously "Drowned" while swimming in a river.

[@ew-uy6cs]

Killed by Russian agents

[@Ass_of_Amalek]

sounds like something somebody should have taken as a sign.

[@edthoreum7625]

It can only happen in Ukrainian river

[@lordsmoggy8640]

You don't come between politicians and cash.

[@knowledge8661]

@@ew-uy6cs More like by US agents, Russia had a lot other things to do.

[@MontyD]

This was timed beautifully

[@Jebbtube]

Wonder if they wish they'd held on to those nukes now...

[@atmosphere3874]

no, it will not help us, we would never use it even if we were threatened with destruction, when Russia strikes a nuclear weapon on Ukraine, this will no longer be our problem

[@leon1x1]

This aged like fine wine only problem: HISTORY SHOULD NOT AGE LIKE FINE WINE!

[@OnionChoppingNinja]

History should age like fine wine. Except in this case it diddn't age like fine wine. It aged like milk.

[@leon1x1]

@@OnionChoppingNinja another way of seeing it

[@Fyr35555]

it aged like the guy in Indiana Jones who drank from the wrong cup

[@leon1x1]

@@Fyr35555 haha! I don't understand this refference!

[@Fyr35555]

@@leon1x1 in one of the Indiana Jones films a bad guy choses a cup to drink some liquid from but it's not the one he wanted to drink from. He withers away and disintegrates within about 10 seconds 😂

[@gorgebutton5885]

“Fourtunetly it would be sorted out really quickly and would NEVER ever come up again.” “A few years later, it came up again.”

[@scotandiamapping4549]

Ukraine : AHHHHHHH! SACRE BLEUUUU!!

[@Locutus]

Omg. That must have taken you hours to write that out? How did you do that?

[@scotandiamapping4549]

@Gomu Gomu No Mi Ukraine's cities were jampacked, Ukraine's nation was inconsolable, Ukraine's nuclear arsenal, was dead

[@PharrowlOG]

Ok, why don’t we ask Crimea what it wants to be and we can- Crimea: Russian

[@Locutus]

@@PharrowlOG Sure, they were asked under a pro Russian militia in the island. It was not a free and fair election.

[@sebastiand152]

Sometime I do not understand, why KZbin suggests a video twice. Not this time.

[@yakub3962]

Thanks for the reminder that treaties are literally just words on paper

[@DamonBanks142857]

Rewatching this for pretty obvious reasons

[@igorkarlic2297]

Moral of the story: Never trade nucs for toilet paper called political agreement.

[@minidreschi2]

at least they would do with a NATO join or something

[@northernstar3960]

Moral of the story should be: Never give nuclear weapons to failed states like Ukraine is. Because you will have hundreds of Chernobyls in Europe in case of war or conflicts in this backward country. And it is not worth to die from nuclear radiation because of Ukraine.

[@northernstar3960]

@@minidreschi2 Proliferation of nuclear weapons is extremely dangerous. If NATO would give nuclear weapons to Ukraine. Than Russia could give nuclear weapons to Islamic Republic of Iran, Syria, Libya or Taliban in Afganistan. That is why we have nuclear non-proliferation treaties between United States and Russia.

[@minidreschi2]

@@northernstar3960 thats not how i meant, what i wanted to say that they could join to NATO, while they could but now, with neighbouring with Putin, its too late for any closing to west

[@northernstar3960]

@@minidreschi2 People in Western Europe are not happy about Ukraine becoming a member of EU and NATO. People in Europe are feed up with failed states like Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania, Kosovo, Bosnia, Albania and Turkey in Europe. They don't need Ukraine in Europe.

[@thenoobgameplays]

KZbin has a funny sense of humour...

[@ragedragon1018]

Too bad promises can be broken

[@leopardthebismarck1519]

2:45 welp, this is awkward

[@ilebillybobjoe]

Ahhhhhhh!

[@NineWorldsFromDrew]

Part 2: “The Ukrainian government expected that in the twenty-first century the integrity and sovereignty of all their territory, including Crimea, would be respected by neighbouring Russia, as this would be guaranteed by the Budapest Memorandum, as well as the European Union to the west. But fun fact: No.”

[@benjaminw3922]

Underrated comment 🤣

[@jskratnyarlathotep8411]

we as ukrainians still have a problem with communication between government and people. Kuchma, second president should've started a campaign of informing people about NATO join plan, but instead at least half of the population started public discussion about that plan only in 2004, when we should've been joining it already.

[@dc-4ever201]

Never trust Politicians, all it takes is a change of government then the will to honour such treaties fades.

[@javigar133]

I dont see any fun on what's going on in Ukraine now dude

[@benjaminw3922]

@@javigar133 thank you for your late reply that is irrelevant to the world of the original post.

[@inigochicano]

It's great that everybody who signed this memorandum is still upholding the it to this day, even sending thousands of soldiers to protect it's territorial integrity and a sign of friendship.

[@benstorellibrincat9976]

What a great video considering the current situation

[@simplygod1035]

they sure messed up on this one

[@morkhan]

The nukes were controlled from Russia anyway

[@Undead_E]

2:15 Why is Ukraine improving relations with Xibei San Ma?

[@martinbogado4924]

Random AI decisions

[@orsolyafekete7485]

Better question, why does that cost 0.4 PP? Surely they are both non-aligned.

[@aleksandarmanojlovic4988]

@@orsolyafekete7485 that should mean that Ukraine is either communist or fascist

[@scotandiamapping4549]

Who IS Xibei San Ma?

[@martinbogado4924]

@@scotandiamapping4549 Random Chinease Warlord State

[@rorronoazorro6107]

Great job sir !

[@morganschiller2288]

Bet they are really regretting that right about now.

[@jamesstevenson5329]

thanks to US government, yeah they(american politicians) gave Ukraine an ultimatum, either Ukraine gets rid of nuclear weapons or the United States will do everything possible for Ukraine to fall into international isolation, essentially making it North Korea number 2, Ukraine had no other choice

[@DylanSharkVenom]

Ukraine: “Hey, can we have those back? Really need them right now thanks”

[@_PresidentSkillz]

Since Russia broke the Memorandum, there shouldn`t be a problem

[@DoomerMusic69]

The old nuclear weapons would probably be obsolete in modern warfares but they are still better than nothing.

[@Rauruatreides]

The Treaty: This is Ukraine, no changes. Putin: What treaty?

[@johnladuke6475]

Unfortunately the bidet is broken at the Presidential Palace(s) and he needs *something* to wipe with.

[@natureblank1401]

By you Russia broke treaty? No, in Crimea was organized a peaceful democratic referendum not an invasion you brainwashed idioots.

[@user-is9om6oi6z]

@@natureblank1401 Здравствуйте что за референдум а ля 1938

[@saladv6069]

@@natureblank1401yet there were already russian troops in Crimea beforehand

[@natureblank1401]

@@saladv6069 And who told you that? Westerns media? You have proof?

[@adamallen7070]

3:02 that aged QUICKLY

[@VictorCarrasquero]

"Respect the territorial integrity" Right...

[@cows543]

Russia: *Promises to not invade Ukraine* Also Russia: *annexes Crimea*

[@ilect1690]

and is now invading ukraine

[@stepanovtakiov9311]

First of all, Crimea is Russia second, no really Crimea is Russia.

[@brutal_chud]

*western zoomers: pretend to understand geography and what words mean* *also western zoomers: think that crimea was ever fully part of ukraine proper, and that annexation and invasion is the same thing*

[@OmicronTauKappaClassicDaddy]

@@stepanovtakiov9311 Sure, just like how the Sudetenland, Austria, und Czechoslovakia be part of Deutschland. I gotcha bro...

[@cows543]

@@stepanovtakiov9311 I bet you feel so much happier now that you’ve told me this

[@YourVintageStick]

Mikhail Gorbachev: Maybe if I reform, the Soviet Union won’t fall apart History Matters: But fun fact, no

[@jimgaston9863]

If your interested? Gorbachev was an original member of the club of Rome. It wasn’t just future leaders of the west that were members,that should tell you everything about how the world really works.

[@boreanonekatto8146]

@@jimgaston9863 wat

[@jimgaston9863]

@@boreanonekatto8146 google club of Rome,it’s the group that started all this climate change,white supremacy etc.etc crap in 1969 to change how the world is run and to rein in capitalism. It was basically a think tank of leading young intellectuals of the day from around the world. An earlier bilderburg group or George soros Open Societies

[@clonesolar]

Mabye if your friend Brezhnev reformed, this wouldn't have happened Stalin: Goddamit, years of propaganda wasted. Lenin: Years of war wasted. Tzar: Years of war was- wait don't shoot. Lenin: Haha boy.

[@stateofopportunity1286]

Having hostile foreign powers injecting vassals into the government didn't help.

[@ViridianVictoria]

This episode hits different now.

[@Reazzurro90]

This video should be remade. I bet the ending would be even better.

[@Only.D.G.]

Russia: C'mon, Ukraine, give us your nuclear weapons. We swear we won't invade you Ukraine: ok, mate. Russia: Time to invade

[@DmitryKiktenko]

That's what Russia always does

[@user-bi6db6sr8j]

Actually they gave up nukes to get money and trade, were u listening it's in da video too. There was no formal declaration of protection

[@Only.D.G.]

@@user-bi6db6sr8j The video didn't tell the whole story, look up the Russian-Ukrainian Friendship Treaty and the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances

[@metalheadcomicbookfan797]

@@DmitryKiktenko same with USA yet they say USA is the only country who breaks promises. Clearly they didn't know UK, France, China and Russia is just as untrustworthy as USA.

[@dylanroemmele906]

@@metalheadcomicbookfan797 Every country is untrustworthy

[@T.7ig]

my HoI IV Heart is bleeding: "Improving Relations in Xibei San Ma" oh lord

[@sviatoslavs.1305]

Because we can.

[@Maus_Indahaus]

Is this some kind of referrence? Please explain

[@sviatoslavs.1305]

@@Maus_Indahaus alright, there's a game called Hearts of Iron IV (HOI4 for short). It is quite often in singleplayer to see that some countries, controlled by the Artificial intelligence (AI, CPU - call it what you want) improve relations with some random countries for no strategic reason at all (like, I don't know, let's say, "Liberia is improving relations with Mongolia" or something). AI is quite weird but fun.

[@thatvillainsturnabouts9556]

@@sviatoslavs.1305 alternate example if they're improving relations with you: *Integralist Brazil* has changed their diplomatic status with you: Improve relations"

[@sviatoslavs.1305]

@@thatvillainsturnabouts9556 more unexpected than the Spanish inquisition.

[@WopoDeniro]

Probably shoulda kept those bad boys

[@byteme83]

Jesus, this absolutely could not be more timely

[@lonster3000]

Well this aged well.

[@andrewhavrylei6333]

As a Ukrainian, I ask this question to myself every day.

[@stepanovtakiov9311]

As a Russian, I ask why you think stolen Crimea is even Ukranian anyway. You saw the referendum! Most wanted to join us.

[@zachester]

@@stepanovtakiov9311 After Russia had already established military presence there. I would vote for the guys with guns to my head too.

[@brutal_chud]

@@zachester Then answer this please: When did Russia establish military presence in Crimea?

[@zachester]

@@brutal_chud 20 February 2014. One of the reasons that the UN declared the referendum invalid.

[@andrewhavrylei6333]

Не хочу начинать ссору, но вы сами признали Крым нашим, как и сказано в видео + референдум был проведён на ваших условиях после захввта войсками всех статегических точек

[@militustoica]

This hits really differently 8 days into the war.

[@JDeLauer]

What a nice ending, I’m glad that the treaty will help protect Ukraine

[@davebowman9000]

"And would never ever come up again." Putin: Allow me to introduce myself

[@ricojes]

*cue song for denise*

[@mitchjervis8453]

Ukraine in 2022: "Yeap, maybe we should have kept those nukes after all."

[@JoshSweetvale]

This mistake; trusting the West AND Russia, might lead to Putin exterminating the Ukranian people. It's the only way to pacify occupied territory: Kill until the last child is dead.

[@mojewjewjew4420]

@@JoshSweetvale Thats alot of BS,the population of ukraine was before under the russian boot and will be again as it was.

[@CountingStars333]

They couldn't use em anyway.

[@CountingStars333]

@@mojewjewjew4420 Ok totally fine not 14 year old User name.

[@mojewjewjew4420]

@@CountingStars333 You just exposed yourself, the name or pp doesnt have anything to do with it, except piss off man-kids like you who still live in their moms basement, secondly look at your own name and pp,hypocricy at its best.

[@saxboi1144]

And the Budapest Memorandum was respected forever, and there were never any issues. Right guys?............Guys?

[@teddyfurstman1997]

Thanks for this informative video about the crisis.

[@gigikontra7023]

What crisis?

[@OHFORPEATSAKES]

Ah yes, Russian promises... (they're like points on 'Who's line is it anyway')

[@timurarifulov]

Like no new NATO members promises

[@shayaldwarka7907]

What was NATO'S promise for Georgia?

[@arsenii_yavorskyi]

@@timurarifulov and the Russian response to NATO expansion is… making even more countries want to join NATO. genius move!

[@brutal_chud]

@@arsenii_yavorskyi How was the Maidan revolution and couping of Yanuko a result of Russia responding to NATO expansion?

[@arsenii_yavorskyi]

@@brutal_chud first of all, there was no coup. second, polls show that public support for joining NATO dramatically increased after Russian invasion in 2014.

[@brandonlyon730]

I’m surprise how costly nukes are just by having them just stand around.

[@Bardomp]

How much

[@ReaperCH90]

Just having them standing around is cheap. But having them standing around without getting stolen and in a functional state, that is where the problem starts to add up.

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

The cost of nukes is primarily on the delivery system used to launch them. The actual nukes cost roughly 15% to the total cost of the system...

[@knockhello2604]

It's a farce. Those nukes dont cost that much, the workers do.

[@aritakalo8011]

@@Bardomp according to US DOE National Nuclear Security Administration the nuclear stockpiling budget (maintenance, refurbishing, safe storing, producing enriched nuclear material to refurbish the weapon cores etc.)for say 2017 (one of the most recent years with full turned out budget data) was 3,3 Billion dollars. That is the warheads only. Not the submarines, planes or even say the missiles on top of which the warheads stand. Just the nuclear warheads themselves over 3 billion dollars per year. Single biggest line item for that year: B61 (nuclear warhead) Life Extension Program to tune of 600 million dollars. Total NNSA weapons budget for the year was 9 billion dollars which includes R&D, Infrastructure and facility investments, transport investments and cyber security

[@darkmem]

Rule No.1 of Nation building, never give up your nukes.

[@otozinclus3593]

Please explain how nukes would help ukraine rn. Like sereosly, thebworst ukraine could do now is dropping a nuke on russia: 1.: They would break many war crimes in doing so and other countries qould stop supporting ukraine, settling the loss of ukraine 2.: You never want to starta nuke war with russia. Russia has 6600 nukes, thats enough to delete most countries. I dont mean destroy, I mean delete. No crashed buildings, I mean just plain desert. 3rd: Have you looked at the map? Russia is right next to them. Nuking russia would also damage the ukraine

[@darkmem]

@@otozinclus3593 wrong, Rusia would never have invaded, Ukraine would have easily destroy Rusia in the exchange of a single nuke, see for example Iran, very safe from any invasion, the USA would love to bomb the shit out of them but they have nukes, so that's a no no.

[@thederpyhenchmen2946]

Everyone: Ok we finally got Ukraine to give up their weapons in agreement that we don’t invade them Russia: *we do a little trolling*

[@LamborghiniDiabloSVPursuit]

>"Fortunately it would be sorted out really quickly and would never ever come up again." *One Euromaidan later* Dimitri. GET THE PARATROOPERS.

[@kenny-xu4iw]

Well this aged well