Big leaverage removed from Putins in-house opposition
Re. the gas pipe - What will or will not harm Russia does not come into Putin's calculations. He would destroy Russian before giving in. He has truly painted himself into a corner now.
Right now, somewhere near Red Square, Putin is being dressed in ceremonial armour and sword...
Dmitry Medvedev: "Oh Vladimir, you look exquisite !"
Putin: "Call me....Peter"
Don't post pictures of dead bodies without a content warning this isn't a movie.
And blaming the Ukrainians for getting themselves murdered? Nice attitude
delet dis
There is no evidence Russia blew up the pipeline, none. If evidence comes out then fair enough but let's stick to facts or else all we have is conjuncture. Right now the US are the only ones who threatened the pipelines would not exist if Russia invaded Ukraine.
Absolute scumbags. What time does the president speak today?
Because the Russians are heading into North Korea mode. They're completely withdrawing from the international community. They're resigned to being pariahs globally, their international supply chains are in tatters.
They know that sanctions are rarely lifted once they are imposed.
Also, they can get their army of useful idiots on the internet to try to spread suspicion against NATO
Months later, and even after watching Russia screw up on multiple occasions, I'm still gobsmacked over the leased aircraft thing. Even if sanctions were lifted tomorrow that single stupid kneejerk tantrum act buggered their chances of international financing, insurance and leasing for at least a decade. Their only way out would be to pay back each lender and even then would anyone want to risk trusting them and the current government?
I believe 1pm Irish time, 3 in Moscow. Apparently under the slogan "together forever" in relation to the annexed areas. Sounds like the title of a Westlife album. Grotesque doesn't even come close....
3pm thank you.
I'd go with Reuters coverage, it really is top notch.
There is no evidence the US blew up the pipline, none.
Funny you didn't mention that, but engaged in hypocritical conjecture.
1pm Irish time. 3pm in Moscow. Well that’s when ceremony starts.
Wasn't western countries or NATO who introduced the N word into this whole mess. That's Russia getting desperate. Unless Putin truly is crazy, Russia is not going to risk the annihilation of their country over what amounts to a few provinces in eastern Ukraine, none of which they even fully control. As other posters have mentioned, the annexation is for domestic consumption only, and has little more international standing than me declaring my house an independent state.
And if Putin really is that crazy, it begs the question why the nukes are not already flying.
Absolutely no evidence but as they are the only ones on record stating it wouldn't exist if Russia invaded Ukraine i'll stick to what i know.
What leverage? The pipes have been turned off and Germany declared a month ago Russia are no longer a reliable energy partner. They are done finished, Germans don't just say things like that for the craic.
But why would they sabotage them? Quite simple really intimidation.
Are you forgetting who we are dealing with here?
Real bang of 1939 Germany off everything Russia is doing at present.
I don't think the quarter of a millions Russian lads who high tailed it in the past week or so give 2 flying fúcks about new stolen geography. 😂
Artist's rendition of today's planned announcement in Moscow :P
In all seriousness though, all I think this will change is the flavor of propaganda that Russia will excrete in future. The LPR & DPR were thinly veiled Russian operations choc full of "volunteers" in their respective militia. Now that piss-poor mask is removed and the idiots have now undone a potential stop-line in the conflict. Crimea is now little different to the other segments of "Russia" that Ukraine are trying to win back and only have military considerations to stop them from rolling all of the way to the actual national border.
Hell, if they were cheeky they could remind Russia that Rostov was once part of Ukraine in the past and roll over there too :P But even if Ukraine reclaim back to the real border, Russia will now have plenty of propaganda ammo for the years ahead about how the "Nazi Ukrainians have occupied our Russia! Look at those monsters sitting on our Crimea and our Kherson. Sanction them! Be nice to us instead, we're the real victims".
Steven Seagal will be at the ceremony today, breaking a board with the words 'WESTERN IMPERIALISM' written on it. After that, he will need a long sit down.
No
The Russian psyche and default culture would go a long way to explaining it. Beyond outliers like Peter the Great trying to modernise Russia and bring it more into the western European fold(and this was resisted), this is a culture that was still running a medieval style feudal empire at the close of the 19th century. Then that got kicked out and Russia dragged herself into the 20th century and there was some hope. But all too soon again they returned to default of strong man runs empire of vassals from afar. Then all that fell and they had a decade of complete turmoil, misery and loss of pride. Cue putin, another strong man who runs empire of vassals from afar. Nazi Germany on the other hand was much more an outlier in that culture. So after it was gone, they reverted to their default.
And like China, it's less a country than an empire. The last old style White European "christian" empire left on Earth. They built overland unlike the other European empires that went overseas. This plays into the culture too. Empires tend to be centralised, run by a tiny elite with lords/governors in the provinces, prone to paranoia from within and without and always hungry for more land. Even if they have more than enough land and resources, even if they'd be better served utilising their existing land for the betterment of their people. Russians should be among the richest citizens on Earth, yet they're not.
Putin due to walk out on stage to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5EhkBXBqHs
The Russians claim the convoy was going the other way, from Ukraine into Russian occupied territory, and that Ukraine shelled it😐️
You think after 7 months Russia do anything that makes sense.
Something you don't do in any warzone civilian or military,
Line up in convoys at the same time and same place in long line of vehicles especially knowing they will be Targeted
Who? Higgins?
Well it was deleted for you.
?
yea president Higgins of the Russian federation.
So the country slaughtering civilians and stealing large parts of a foreign country who also have for the 7 months weaponised the pipeline have nothing to do with it, but its probably America because Tucker Carlson told me. 🤣
what bit of 'civilian crossing, routinely used by both sides for months' don't you get?
I would drop this hot take of yours, it's ridiculous.
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