Stupid Shit in Kyiv

[QUOTE=Jmsuttr;3063617]
Similarly, Crimea has been under the rule of the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Russian empires, followed by the USSR. Of all those, the Byzantines ruled longest by far from Istanbul (800+ years) and arguably have a strong claim. It's also historically relevant that the indigenous Crimean people, the Tatars, endured periods (esp under Stalin) in which they were removed from Crimea and replaced by people from more Slavic areas of Russia. Whatever one thinks about an empire's right to move its population around, it does muddy the waters when making history-based claims.[/QUOTE]Crimean Tatars, and residents of Crimea in general, overwhelmingly would prefer Crimea being part of Russia instead of Ukraine. Now and in 2014 after the referendum.

[QUOTE=Tiny12;3064737]Crimean Tatars, and residents of Crimea in general, overwhelmingly would prefer Crimea being part of Russia instead of Ukraine. Now and in 2014 after the referendum.[/QUOTE]The Tatars are Turkish / Mongol in origin and have no affinity to the Russian empire. They consider themselves to be the Cossacks of the Crimean peninsula.

[QUOTE=Tiny12;3064737]Crimean Tatars, overwhelmingly would prefer Crimea being part of Russia instead of Ukraine. Now and in 2014 after the referendum.[/QUOTE]Yep, because having no other choice, after the occupation. They dearly love Russians, because of being deported to Siberia under Stalin and allowed to come back to Crimea, the home country.

In 1988.

[QUOTE=Jmsuttr;3064660] More details would certainly be nice but, if this truly is a defection, we may not get many. Also, no matter how you slice it, the Kremlin can't be happy that they let him slip away.[/QUOTE]Nah, JM, the defections are happening on the front in mass. While Ukraine is grabbing young men off the street, the Russians at first glance were more humane. They were paying young people big $ to go to the Ukraine front. Thing is as soon as the recruits got there, the senior officers made the recruits pay them all that they have received. According to an article from Seymour Hersh, if you did not pay all that you got, you were sent to the front or just tied to a tree and shot and killed.

The Ukraine war reminds me of what a driver's ed teacher of mine said decades ago. "When there is a deadly accident, does it really matter who is at fault? Both parties probably lost. "

When you are at war this long, it no longer is about the nation or pride or security, the troops just want to get out alive. They have no allegiance to anything but that.

If I had to deal with seeing a friend hunted down by a drone and his guts splattered all over me, I would drink, smoke dope or shoot heroin to cope. Wouldn't you?

Whatever land has been won or lost pales in comparison to the addictions and PTSD that is going to affect the soldiers of both these nations for decades. If you are in a forever war, you have not just lost high ranking government officials, you have lost the troops.

Unless you win a war quickly and decisively, you have lost. At that point, your declaration of victory is really saying the other side lost more than you did. Well, is that victory or was not ending the war sooner the smart move?

One distinct difference between Trump and Biden was Trump used to be so anti-war. He bragged endlessly how the Ukraine war would have never happened had he been president, so what does he do? He gets in a forever war with Iran. Yeesh.

Anybody sitting at their keyboards picking sides in a forever war needs to go down to the front and put their money with their mouth is. The defections then will continue until this stupid war is over.

[QUOTE=RomanBlazduk;3064739]The Tatars are Turkish / Mongol in origin and have no affinity to the Russian empire. They consider themselves to be the Cossacks of the Crimean peninsula.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=ReinerOtto;3064742]Yep, because having no other choice, after the occupation. They dearly love Russians, because of being deported to Siberia under Stalin and allowed to come back to Crimea, the home country.

In 1988.[/QUOTE]You're absolutely right about Tatars and I'm showing off my cultural illiteracy. I was confusing Tatars with Cossacks in the Donbas. The ex-business partner of a work colleague comes from a town there that's been bitterly fought over for a couple of years now. His family is Russian speaking Cossack and Ukrainians have been persecuting them.

[QUOTE=Tiny12;3064764]You're absolutely right about Tatars and I'm showing off my cultural illiteracy. I was confusing Tatars with Cossacks in the Donbas. The ex-business partner of a work colleague comes from a town there that's been bitterly fought over for a couple of years now. His family is Russian speaking Cossack and Ukrainians have been persecuting them.[/QUOTE]Until 2014 Ukrainians were persecuting Russian speaking people in Donbas maybe with stupid jokes or some prejudice but the borders to Russia were open and everybody could visit everybody and nobody had anything to gain from a war (save for rackets and thugs and a weak leader who saw no other way to stay in power than to go complete his transition into a real dictator).

It's a world of confusion, isn't it? Crimean Tatars have nothing to do with this current conflict. Yes, they were at the receiving end of Stalin's regime (do not equal with 'Russian), as other interned Japanese or Italians in the US and Canada, for example.

For his personal war, ranked as war criminal and dictator Putin just doesn't care about citizens roots, but from unknown in KGB, became to try to rebuild USSR, when thousands Russians prefer to leave Russia of Putin. But he feels threatened now and need to increase security around him.

I wouldn't have believed when the Russian invasion started that Ukraine will manage to bring the war to a stalemate. Incredible how the war changed, from a blitzkrieg to a stalemate where there is a death zone of 50 km all along the frontlines, where anybody who sticks their head out has a drone on their head. Both Russia and Ukraine innovated a lot, the other countries must be paying attention.

[QUOTE=Questner;3064792]It's a world of confusion, isn't it? Crimean Tatars have nothing to do with this current conflict. Yes, they were at the receiving end of Stalin's regime (do not equal with 'Russian), as other interned Japanese or Italians in the US and Canada, for example.[/QUOTE]First, both Italy and Japan participated in the war. Tartars did not. Second, in the camps for Italiens or Japanese, there was some support. Not to compare with the "support" in the Siberian camps.

Third, Putlers invasion of UA to be justified, because Adolf also did it, for example.

Defection, from Russia to the USA, looking to be a likely scenario (IMO).

Neither the US or Russian governments have said a word about this. From Russia, no outrage or demands for the return of their official who is under investigation. From the US, absolutely nothing at all that I could find. No acknowledgement of the matter, nothing!

So, if it's a true defection, makes me wonder what info he has to trade in exchange for permission to stay and (probably) some level of protection from an angry and embarrassed Kremlin.

Primary link:

[URL]https://x.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/2052367063184724229[/URL]

Alternate link:

[URL]https://xcancel.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/2052367063184724229[/URL]

No direct confirmation as of yet, but certainly interesting if true. Not sure how the FSB would be unaware since they almost certainly have a file on most (all?) government officials.

Still no direct comment from either government. Curiouser and curiouser!

[QUOTE=Jmsuttr;3065167]Primary link:

[URL]https://x.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/2052367063184724229[/URL]

Alternate link:

[URL]https://xcancel.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/2052367063184724229[/URL]

No direct confirmation as of yet, but certainly interesting if true. Not sure how the FSB would be unaware since they almost certainly have a file on most (all?) government officials.

Still no direct comment from either government. Curiouser and curiouser![/QUOTE]You're thinking about FSB as an embodiment of ruthless efficiency. It isn't. It's a pale shadow of the KGB. The whole mother Russia is incompetent to the core, their economy is in the gutter, the war at the stalemate, 1.5 million are dead or crippled, and you're surprised the FSB let one guy off the hook?

I don't give two shits about Butsayev. So he stole a few shekels and lived to tell the story. Good. The Russian corruption is a great Ukrainian ally. Let them steal everything, they have my blessing.

Disasters provide opportunities.

Political discussions are actually unwanted on a monger forum!

But how about the pussies in Kiev? Are they hungry and easy to catch? Any monger to report?

I'm so happy French associations help Ukraine to block Russian drones.