I doubt someone with a Russian flag could be considered a right wing nationalist simply for showing a flag, it depends on the context of course. Putin doesn't own the flag nor does he own 'Russian-ness' and not every aspect of expression of Russian identity is in the context of this conflict. It's possible for Russian people to love their country, culture, history, language etc. and be anti-Putin.
For example, celebrating Russian victory day by wearing an orange and black stripe does not make someone a nationalist. It's akin to the Brits poppy mania that comes round every year.
People with a Z on display are a different story, as there is only one meaning for that.
General Pavlova more like...
Not all of course, but a significant majority do.
Have you even the slightest bit of proof of this? About as much truth to that as to the idea that most Ukrainians revere Stefan Bandera
Without a shadow of a doubt. The Z guys and those with Russian flags would be right wing Russian nationalists and Putin supporters - a lot of those keeping their heads down are probably against the war and Putin and are afraid to identify themselves publicly (perhaps with good reason....it's anyone's guess what that crowd in the large Russian embassy with all their equipment are up to).
Gereral Pavel enters the battle.He was brought to Ukraine by cargo plane and it seems he has already eaten most of the stolen grain.He may be used a pontoon to cross the Siverski Donets river.
https://nypost.com/2022/06/26/obese-retired-russian-general-called-to-fight-in-ukraine-report/
many Russian citizens abroad are probably afraid of the regime
They are afraid but they do support it, some openly with their Z and V parades, some others quietly. Not all of course, but a significant majority do.
It strikes me that many Russian citizens abroad are probably afraid of the regime in fact. Let's imagine that one of them went on RTE News and criticised Putin and also gave their full name - they would immediately be fearful (rightly or wrongly) of the Russian embassy in Dublin taking notes and then the FSB going after their relatives back home.
"Its time to send them packing and back to their motherland because they certainly are at best sympathisers for the war and the war crimes being committed." Your words.
Do you have the courage to back this up? You were literally calling for the mass deportations of Russian people. Lets discuss that, because that's why I decided to post on this thread. You honestly believe it's OK to mass deport people legally living in Ireland because of their nationality? What about permanent residents, EU Family members and those with dual nationality?
What about Ukrainians (from Crimea and the Donbass) who live in Ireland and happen to support the pro Russian side? They do exist, so what would you do with those Ukrainians?
Why should they voice their opposition ? Why are they obliged to do so? Is it because of their genetic group? Their place of birth? Or the place of birth of their ancestors. Are they invading Ukraine or aiding Putin? No, most Russians living in Ireland are ordinary people just trying to live their lives like everyone else they don't need to feel 'shame' or go around voicing their opposition so everyone knows they are not one of 'those' Russians. They are part of Irish society, not Russian society.
If a Russian person chooses to display a symbol indicating their political position, then they are fair game to ask about it, but if someones just going about their daily business they don't need to explain themselves or voice their opinions. People can be A-political or Anti Putin and they don't owe it to you or anyone else to voice this.
You either believe in collective responsibility or you don't. I don't believe any one is responsible for this war except those actually perpetrating the war and/or directly funding or supporting it either by physical, financial or political means.
Oh yeah that one guy really represents the Russian diaspora in Ireland.
How can we have a mature discussion when you're coming at me with the veiled Russian Bot accusation?
I'll answer your questions when you drop that crap. You know nothing about me, nothing at all. Get back into to your echo chamber.
You can bet the wailing and gnashing of teeth coupled with ripping their own clothes will be widespread... Mick may even pull out his 'luscious locks'
I'm struggling to think of any country that went out of its way to turn itself into a pariah state like this. It seems even more extreme than the South African apartheid regime of the 1970s and 1980s.
The legions of Putin supporters on social media don't even seem remotely aware that this could be a fatal blow to their favourite regime, one from which it never really recovers.
Burnt many bridges and sending their economy into serious decline. Major miscalculation, compounded by an inability to recognise the deep hole they are busy digging themselves into. Trashed their reputation for nothing.
When I visited Moscow, I remember looking at that building and wondering how many fingernails or teeth were pulled inside its walls throughout the years.
Before that building stood, it was the site of Catherine the Great's secret police hq before it was ever home to Cheka, NKVD, KGB or FSB goons.
The acronyms may change throughout the decades and centuries, but it goes to show the impulse to have an unaccountable secret cabal of thugs at the centre just beneath the sovereign runs deep in Russian political culture.
A default in name only
Nope. It's an actual default and it will suffer the ramifications because of that.
Junk status and no borrowings.
As for investors getting a return, that will have to be done by lawyers, there is a pot of about 360 billion in seized assets to pay them though.
Another step on a long road to demise.
Again the old saying rings through, how did you become bankrupt? very slowly at the start and then all of a sudden.
Oh, I'd say he knows the Lubyanka very well...and by the expression on the faces of his listeners, they are very much afraid he might give them an invitation to visit there as well.
Another minor one (in the context of an invasion) is they've straight up looted alot of Ukraine's last harvest in areas they control and it is going to friends (Syria) and those with no scruples whatsoever who might want some knock-down low price grain due to their own economic problems (Turkey).
Was a detailed enough article on it on BBC this morning:
I presume (no agriculture or commodities expert) there were people were on the other end of agreements to buy that (or even paid for it?) who won't be getting it now because Russia declared Ukraine does not exist any more (end Feb. 2022) and robbed it.
Russia's regime has decided none of the post 1945 system of international law etc. applies to it any more, that loony talking-head off the propaganda show posted earlier is actually speaking a little bit of truth when he made the point.
I'm not so sure. Or at least it won't be that simple or that soon. One of their biggest errors in all this was away from the battlefield. Impounding the Boeing/Airbus fleet a good example. Billions of foreign investment and insurance and leasing money went up in smoke there. That burned a lot of hands and a lot of bridges. They'll be seen as very risky to foreign investment and insurance and leasing for the foreseeable. Plus after holding oil and gas and grain over the "west" as a war bargaining chip means more and more will pivot away from them there too. Even basic things like international shipping companies walked away and don't want a bar of them. Now if they were a huge economy that they should be for their size and natural resources save for being pillaged by a tiny elite, then western finance would get a dose of amnesia quickly enough, but they're not. They're the equivalent of cutting Texas from the world economy.
Think they even have it in $s, just can't get it transferred.
Sorry, what front gate? This one?
He's still miffed the ambassador sent him out to power hose the front gate after it was daubed in graffiti.
"I am graduate of political science and Uzbek language from Chelyabinsk State University, number one education institute east of Ural mountain. Now look at I - cleaning graffiti Nazi penis from gate in Dooblin. I should have join tractor factory like mother tell me."
"Just another manic Monday oh ooohh"...sings the russian general as he hears of 3 ammo depots hit
edit.2 depots hit is probable
They have the money - people are buying oil from them, grain from them, fertilisers from them.
Their use of foreign currencies is prohibited, so they have the money they just cant spend it. A default in name only, they will still be able to borrow on markets once this is over, a slight downgrading of credit rating is expected but it wont be treated as a genuine default. At the end of the day lenders want to make money, in a few years time when RU can use foreign currencies again lenders will be happy to lend to them
I am very happy to hear this. I think President Joe now realises that Ukraine will need serious long-range systems to drive out Russia. There is only so much a howitzer can do. Russian long-range artillery and missiles need to be taken out of action. That is clear and evident.
They have the money in same way that I have the money for a new car if the car dealership accepted shredded newspaper.
I feel the Russians might have also underestimated the threat Ukraine can pose on this particular front. Looking at all of these arms dumps going up in flames I can easily imagine that occupied territories are peppered with well trained Ukrainian commandos. Since so many of them are fluent in Russian (or simply just are Russian-speakers) they can probably easily melt into the Russian ranks to do their damage.
If Ukraine can hopefully hold them off long enough to make a bigger push back, they are still going to need a lot of local intel from these guys on the defenses the Russians have built and to take out more ammo dumps. Russia has a enormous stockpile of unguided cold-war era munitions that they can still lob at an enemy for years on end...but they're pretty useless to them if they've already been burned to bits.
Officially it is a default as they haven't paid within the agreed period. It's symbolic really, they do have the money but it is a way to remind them of where they are. Potentially when all of this is over it might pose a borrowing problem for them in terms of perceived risk. A much bigger problem is the proposed G7 oil price cap, which could squeeze them quite a bit if it is put in place.
It's a bit more nuanced; they have the money, but it's in rubles which as of recent sanctions aren't usable to settle debt. https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-foreign-sovereign-bond-defaults-first-in-century-bolshevik-revolution-2022-6?r=US&IR=T
The bad thing is, they have the money due to oil/gas sales.
Apparently Russia is on the verge of default, or as they will put it, in the beginning of a special debt repay refusal financial operation.
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