Stupid Shit in Kyiv

[VinDici]

Except this one won't keep his murder within his own borders. Maybe the next one will have learned a lesson.

Pretty much this. When the regime meddles with the affairs of other countries by, invading, starting a war and then murdering their civilians, it is not unreasonable to want it changed.

[PedroMorales]

The current government is cleaning up the oligarch issue in Russia and also in Ukraine, where Clown President is the world's richest comedian, with over $1.3 billion in foreign banks.

Russia does not need American comments on its system of governance.

America does not support or export democracy. That is a self serving fallacy.

America has no values, let alone democratic values.

[Neurosynth]

This is the problem with our misguided regime change mindset. Most of these countries don't have the necessary traditions to have a functioning democracy. What you get after you destroy the government is a new one cut from the same cloth. Better to stay out of the mess.

Except this one won't keep his murder within his own borders. Maybe the next one will have learned a lesson.

[Paulie97]

This is the problem with our misguided regime change mindset. Most of these countries don't have the necessary traditions to have a functioning democracy. What you get after you destroy the government is a new one cut from the same cloth. Better to stay out of the mess.

There's certainly hope for real change, especially as more time passes. Younger Russian citizens are exposed to social media and function with a lot of western concepts and enjoyment of western culture. Polls regarding Putin's popularity aren't reliable so this is an unknown, though through oppressing the media and his opposition likely has majority support at the moment. We also don't know how many citizens want to speak out but are afraid to. There's other countries in the region that had little to no democratic history but are now functioning democracies. There's a good chance that a replacement for Putin would be a step in the right direction for Europe. We are currently experiencing more instability, genocidal acts and threats to democratic freedoms on the continent than we have since World War II. It's hard to fall out of bed when you're already sleeping on the floor. Plus there's a broader worldwide conflict between democracy and autocracy, with the cancer of the latter alive and well in Europe and the US. We ignore this at our peril.

P.S. As to current events, no we aren't going to "stay out of the mess" while a tyrant is murdering our friends. We will support Ukraine and punish Russia. Likewise we are unlikely to go head to head with Russia unless he touches a NATO country. In any case there's too many Neville Chamberlain's among us, especially in monger forums, for whatever reason. Putin has already stated his objective, to roll back NATO to pre-1997. Now is a time to project strength.

[Dickus Maximus]

https://ricochet.com/1214468/finnish...ssian-mindset/

Fascinating insights from someone who had an entire career dedicated to analyzing and understanding Russian thinking and motivation. The article is a translation from a lecture given in 2018.

It's a bit of a read, but well worth it, IMO. It explains the historical basis for Russia's deep-seated insecurities (paranoia?) and constant need for an external villain and a "strong man" leader who will protect the country from outside forces and prevent internal chaos.

One conclusion I drew from the article is that, even if Putin is replaced, any new leader is likely to be cut from the same cloth. And that's simply because Russia isn't culturally or psychologically prepared for anything else. The idea that there will be some type of more liberal or progressive leadership is almost certainly nothing more than wishful thinking.

If Putin's failures in Ukraine cause his downfall, it's more likely that it will come at the hands of those who are more hawkish and militaristic. Putin's problem now is that his propaganda wrote checks that his military can't make good. No matter how he tries to spin things, he's abandoned any attempt to take Kyiv, the Zelensky government remains in power, and that will be seen in Russia as weakness and failure. The article gives insight into how Russians react to such things, which doesn't portend a bright future for Putin. Maybe he'll survive by becoming even more repressive, who knows?

As noted above, the lecture was given in 2018. For the (retired) intel officer's current thoughts on the situation, here's his Twitter handle:

https://mobile.twitter.com/maraj60

(Most tweets are in Finnish so you'll need to use your favorite translation method).

This is the problem with our misguided regime change mindset. Most of these countries don't have the necessary traditions to have a functioning democracy. What you get after you destroy the government is a new one cut from the same cloth. Better to stay out of the mess.

[Jmsuttr]

https://m.jpost.com/israel-news/article-703209

Mikhail Prokhorov, former owner of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, has fled to Israel and applied for Israeli citizenship.

Q: Why would a rich Russian oligarch abandon his home country?

A: 1) he's had a falling out with the ruling elite and leaves to avoid being killed or imprisoned. 2) he understands that Russia faces a bleak future (sinking ship) and decides to leave while he still can.

I haven't found any information that leads to conclusion #1, which leaves #2 as the more likely explanation. After Chubais left, I posted that I'd be watching for the next one, and here he is. It's becoming clearer that the door has been effectively slammed shut for many Russian elites (by sanctions, etc.) but others, like Prokhorov, may just be waiting for an opportune moment.

[Jmsuttr]

https://ricochet.com/1214468/finnish...ssian-mindset/

Fascinating insights from someone who had an entire career dedicated to analyzing and understanding Russian thinking and motivation. The article is a translation from a lecture given in 2018.

It's a bit of a read, but well worth it, IMO. It explains the historical basis for Russia's deep-seated insecurities (paranoia?) and constant need for an external villain and a "strong man" leader who will protect the country from outside forces and prevent internal chaos.

One conclusion I drew from the article is that, even if Putin is replaced, any new leader is likely to be cut from the same cloth. And that's simply because Russia isn't culturally or psychologically prepared for anything else. The idea that there will be some type of more liberal or progressive leadership is almost certainly nothing more than wishful thinking.

If Putin's failures in Ukraine cause his downfall, it's more likely that it will come at the hands of those who are more hawkish and militaristic. Putin's problem now is that his propaganda wrote checks that his military can't make good. No matter how he tries to spin things, he's abandoned any attempt to take Kyiv, the Zelensky government remains in power, and that will be seen in Russia as weakness and failure. The article gives insight into how Russians react to such things, which doesn't portend a bright future for Putin. Maybe he'll survive by becoming even more repressive, who knows?

As noted above, the lecture was given in 2018. For the (retired) intel officer's current thoughts on the situation, here's his Twitter handle:

https://mobile.twitter.com/maraj60

(Most tweets are in Finnish so you'll need to use your favorite translation method).

[PedroMorales]

Reports are coming in a US general has been captured in Mariupol. Though I have the name, I doubt it is is him.

Either way, any Americans captured in Mariupol are not protected by the Geneva Convention.

There is some serious shit going on there.

[PedroMorales]

The explosion of nitric acid at the chemical plant in Rubezhnoye was carried out while considering the direction of the wind and a full understanding of the consequences for the civilian population of Donbas. This is a Ukrainian forces chemical attack. This is a major, deadly attack. Time for Russia to take off the gloves.

[PedroMorales]

Russia has shot down more NATO choppers trying to evacuate their scientists and generals from Mariupol, where they are embedded with the Nazi vermin. Stalin got to Berlin, Tsar Alexander got to Paris. Hopefully, these scum wil get to Siberia in a cattle truck.

The NATO filth are stuck in Mariupol with their Nazi pawns.

Hopefully, if not Siberia, the remains of these American, French, British, German and Israeli dogs will be paraded for the world to see what human filth looks like. The Biden family's bio labs have been caught. Your generals are being caught. Repent. The end is nigh.

P.S.: Don't repent. Suffer the consequences.

At least Western Europe is getting all the Ukrainian hookers, organ harvesters and more. Pity the USA is bankrupting Europe, making even baby oil too expensive for the wankers. Look at the billions Germany is giving the USA for the shit weapons. Russia laughs.

[ColoradoHobby]

One might say the invasion of the Ukraine is a brazen move. We however had Soviet violent invasions of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. NATO stood by and let the Soviets bully and dominate their neighbors.

I think the key difference here is that there was consensus, right or wrong, amongst Western nations that Czechoslovakia and Hungary were within the USSR's sphere of influence. Recall the the Cuban missile crisis was the result of the USSR operating in what had previously been agreed to be solely in the USA's sphere of influence. There were lines and although there was a moral argument to be made in favor of supporting the popular uprisings in both CZ and H, the best case scenario would have seen the USSR using western engagement in Warsaw Pact countries as permission to take overt action supporting communists in Western Europe.

Although you could easily argue that Ukraine and the other former Soviet Republics are within Russia's sphere of influence today, but absent a true Cold War (prior to February at least), it's not difficult to make the case that Russia is too poor and insufficiently powerful to have a sphere of influence anymore. Further, the brazenness of Russia's attack is compounded by Russia and Ukraine having a treaty that specifically precludes a Russian attack (which is part of why Russia continues to call it a "special military action", as instigating a war with Ukraine is a violation of Russian law). That treaty was part of the deal that got Ukraine to give up their nuclear arsenal. I have to think that Russia would not have invaded a Ukraine with a nuclear deterrent in place.

It also appears China is not interested in working with the Western alliance in preserving global peace.

China plays geopolitics ruthlessly. China has no interest in peace. Rather, China is more focused on making money than war, unless that war is good for China Inc. In this case, sanctions and voluntary actions from the west are making Russian exports cheap for China and making exports to Russia extremely profitable in Beijing. China will only advocate for peace when / if there's more money to be made from peace and / or avoiding western sanctions, or if there's an existential threat to China itself.

[Paulie97]

I think this is your answer to anything.

The Russophiles of the Alt Right, USA and around the world have a lot in common with the Putin regime in that anything they don't like, anything they don't want to hear is dismissed out of hand as "fake" "rigged" "staged" etc. Though Ukraine at the moment is getting by far the worst of it, we are talking about a cancer that has infected the much of the world.

P.S. Satellite images confirm that the same dead civilian bodies were laying on the ground in Bucha back on March 18th when the Russians were in control of the city. But of course this likewise will be dismissed as "fake news. " There's no convincing these sheeple and their leaders. All we can do is try to contain them, keep blood off their hands which is proving to be quite the challenge.

[VinDici]

...incoherent rambling..

I think this is your answer to anything.

[PedroMorales]

I am skipping American idiot Vndici, who argues by concocting quotes from me. He should be e tied to a lamp post as Ukrainians do to their minorities and his dick put on view to give everyone a laugh (and gay boys a free feel).

I have scanned your rubbish, will quickly go through it now and make some points.

The white bands BTW are one of many give away. Putin, who you stupidly link to me, does not have to appeal to yokels like you or your government which is complicit in long litanies of war crimes. Geddit? Let's cut.

1. There was no status quo. Ukraine's Nazis, some of whom are still holed up in Mariupol, were going to increase their murder rates. Russia stopped them by fighting Russia's wa, not America's kill and destroy all way.

The USA laughs at al this as the EU, bar Hungary, impales itself.

I am not a Puutin sycophant. Such a stupid comment shows you have watched too many John Wayne white hat black hat cowboy movies. Moron.

99% of the world has not found "Putin" guilty, you moron. By the world, you mean the USA and its West European and Five Eyes allies. China, India and Pakistan are telling the USA to fuck off.

Pro Russian elements in Ukraine? They are Russian, speak Russian, are inter married with Russians etc. They have been persecuted and murdered just for speaking Russian by scum supported by brain dead Americans like you.

China and Russia have excellent working relationships, you dummy. Their BIRI will prevail. It's the economy, stupid.

As long as Putin maintained the pre-Feb 24 status quo, he could have continued to argue his point of view and many in the West would have been sympathetic. But he threw all that away when he launched his disastrous MudKrieg. He singlehandedly turned a situation that had many shades of gray into one that is starkly black and white. He is now and forever the villain. And he will now and forever be branded a war criminal and a butcher of innocent civilians. It's already done, a fait accompli, and nothing you say or believe will ever change that fact.

Putin acolytes and sycophants (like you) will go to their graves thinking that Putin is the good guy. But 99% of the world has already found him guilty. There is no good outcome for him because, even if he manages to seize and hold parts of Ukraine, he's turned Russia into a pariah-state. And even formerly pro-Russia elements in Ukraine now hate his guts. The sanctions will continue, the brain-drain will continue, and China is sharpening their pencils for all the IOUs that will be coming due.

Whether you believe it or not, whether you like it or not, that's Russia's reality.

[VinDici]

https://www.somefakevideo.russiantrolls

...I love Putin... Russians can do no wrong... Ukrainians are making everything up... It's the West that's doing all of this...

Just so we are clear.

The Ukrainians took more than 100 bodies, dressed them up in civilian clothes, then tied them up, blind-folded them, and shot them all in the neck.

When they were done with that, they strew bodies over the streets.

After that they went around to different basements and dispersed even more bodies, as well as a mass grave, which they themselves dug.

In parallel to this rather macabre "false flag" operation, they hired over a 100 actors, who were instructed to tell anyone who asked, that the Russians have tortured and killed their loved ones.

After this operation was concluded, in record time I might add, we're talking literally just hours after the Russians left. The Ukrainians retreated, put back destroyed cars in the middle of the roads, and returned with the International Media in tow.

Also this same set up was repeated multiple times around cities in Ukraine. All just to make Russia look bad?