Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Yes it is, and shows just how the criminals took over the state. Even Yeltsin was unable to control them, and they laughed at him when he called a meeting with them asking them to contribute some of their cash ( robbed from the state) for the upkeep of the state. Then Putin arrived, but he used a different approach. He arrested the biggest Oligarch of them all, Khodorkovsky. Put him on trial in public, and gave him a hefty jail sentence. After that, he called another meeting with the oligarchs' and informed them of the new rules. Business as usual, but 50% directly paid to him, Putin. ( I'm not quite sure what the exact % he extracted, TBH) Or else, a long stay in Lefortovo Prison. Needless to say, they paid up. To this day, many Russians follow him because they see him as the savior from much worse. But at heart, Putin is a criminal, and he's been proving it since his election, which was in itself a blood stained affair. And his and his fellow criminals continued theft from Russia, has meant that ordinary Russians struggle to live in a police state.

Looks like Kupiansk is about to fall to the Russians. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered by the Ukranian authorities.

And this is after their central bank intervened to prop up the rubble, I mean ruble.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/rouble-hits-over-16-month-low-under-fx-demand-pressure-2023-08-09/

Maybe the Russians abroad who are against the war have family back home. Would you speak out in that scenario knowing your family could be harmed? I have no doubt there are Russians who support the war as they are hoodwinked by the Kremlin propaganda. Just as there are some Americans Citizens who always support their own wars. Yet as we see in America there are plenty who have spoken out against wars such as Vietnam and Iraq. The difference as we all know is, that what whatever faults America has, you have the freedom to dissent. With this in mind, the Russian equivalent of Chomsky would be lucky to see his 60th birthday, unlike Noam who is 90 plus

Not glee. Just reporting what is verifiable mostly from social media. If Ukraine had a serious breakthrough I'd be saying it. They've not had any breakthrough in months so there is not much to say.

But you're happy to post that Kupiansk is about to fall despite there being absolutely nothing verified from social media about it and Russia not even close to the outskirts of the place? Right. So unbiased. 🙄

I think it is more that it is obvious that certain posters only post negative news about Ukraine and positive news for Russia.

On the front it's pretty much become a frozen conflict. Without massive air support i dont see what Ukraine are supposed to do Urozhaine was supposed to have 'fallen' 2 weeks ago. It's a tiny village. Still fighting there. Robotyne has been contested for nearly 2 months. Still not done. Horrific losses there for Ukraine. They are trying to go at huge minefields and defence lines with no air.

Apparently Russian artillery losses are huge, but we've been hearing that for 18 months now.

Unless NATO is really committed to actually winning this then it's not going anywhere. It's turned into the Somme, well it did that a while ago.They need enormous amounts of air support and mine clearers and the west is too busy pretending they care instead of actually caring. Why is there no M1150 for example?

I'll get sh it for this and called a vatnik probably, but it's obviously a frozen front line right now.

Too many mines and mobiks in trenches. Plus KA-52 mostly operating unhindered, although we do get them a bit.

I've repeatedly expressed doubts about Ukraine's counter-offensive and military situation here, I've yet to be labelled a Putinbot.

Likely because my support is genuine. Unfortunately some posters have come in here with a less than genuine agenda, and while they may not directly admit support for Putin (or against Ukraine), they manifest it in other ways, concern-trolling, contrarianism and other red flags.

On a side note it's an horrific war, atrocities are committed against Ukrainians daily, people are being blown to pieces, it's highly emotive. We aren't robots, it's only natural that people are strongly supportive of Ukraine and emotional towards the perpetrators.

Agreed but it hardly matters whether as a Russian citizen you are aware of what is going down and are sitting on your hands or whether as a Russian citizen you have taken all the state propaganda at face value and agree with the SMO. Or are Russian expat living in the EU and either keeping the head down or out marching in support.

Both groups are equally culpable and responsible for what their state is engaged in, both individually and collectively.

People can make excuses for them, but that's all they are, excuses. Excuses that don't wash and they deserve great hardship to be brought on them.

The leaked documents from the US months ago did state the counter offensive would likely not succeed.

They are rarely wrong.

The posters that are very pro Ukranian are very quick to update if things are going bad too. This thread is near real time in terms of updates good or bad. When the damn blew, when prigozhin coup collapsed, when Russia attacks the power plant, it is up here on this thread almost instantaneously from the mostly strongly pro Ukranian posters. This thread is absolutey fine. There is no distortion of information caused by where sympathies lie. It’s one of the most insidious, disingenuous arguments that has arisen over the last 10 years in the wake of brexit and trump and this horrific war and is straight out of the Russian propaganda playbook. This false concern that everything has to balanced by opposing views and faux concern for free speech. It’s the height of horse shite and is completely and utterly disingenuous. It’s straight out bare faced platforming of lies to suit agendas and nothing to do with balance.

you could say that in 1930' when all there was a local newspaper and radio. Its a bit ridiculous to state that in 2023. Today, it is their choice.