Seeing as it has now been shown that about 90% of the voters there support a genocidal murderer with a failing grasp on reality, maybe functioning hearts and/or minds may be difficult to find in russia.
You think that 90% figure is legitimate?
There is evidence of literal ballot stuffing, the result is clearly false.
Any aggressor needs their war brought back to their home, if at all possible. If this is nowadays controversial, That’s really sad but par for the course in our upside down world of today.
Russkiy mir ( Russian World ) - Putin uses this alot
Russian World is understood as referring to territories populated by people who are ethnic Russians, speak Russian, or associate with Russian culture. This includes Russia itself, and extends to places such as northern Kazakhstan, Belarus, the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Eastern Ukraine, the Transnistria region in Moldova, South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia, and also Serbia and Israel.
I have also heard it can extend to whereever Russian are regardless of number .. thats part of Russian World
Explanation from - https://globalvoices.org/2022/02/26/what-does-russian-world-stand-for-in-putins-statements-about-ukraine/
Very unlikely to be legitimate in my opinion but the publicity about such support for someone of putin's character does make me question the minds and hearts of those in russia who allow this pantomime of support for his war mongering, mass murder and gencide to continue. I'd hope if such blatant mockery of democracy was to take place here in Ireland that there would be a much stronger response from the public.
More hardcore Navalnaya perhaps. Have a listen to the whole video, it is translated to English. She doesnt hold back:
Forget Navalnaya. Spread the word about Yevgenia Chirikova, who calls on her fellow Russians to join the armed resistance, which is fighting as we speak and includes independence groups. This is the opposition
So .. this be interesting. OBAMA dropped into Sunak in No. 10 .. he arrived "unexpected" walking up the street to No. 10.
SKYs readout on this:
Our political correspondent Tamara Cohen says the meeting was a "courtesy visit" while Mr Obama is in London for meetings to do with his foundation.
Mr Obama and Rishi Sunak have never met before as the former president left office in 2017.
As it was a private meeting, Tamara says we will not be given a full readout of everything they discussed.
Likely topics, however, include the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
"Whether it touches on UK or US politics, we may not find out," Tamara says.
She adds that it "took us all by surprise to see him walking up the street" when Mr Obama arrived this afternoon.
So whats up here then???
Well she's better looking and looks more earnest than Prigozhin did. For all we know Prigozhin has retired to Brazil and it was a rouse to see who was unloyal to be defenestrated.
European weapons manufacturers are supplying Ukraine directly to the tune of 350k shells:
that is separate to the ones procured for Ukraine by the EU
The thing that bugs me the most with this conflict, is that both Putin and Medvedev know perfectly well what they are saying is lies.
They know their claim that Ukraine doesn't deserve independence is a lie. They know all of it, yet are willing to kill hundreds of thousands of people in pursuit of a known lie.
Why would political leaders act in a way they know to be false?
It's almost as if they want to have a big wider war because they know they aren't going to be around for long, so what's to lose if they take everyone down with them.
It's fairly straightforward. They're sociopathic empathy lacking individuals. Born into a society that values above all , strength. Surrounded on all sides by men that are the same as them. And you don't get to step down from the throne peacefully. If Putin shows weakness he swings from a lamppost. Pretty good incentive.
Himself and his cronies are also used to being on top and owning half a states worth of wealth in mansions and assets between a few handfuls of people. And it's a cliche but it's true. Power corrupts.
They live on top of a population that is on the whole completely apathetic to their political status.
Putin and his cronies saw that Ukraine(an ex soviet country) was moving toward more liberal democracy and away from the mafia state. Towards the EU. And much like the Baltics it would be shown, on Putins own doorstep, that the EU and true democracy works in favor of the regular Joe and crushes the oligarch under the weight of due process and bureaucracy. Even the regular Russian can appreciate when pavement slabs on the other side of the border aren't wonky and the buildings aren't dilapidated.
It shows his whole way of life is entirely invalid. He couldn't allow that.
It also didn't help that the West did absolutely nothing the last few times he invaded. if you give a bold child candy when they misbehave don't act surprised when you get more of same.
Something happening at the Kerch Bridge?
an update on the 100,000 shells for ukraine, its a lot more
MAKS 23 🇺🇦👀 on X: "🇨🇿🇺🇦 Czech Republic has secured 800,000 artillery ammunition from a variety of suppliers around the globe, and has also found another 700,000 (❗) that can be secured with additional funding. The total purchase of 1.5 million shells will cost $3.3 billion", - WSJ https://t.co/K2UPz3PCmJ" / X
That's a fairly good assessment, to be honest.
My concern is that their sociopathic obsession with strength will lead the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation because, as you say, they are sociopathic and care nothing for the rest of the world.
It's them, and them only. And it seems they are deliberately calibrating a confrontation with NATO that seems accidental.
All you need do is consider how both behaved with the West for the past 20-30 years.
In the last 2-3 years, the grammar has shifted toward war. Russia is now a total war economy. How does this end? Putin wants to go out with a bang, either in his favour or he loses and takes everyone down with him. I can't see any other logic to this bizarre set of words since 2022.
it was marcon who would not allow the purchase of shells outside of the eu, supported by greece and cyprus
If it's any consolation I'm pretty certain that it won't come to nukes. Putin might be a sociopath but he's not insane. And he regards his own life highly.
Have you seen the length of his covid distancing meeting table? These are not the actions of someone who wants to die. And Putin, much like everyone else, understands perfectly well that nukes means everyone dies.
The nukes are a bluff. But an effective one that has the west second guessing and dithering every decision to increase support or capability unfortunately.
I'm aware of that. It's easier to say the EU as it's the agreement they (the EU) came to. At least the latest funding approved by the EU, states that they can purchase arms outside the EU if the countries within the EU cannot supply what's needed.
I've heard that position a lot, and I understand it.
But let's think the unthinkable perhaps. Let's imagine the worst case scenario, where a sociopath is in control of nuclear weapons, realizing their own time is very much limited (he's 71). Putin knows that he cannot just launch nuclear weapons and destroy NATO, but that by invading Ukraine he is creating a scenario that causes the West to fracture -- either he gets what he wants, or the West intervenes and he responds with nukes.
Putin might be disgustingly evil, but he's not stupid.
His actions in the last 2-years are bizarre and irrational. His interviews, speeches, and statements are deluded. I don't believe he is deluded or stupid, so it seems intentional -- that he deliberately seeks escalation, even if it's based in falsehoods.
That's my concern, at least.
You mentioned COVID and dying, but mass war with NATO doesn't just mean Putin dies (although he'd presumably be in a bunker), it means he destroys everything anyway. We cannot blithely assume that sick people like that won't exist in society.
Putin cannot order a nuclear war against NATO without a pretext.
His irrational behaviour in the last 2-years, which we know he knows to be false, could be manipulatively used as the pretext.
I see they rolled out fat faced Putin to do the online voting. The real one couldn't even be arsed to vote in the sham.
The documentary just released on Netflix, Turning point, is excellent and gives a brilliant history of the nuclear arms race, the cold War, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the war on Ukraine for anyone interesting.
Hitler was responsible for 60 odd million deaths in WW2 but it was his influence that gave us all of the above. How one person, can be the catalyst for such death and destruction beggars belief.
So $1000 each, not as cheap as many drones but still affordable in comparison to most high technology. The Russians are still using Josef Stalins mantra, 'quantity has a quality of it's own.' Whilst those auld post war Soviet tanks T55's are obsolete the ones refurbished from stock are essentially free with some essential upgrades & maintenance, & similar have still been used in recent conflicts around the world.
A Spitfire fighter from 1940 would cost $630000 at todays prices, it's ridiculous how much a modern F35 costs.
There's a lot to be said for cheap fighter planes & tanks, such as Northdrop F-5, not up against the latest types, but for close support roles. Wiki says 400 still in service, but none with Ukraine friendly nations.
Meanwhile the RAF decides to retire Tranche 1 Typhoons. You'd think there's a real possibility of world peace breaking out soon!
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/raf-aircraft-numbers-drop-by-22-since-in-seven-years/
We can’t predict Putins mind. It is obvious though he is fond of living and the material excess's of this world.
The west ultimately has to prove that war is futile. It has been proved before multiple times. Of course not all war is futile. But war at this scale between modern developed countries is absolutely insane.( welcome to 1916) Russia obviously does not realise this and has ignored and distorted History to allow this to happen. The west is standing off to reduce the catastrophic consequences but it’s an incredibly fine line and Russia is emboldened by the perceived reticence of the west. They are completely ignoring their disastrous casualty rates and strategic ineptitude and just ploughing on. It’s difficult to find comparisons in history.
IMO UKr is better off bombing Russian infrastructure, ordinance , concentration of soldiers and suchlike rather than concentration of Russian civilians or their accommodation
Greystones better watch out and baybe ask the Irish government to allow it to join NATO BECAUSE I happen to know one Russian person who lives there and speaks fluent Russian.!!! I assume the Russian ambassador has made the relevant organisation back in Russia aware of that fact
The majority of Russians have shown no empathy for the endless bombing of Ukrainian civilians the last two years. So f*CK winning their hearts and minds at this stage. Maybe striking some fear into them would wake them up a bit more. Besides, you don't have to deliberately target civilians, there is also infrastructure or prestigious targets that would have huge PR value
This guy is worth watching on youtube
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniil_Orain
Never again.
I agree with this and think they are in fact a big bluff, but slightly playing devil's advocate with it, what if he actually thinks he can win a nuclear exchange ?
I'll take that as a 'no'.
Greystones?! You clearly haven't been to Swords. That is where they pester.
I have heard the 400k number being thrown around ( see below ), however as per article above it is a mix of wounded ( taken out of action due to injury where they are permanently unavailable ) + Dead.
Ukraine recently came out saying they have lost approx 33,000. A more recent number than the article above. Zelensky announced it recently, I think that is 33,000 Dead soldiers ( excluding civilian population that would be more again ).
The 400,000 number is mentioned here
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