I don't pretend to know who is responsible and may be terribly naive but I can't see that this benefits Ukraine in any real way. Any slight benefit is more than counter-balanced by either a similar benefit for Russia or the extra demands made on Ukraine in having to service a massive natural disaster whilst fighting to save its territorial integrity and, as importantly, deliberate killing of its non-military citizens.

In peace-time, responding to such a disaster would be an enormous effort. In war time it becomes many times more difficult and definitely will cause the diversion of resources that are needed on the front.

Even the repeated bombing of hospitals and other infrastructure has already exacerbated Ukraine's ability to care for both military and civilian casualties.

So, I find it virtually impossible to see this event as other than a Russian created or assisted disaster.

I might add, to be fair, that when I talk of Russia my words are directed at Putin and all those who have power and support him and the invasion. These are the criminals who should be brought to 'justice' for want of a better term, for justice has already been lost.

The underlings - the poor bastards who have actually had to carry out the scurrilous carnage, will in the main have and have had no choice - other than to be shot themselves if they refused - if that is a choice it is one reserved for fanatics and martyrs - the latter very rare on the ground I suggest.

I have been mocked, abused, derided and worse for having, since the beginning, called for warplanes and air defense systems and the best of western weaponry from all civilised and morally responsible nations. Those demeaning me and my suggestions say it would have just caused a nuclear war. I think not and the pathetic state of the RF military, I think supports my argument. If they can't maintain relatively unsophisticated and aged weapons and their delivery systems, is it really likely that they have maintained the much more sophisticated arsenal of nuclear weapons? I think not.

This war ought to be stopped by a multi-nation forces of all those who see the insanity of Putin and his allies. He and his allies are as bad as Stalin and Hitler, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, and other self aggrandising believers in their own right to rule and use whatever means in their power to do so.

Humanity needs to stop the endless cycle of the rise of such autocratic megalomaniacs and if that takes an even greater moment of destructive engagement or one spread over a greater area, then so be it.

If this insanity is not stopped then our World will never recover. If Russia 'wins' or survives in any reasonable state it will simply reinforce the dictatorial autocrats and oligarchs of nations such as North Korea, South Arabia, Israel, Iran, China and others. Already they are seeking to ally and obtain greater military capability. Supposedly this is in the cause of 'defense". I doubt it.