History / Give Poland back it's lost land ! [132]

Yes, also another good point, I agree.
Retrieving Wilno would seperate us from the European union, and could lead us into conflict with the west. If this happened, the russian position in the east would be much stronger, and putin would be able to grab land using the old soviet liberation trick

I occasionally read RT, to watch Russian propaganda at work.
A few months ago, when the crisis in ukraine was in its climax I read an article focusing on radical polish groups who want to seize lwow from ukraine, and on alleged " fascist" groups in ukraine who are anti polish. While such groups exist,( in minority) we see a russian propaganda push that aims to divide it's opponents.

As of now, they work from propaganda, if poland ever moves into ukraine, they have real ammunition.

History / Give Poland back it's lost land ! [132]

There is no denying that the eastern borderlands now part of Ukraine, Belorussian, and Lithuania make up a considerable amount of our history and culture. It is in a way a piece of out heritage and we should consider it that.

Still, I believe that it would not be practical to get that land back. Many thousands of Ukrainians, Belorussian and Lithuanians are settled there and it would not be right to move them from their homes or conquer them. No doubt, there is a large Polish

minority there, but still it would be a bad idea to take these territories. Putin would use the division to his advantage, would demonize Poland, claim to save Ukraine(which he is destroying now) and Belarus, and use this not only to swallow up all of these countries but to make a pass at Poland.

In the long run, only Russia can profit from us regaining kresy.
This is a new modern era with new, modern trip wires.

History / The Polans - founders of Kiev and Kievan Rus'. [6]

When you really get down to it, there is little differences between Poles and Ukrainians in terms of genetics. All that separate us is a slightly different culture, language, religion and historical conflicts. Borders are not separate by rigid ethnic lines but by varying political and cultural barriers. While there are different influences in west Slavs and east Slavs, the line is more of a geographical construct than a genetic one.

Most likely the Polanie of Poland and Ukraine had a common root in ancient proto Slavic times that split up and became separate over geographic separation.

News / WHY DOES POLAND BUY GAS FROM RUSSIA? [105]

Yes i agree, russia is suffering, but russia is vast with tons of resources. And if it absorbs and takes more influences over the countries of central asia, even more so. Russia may be isolated, but it has the ability of being self deficent. Also, russia could make its own alliances with China and iran. It can make an industry of of selling weapons to the middle east. Russia is not as helpless as we think, unfortunately.

News / WHY DOES POLAND BUY GAS FROM RUSSIA? [105]

We buy gas from russia because since we are part of the eu, we are dependent on their recources. Russia is taking advantage of europe because europe is trapped in environmental protection and regulation. They are not drilling and taking advantage their resources. Poland wants to use its resources but europen is regulating and controling. Thus is the same with other europeans. In poland it is worse because western europens are investing in poland but don't pay polish taxes, they pay to their native countried, stife Ling polish growth. The only option for poland is to get gas from russia, and with russia, this is dangerous. Gas is the russian tool of global control.

News / What are notable differences between Poland's National Security Strategy 2007 and 2014? [9]

I believe the main difference is the focus, Poland in 2007 was more focused on getting involved in NATO missions and counter insurgency. That is why polish special forces and lighter armoured vehicles are pretty advanced. Now however, with more of a threat from russia, poland is looking to defend her borders. Thus, poland is investing in more heavy equiptment. Missles to intercept air craft and missiles are being invEstes in and poland is buying a new fleet of modern attack helocopters. Poland is pretty advanced when it comes to armoured ground units, but currently is inferior in airforce and missile units to russia.

News / Does it seem to you that Russia loves Poland now? [35]

Pretend love is a common tactic of russian government, but I have not noticed any expressions of love towards poland recently. This pretend love was used from the tine of the czars to the communists. It usually takes advantage of the common slavonic ethnicity of its nieghbors, and claims that it is our homeland. Many times it circulates around being the protected of the orthodox church as well. Look what happened to the ukrainian kozaks during the deluge, they welcomed in Russia to fight poland, and russia came in as the loving protected of rus. Well it did not go well for us poles, but it went bad for ukraine as well. Their nation went under a long period of russification and hardship under their beloved russian rule, including siberian deportations. Thus, russia uses this tactic to stir nationalistic, or rather ethnic passions to gain control over nations.This tactic dI'd not work with poland, this is why we poles were said to have betrayed the slavic people. It is part of the russian propaganda machine.

History / Are Poles grateful to the Russians for winning the war? [120]

Korwin, the Soviet occupation of Poland was not as dramatic as the german one, but it was no less evil oppressive and destructive. My parents are from poland, and while none of my family was directly attacked by the soviets, my babcia still remembers both occupations with tears in her eyes.

The german occupation was one of ethnic extermination, the Soviet of political extermination. They were, like the germans, destroying our identity. The soviets deported over a million polish civilians to siberia, they killed thousands of us at katyn and else where. And while the soviets were "liberating" poland they stole furniture, destroyed property, raped woman and young girls, executed polish partisans. Even after the war, the soviets and there communist allies stood in poland till the 1950s. A unknown hopeless Partisan war ensued, in which 100,000 thousand poles would die. Russian troops would stay in some area of poland till the 80s even if poland was not part of the Soviet union. That sounds like mongols to me. The only difference between the nazis and the soviets is that the germans were loud killers, and the soviets were silent ones.

Genealogy / Origins of Polish surnames that end in "o". Are they from ukrainian origins [15]

Bojdo is my name.

History / Are Poles grateful to the Russians for winning the war? [120]

No why should we be thankful to soviets, it is like having the mongols replace the huns, it is one evil taking the place of another.

Genealogy / Origins of Polish surnames that end in "o". Are they from ukrainian origins [15]

Dzienkuje Polonius.
There was always a rumor in my family that we were poles from wołyń that moved to the western territories.

Genealogy / Origins of Polish surnames that end in "o". Are they from ukrainian origins [15]

Merged: Origins of Polish surnames that end in "o". Are they from ukrainian origins

Many Polish surnames including my own end in o, examples are Bojko, Bajko, Bojdo. Not many names I come across end with o, but I know of ukrainian ones that do. Could names like these originate from what was once eastern poland, around lwow and ivano-frankivsk?