Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Agree completely but that's a totally separate point to the question that was asked.

Yes that's all obvious, they ensure the inner circle are well rewarded and will fall if they fall. But still you'd think someone with a conscience and courage would occasionally take action. Maybe Putin, Assad and their like have narrow escapes and we just don't hear about it.

Russia ... what can we say really .. gone beyond any redemption ... Arrested yesterday, sentenced today.

Tucker Carlson could have went down in history as the one who tried to strangle, poke his eyes out, kick Vladimir Putin in the bo11ix. Native russians would have celebrated Tucker. An outsider with no retribution on russian districts.

Instead we're left with Tucker who was amazed by shopping trollies.

Russians pushing on.

hoping the UAF can turn this around

What Tuckers little grocery stunt didn't mention of course is the average salary in Russia compared to America. 104 dollars is a hell of a lot to most Russians. That's before you even mention the collapse of the Ruble against the dollar since the war began.

Would tend to agree

The Russians have taken Avdiivka and it only took them (checks notes)... 2 years, and (checks notes again) massive casualties.

Sounds about right.

To the winners go the spoils, and the Russians have inherited a pockmarked moonscape, interrupted only by the odd shard off a blackened building edifice rising out of the ground.

Please recheck notes, this one stared 10 years ago. Fantastic progress by Russia 🙄

Navalny's Spokesperson - update earlier

https://twitter.com/Kira_Yarmysh/status/1758801430125695199

Alexey Navalny was murdered. His death occurred on February 16 at 2:17 p.m. local time, according to the official message to Alexey’s mother.

An employee of the colony said that the body of Navalny is now in Salekhard. It was picked up by investigators from the IC. Now they are conducting "investigations" with him.

We demand that Alexey Navalny's body be handed over to his family immediately.

Only an hour ago, the lawyers were informed that the investigation had been concluded and that something criminal had not been established.

They literally lie every time, driving us around in circles and covering their tracks.

I know why he's saying this but being realistic even if Poland wasn't in NATO, Russia wouldn't even dream of invading.

They floundered against the regular Ukrainian army which, at the start of the war, was a $4 or $5bn army. That's completely putting aside the headache of occupation, resistance, etc had it come to that.

Poland's army is incomparably bigger and stronger than Ukraines was at the start of the war. A lot of their tech is way more advanced than Russias.

The idea that Russia is this almightly juggernought that will roll through the baltics and Poland is utterly absurd.

As for Avdiivka, the fact it took Russia that long, and at such enormous human cost, to obtain a single town in Ukraine. I mean, really. How could anyone, with any sort of straight face, try and spin that as a positive for Russia or the success of their invasion.

Putin is Hitler circa 1944/45 holding on for a miracle that won't come. The jig was up about two months into the invasion when Ukraine didn't fold and the population made it clear they saw Russia as nothing but a barbaric invader.

It's Putin's operation Barbarossa. He kicked the door, the structure did not come crashing down.

It's a complete disaster for Russia on every possible level. After two years of war, horrific casulties, economy creaking under pressure, brain-drain, etc, they're still nowhere remotely close to defeating the conventional Ukrainian army, let alone ready to face a major insurgency.

Not being prepared for a Russian invasion doesn't mean Russia would be successful.

Case in point, Ukraine.

If Russia attacked Poland in an SMO, the Polish 1st Armoured Regiment would be in Moscow within 3 days.

Putin isn't stupid. Taking the Baltic's is high risk but going near Poland would be suicide for his regime.