Russian Invasion of Ukraine[In Progress]

[suchmoon]

You seem to be utterly confused and just rambling random words at this point. But i can see why https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/04/ukraine-counteroffensive-stalled-russia-war-defenses/ Long read probably beyond your attention span, but gives a sobering coverage of the failed counteroffensive and the finger pointing between west and Ukraine. But everyone already knew that, the bigger question is what happens next, now that Russians had even more time to make more mine fields and build defenses, and now Ukraine is lacking manpower. Looks like Ukraine solvency and existence will depend on the clown show in Washington next two week until congress will go on Christmas break, how many month will they extend Ukrainian aid for, range seems to be from 0 to 11 (November elections)

Nothing to do with what I said.

I don't understand the reason for your cognitive dissonance. There are subjective countries in the world and objects of their influence. Russia is a subjective country, Ukraine is an object of its influence. Ukraine does not have actual sovereignty, even if it has all the formal characteristics of a sovereign state. If this is news or revelation to you, then you don’t understand anything about politics.

It seems to be news to you that Kremlin is lying most of the time, including about how they're pissing away your country for no reason other than misplaced ambitions of a deranged gnome. Or you know it and just don't care.

Its not "Kremlin propagandist stuff", western media called them nazis too...before they stopped
for propaganda purposes

Except western media didn't invade Ukraine so that they could justify killing Ukrainians by calling them "nazis".

handing out subscriptions for free unlimited Russian gas

LOL behold geopolitical expert again trying to make it sound as if Kremlin never tried to bribe western politicians or even entire countries with petrodollars and cheap gas... still not able to connect the dots on why this brilliant strategy didn't work though.

[1715314863]

1715314863

[be.open]

I don't understand the reason for your cognitive dissonance. There are subjective countries in the world and objects of their influence. Russia is a subjective country, Ukraine is an object of its influence. Ukraine does not have actual sovereignty, even if it has all the formal characteristics of a sovereign state. If this is news or revelation to you, then you don’t understand anything about politics.

It seems to be news to you that Kremlin is lying most of the time, including about how they're pissing away your country for no reason other than misplaced ambitions of a deranged gnome. Or you know it and just don't care.

You know a lot about false accusations; for me personally this is not news.

It seems that the word “denazification” in relation to Ukraine especially touches a nerve with you, but among the goals of Russia’s special military operation this is not the main thing, “demilitarization” has higher priority, and the neutral non-aligned military status of Ukraine is the most important thing that Russia wants from Ukraine. And of course this goal will be achieved.

Even under your imperialistic and simplistic view of the world, it seems that Ukraine has decided they have a say on  whose influence they are better of with. Even a "subject" seems to be able to choose the "whateverf**k" that fits best.

I am not sure what you call "actual sovereignty", Ukraine is a recognised independent nation and as any country has to live with a range of influences - no country is free to do at will, not even the US, they are all subject to conditions, influences and relations. By now, they have figured out that Moscow would treat them like they treat the rest of the "subjects" - impoverishing them, sending them to die and letting them to deal with the local despot. They want to try something different.

In the case of geographically close countries in different weight categories, this works like gravity - you cannot just decide to choose a different source of influence, this will inevitably have consequences.

[Branko]

Germany sent

14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine
88 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine

“14” - Words is a reference to the white supremacist slogan: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children”
“88” - is the NeoNazi numerical code for “Heil Hitler”

[paxmao]

...

handing out subscriptions for free unlimited Russian gas

LOL behold geopolitical expert again trying to make it sound as if Kremlin never tried to bribe western politicians or even entire countries with petrodollars and cheap gas... still not able to connect the dots on why this brilliant strategy didn't work though.

In fact the reason why Putin is still there is because he is being careful not to touch the pensioners and most of the inhabitants of the larger, more influential cities. So handouts out and in are the go-to tools.

There are a number of polls that show that Ruzzians (not the "subjects" as Be calls anyone not Ruzzian) are actually tired and in favour of a peaceful solution. However these same people consider that it is not acceptable to give back any of the stolen Ukrainian land. Interesting how they understand the concept of peace.

Also interesting why they decided to use an expensive aircraft in good condition to serve as a marine habitat near Snake Island. Must be Eastern culture thing.

Germany sent

14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine
88 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine

“14” - Words is a reference to the white supremacist slogan: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children”
“88” - is the NeoNazi numerical code for “Heil Hitler”

You have wrong, 14 is A (first letter) and 8 is (H) 8th letter for Aldolf Hitler. But where I come from, five year old know that.

Branko, do you realize that if they send two more tanks your theory would be wrong? I mean, it is wrong, is just that is also in an state of unstable equilibrium.

[be.open]

There are a number of polls that show that Ruzzians (not the "subjects" as Be calls anyone not Ruzzian) are actually tired and in favour of a peaceful solution. However these same people consider that it is not acceptable to give back any of the stolen Ukrainian land. Interesting how they understand the concept of peace.

It seems you are again wishful thinking. Why would Russians get tired?

Moscow’s monthly income from oil exports is greater now than before the invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the failure of measures to curb its war chest

[Branko]

Branko, do you realize that if they send two more tanks your theory would be wrong? I mean, it is wrong, is just that is also in an state of unstable equilibrium.

Doesn't change the fact about first two batches

https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-send-leopard-tanks-ukraine-russia-war-rheinmetall/

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-approves-sending-heavy-leopard-tanks-ukraine-2023-01-25/

and obvious message they intended to send

https://www.adl.org/resources/hate-symbol/88

https://www.adl.org/resources/hate-symbol/14

[paxmao]

There are a number of polls that show that Ruzzians (not the "subjects" as Be calls anyone not Ruzzian) are actually tired and in favour of a peaceful solution. However these same people consider that it is not acceptable to give back any of the stolen Ukrainian land. Interesting how they understand the concept of peace.

It seems you are again wishful thinking. Why would Russians get tired?

Moscow’s monthly income from oil exports is greater now than before the invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the failure of measures to curb its war chest

A classic mistake, looking only at the income and not to the expenditure:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/blood-billions-cost-russias-war-ukraine-2023-08-23/

The paper cited officials from the United States, which supports Ukraine, as saying as many as 120,000 Russian troops have been killed and 170,000 to 180,000 injured, with Ukraine's military toll at 70,000 killed and 100,000 to 120,000 wounded.

Russia has doubled its 2023 defence spending target to more than $100 billion - a third of all public expenditure - a government document reviewed by Reuters showed, as the costs of the war in Ukraine spiral and place growing strain on Moscow's finances.

As Russia's military spending soars and sanctions squeeze its energy revenues, Moscow faces a battle to keep its budget deficit in check.

But regardless, not my thinking, but actual results of polls, to the extent you can believe in polls in Ruzzia.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/russians-support-for-peace-talks-with-ukraine-grows-after-unrest-poll-shows-1.1939760

From your own source of news

[be.open]

There are a number of polls that show that Ruzzians (not the "subjects" as Be calls anyone not Ruzzian) are actually tired and in favour of a peaceful solution. However these same people consider that it is not acceptable to give back any of the stolen Ukrainian land. Interesting how they understand the concept of peace.

It seems you are again wishful thinking. Why would Russians get tired?

Moscow’s monthly income from oil exports is greater now than before the invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the failure of measures to curb its war chest

A classic mistake, looking only at the income and not to the expenditure:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/blood-billions-cost-russias-war-ukraine-2023-08-23/

The paper cited officials from the United States, which supports Ukraine, as saying as many as 120,000 Russian troops have been killed and 170,000 to 180,000 injured, with Ukraine's military toll at 70,000 killed and 100,000 to 120,000 wounded.

Russia has doubled its 2023 defence spending target to more than $100 billion - a third of all public expenditure - a government document reviewed by Reuters showed, as the costs of the war in Ukraine spiral and place growing strain on Moscow's finances.

As Russia's military spending soars and sanctions squeeze its energy revenues, Moscow faces a battle to keep its budget deficit in check.

But regardless, not my thinking, but actual results of polls, to the extent you can believe in polls in Ruzzia.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/russians-support-for-peace-talks-with-ukraine-grows-after-unrest-poll-shows-1.1939760

From your own source of news

Lol, at the end of this year the budget deficit in Russia is about 1.5%. Against the backdrop of the huge problems with financing Ukraine that the United States and the European Union are experiencing right now, your attempts to convince me that it is Russia that is experiencing any financial difficulties look especially ridiculous.

As for the loss of manpower, it’s always unpleasant. But in 2023, for the first time in its history, Russia formed a mercenary contract army, to which at least 20 thousand people a month voluntarily join, and now Russia has a significant advantage in manpower over Ukraine, if we count the directly involved soldiers on the contact line.

[paxmao]

There are a number of polls that show that Ruzzians (not the "subjects" as Be calls anyone not Ruzzian) are actually tired and in favour of a peaceful solution. However these same people consider that it is not acceptable to give back any of the stolen Ukrainian land. Interesting how they understand the concept of peace.

It seems you are again wishful thinking. Why would Russians get tired?

Moscow’s monthly income from oil exports is greater now than before the invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the failure of measures to curb its war chest

A classic mistake, looking only at the income and not to the expenditure:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/blood-billions-cost-russias-war-ukraine-2023-08-23/

The paper cited officials from the United States, which supports Ukraine, as saying as many as 120,000 Russian troops have been killed and 170,000 to 180,000 injured, with Ukraine's military toll at 70,000 killed and 100,000 to 120,000 wounded.

Russia has doubled its 2023 defence spending target to more than $100 billion - a third of all public expenditure - a government document reviewed by Reuters showed, as the costs of the war in Ukraine spiral and place growing strain on Moscow's finances.

As Russia's military spending soars and sanctions squeeze its energy revenues, Moscow faces a battle to keep its budget deficit in check.

But regardless, not my thinking, but actual results of polls, to the extent you can believe in polls in Ruzzia.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/russians-support-for-peace-talks-with-ukraine-grows-after-unrest-poll-shows-1.1939760

From your own source of news

Lol, at the end of this year the budget deficit in Russia is about 1.5%. Against the backdrop of the huge problems with financing Ukraine that the United States and the European Union are experiencing right now, your attempts to convince me that it is Russia that is experiencing any financial difficulties look especially ridiculous.

As for the loss of manpower, it’s always unpleasant. But in 2023, for the first time in its history, Russia formed a mercenary contract army, to which at least 20 thousand people a month voluntarily join, and now Russia has a significant advantage in manpower over Ukraine, if we count the directly involved soldiers on the contact line.

Your point was that Ruzzia was having plenty of income, I showed how it is having plenty of expenses caused by the war. The way the deficit is balanced as anywhere else is by cutting on social expenditure (LOL). There is no magic trick. Also, I guess you consider as ok to have Moscow airport closed for hours or even days due to drone risks and factories blown-up from time to time, ...

Regarding the numbers you provide... well, you know... if you say so. In any case people joining Wagner which is NOT new and has been operating for at least a decade all over Africa speaks of the need of the poorer regions to make their living even if it risk being killed.

People often speak of "reality". Half of Ruzzia is being shielded from it. When it hits, it will it hard.

[be.open]

Your point was that Ruzzia was having plenty of income, I showed how it is having plenty of expenses caused by the war. The way the deficit is balanced as anywhere else is by cutting on social expenditure (LOL). There is no magic trick. Also, I guess you consider as ok to have Moscow airport closed for hours or even days due to drone risks and factories blown-up from time to time, ...

You are lying, the social part of the budget in Russia was not cut in 2022 and 2023, and at least for the next three years the Russian budget will remain socially oriented.

I’ll tell you more, the budget for next year in Russia is a development budget. Stop fantasizing, Western sanctions against Russia have failed, just like the Ukrainian counter-offensive. Find the courage to face reality.

Today Putin flew to Abu Dhabi and in his honor F16 fighters painted the Russian tricolor in the sky lol.

Regarding the numbers you provide... well, you know... if you say so. In any case people joining Wagner which is NOT new and has been operating for at least a decade all over Africa speaks of the need of the poorer regions to make their living even if it risk being killed.

Your words only confirm your complete ignorance of the subject of the conversation. I'm talking about volunteers who enter into contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, not about Wagner.

[paxmao]

Your point was that Ruzzia was having plenty of income, I showed how it is having plenty of expenses caused by the war. The way the deficit is balanced as anywhere else is by cutting on social expenditure (LOL). There is no magic trick. Also, I guess you consider as ok to have Moscow airport closed for hours or even days due to drone risks and factories blown-up from time to time, ...

You are lying, the social part of the budget in Russia was not cut in 2022 and 2023, and at least for the next three years the Russian budget will remain socially oriented.

I’ll tell you more, the budget for next year in Russia is a development budget. Stop fantasizing, Western sanctions against Russia have failed, just like the Ukrainian counter-offensive. Find the courage to face reality.

Today Putin flew to Abu Dhabi and in his honor F16 fighters painted the Russian tricolor in the sky lol.

Regarding the numbers you provide... well, you know... if you say so. In any case people joining Wagner which is NOT new and has been operating for at least a decade all over Africa speaks of the need of the poorer regions to make their living even if it risk being killed.

Your words only confirm your complete ignorance of the subject of the conversation. I'm talking about volunteers who enter into contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, not about Wagner.

Sure, I am lying *wink *wink, Russia has the miraculous ability of creating money out of the air so they can spend more in social, more in the war, more in whatever but at the same time balancing the budget (LOL again).

...
As for the loss of manpower, it’s always unpleasant. But in 2023, for the first time in its history, Russia formed a mercenary contract army, to which at least 20 thousand people a month voluntarily join, and now Russia has a significant advantage in manpower over Ukraine, if we count the directly involved soldiers on the contact line.

You have clearly stated you spoke a private military force. It is definitely not the first time.

Now you speak of the Mod while calling me an ignorant on the matter. You should do a sense check of this thread. If you can call apples to a banana, but it is yellow and tastes of bannana - these people joining are regulars and it simply means that the "patriotism" is extinct, the convicts are diminishing and now it is time to offer the equivalent of 7000 sign-up bonus with 3 to 4000 a month for anyone crazy enough to sign-up to be what is in fact a regular.

20000 people a month you say. I really need to get proof of that - do not bother, you do not have it, you probably got that from TwitterX and Ruzzia does not publish the number of losses.

...
In the case of geographically close countries in different weight categories, this works like gravity - you cannot just decide to choose a different source of influence, this will inevitably have consequences.

Well, it seems your theory is not 100% robust, unless you still call this a "Special Military whateverthef**k".

..

Today Putin flew to Abu Dhabi and in his honor F16 fighters painted the Russian tricolor in the sky lol.
...

To match the level of relevance, my uncle is recovering very well from his knee surgery.

Branko, do you realize that if they send two more tanks your theory would be wrong? I mean, it is wrong, is just that is also in an state of unstable equilibrium.

Doesn't change the fact about first two batches

https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-send-leopard-tanks-ukraine-russia-war-rheinmetall/

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-approves-sending-heavy-leopard-tanks-ukraine-2023-01-25/

...

Branko, there is not any fact.

[DaRude]

...

handing out subscriptions for free unlimited Russian gas

LOL behold geopolitical expert again trying to make it sound as if Kremlin never tried to bribe western politicians or even entire countries with petrodollars and cheap gas... still not able to connect the dots on why this brilliant strategy didn't work though.

You need to work on your reading comprehension skills. Thought it was obvious, no? West/US has exponentially more resources and a global reserve currency, that's why they engaged in financial expansionism. Russia is not even in the same weight category on the financial field. That kept going until "west" got to Ukraine which Russia drew a red line at, and demanded a written reply to their security demands from US, think we all can guess what US wrote in that response (can't wait until it's declassified), so Russia switched to military engagement. Then in the beginning Russia again tried to negotiate peace but then Boris Johnson said that WE MUST CONTINUE THE WAR, and here we are. But just because Russia cannot compete globally on the financial field, doesn't mean they can't do it selectively, which i think they're doing rather successfully in Hungary now. Instead of challenging the whole block which would be a financial suicide, Russia just needs to send cookies to the weakest link from the block with a veto power. Now west is forced to apply yet another double standard, pay for Ukrainian army, politicians, civil servants, retirement fund, support Ukrainian currency but at the same time try to justify why Russia and China cannot do even half of that because...reasons.

[paxmao]

...

handing out subscriptions for free unlimited Russian gas

LOL behold geopolitical expert again trying to make it sound as if Kremlin never tried to bribe western politicians or even entire countries with petrodollars and cheap gas... still not able to connect the dots on why this brilliant strategy didn't work though.

You need to work on your reading comprehension skills. Thought it was obvious, no? West/US has exponentially more resources and a global reserve currency, that's why they engaged in financial expansionism. Russia is not even in the same weight category on the financial field. That kept going until "west" got to Ukraine which Russia drew a red line at, and demanded a written reply to their security demands from US, think we all can guess what US wrote in that response (can't wait until it's declassified), so Russia switched to military engagement. Then in the beginning Russia again tried to negotiate peace but then Boris Johnson said that WE MUST CONTINUE THE WAR, and here we are. But just because Russia cannot compete globally on the financial field, doesn't mean they can't do it selectively, which i think they're doing rather successfully in Hungary now. Instead of challenging the whole block which would be a financial suicide, Russia just needs to send cookies to the weakest link from the block with a veto power. Now west is forced to apply yet another double standard, pay for Ukrainian army, politicians, civil servants, retirement fund, support Ukrainian currency but at the same time try to justify why Russia and China cannot do even half of that because...reasons.

You are opening another topic, but let's play along. May I understand why in the world Ruzzia feels they are entitled to have any guarantees from anyone, particularly of the US? Was that "request" something like: "either you give me the guarantee I am seeking or I will start a war an spoil the welfare of half of the world". do you understand that it is quite difficult to threaten an economy ten times your size and an army 10 times yours?

Of course that is not going to be accepted. And if Ruzzia chooses the warpath, there shall be war.

Re all other whattabouts on China and Bulgaria are irrelevant to it. Bulgaria is going to lag behind since they will not be getting funds. If the government is elected again, it is well in the realm of possibility they will be invited to join Ruzzia and leave UE (good luck to all).

[LTU_btc]

Meanwhile today in Moscow who one of the most nasty Z-person, traitor of Ukriane Ilya Kiva was eliminated:
https://www.ft.com/content/834e90a5-6ae0-4839-b184-2c7c5e22ced0
Previously he was member of Ukraine's Rada, but after start of invasion he run away to Russia where he actively supported war in Ukraine and become frequent guest on propaganda shows.
Interesting moment that in 2014 he was active participant of Maidan, become member of nationalist Right Sector, but later he changed views to pro- Russian. What a chameleon. Quite ironical that Kiva in his last post on Telegram today posted that best option for Zelensky now is suicide, well, that didn't aged well:
https://t.me/The_Kyva/6381
This SBU operation shows that traitors can't feel safe even far away in Moscow.

[DaRude]

...

handing out subscriptions for free unlimited Russian gas

LOL behold geopolitical expert again trying to make it sound as if Kremlin never tried to bribe western politicians or even entire countries with petrodollars and cheap gas... still not able to connect the dots on why this brilliant strategy didn't work though.

You need to work on your reading comprehension skills. Thought it was obvious, no? West/US has exponentially more resources and a global reserve currency, that's why they engaged in financial expansionism. Russia is not even in the same weight category on the financial field. That kept going until "west" got to Ukraine which Russia drew a red line at, and demanded a written reply to their security demands from US, think we all can guess what US wrote in that response (can't wait until it's declassified), so Russia switched to military engagement. Then in the beginning Russia again tried to negotiate peace but then Boris Johnson said that WE MUST CONTINUE THE WAR, and here we are. But just because Russia cannot compete globally on the financial field, doesn't mean they can't do it selectively, which i think they're doing rather successfully in Hungary now. Instead of challenging the whole block which would be a financial suicide, Russia just needs to send cookies to the weakest link from the block with a veto power. Now west is forced to apply yet another double standard, pay for Ukrainian army, politicians, civil servants, retirement fund, support Ukrainian currency but at the same time try to justify why Russia and China cannot do even half of that because...reasons.

You are opening another topic, but let's play along. May I understand why in the world Ruzzia feels they are entitled to have any guarantees from anyone, particularly of the US? Was that "request" something like: "either you give me the guarantee I am seeking or I will start a war an spoil the welfare of half of the world". do you understand that it is quite difficult to threaten an economy ten times your size and an army 10 times yours?

Of course that is not going to be accepted. And if Ruzzia chooses the warpath, there shall be war.

Re all other whattabouts on China and Bulgaria are irrelevant to it. Bulgaria is going to lag behind since they will not be getting funds. If the government is elected again, it is well in the realm of possibility they will be invited to join Ruzzia and leave UE (good luck to all).

Agreements for spheres of influence are as old as time and happen all the time. The reason is simple and the same as why US demanded Soviet union not to open bases in Cuba and bring missiles there or US would put Cuba under a blockade. And more currently why US can demand change of government in Cuba or they keep the country under an embargo. Same question might be asked to US and why they are entitled to interfere in the most elections around the world, or "protect" oil fields in Syria and Iraq, or after sanctions on Russian oil how US makes an agreement with Venezuela and now suddenly Venezuela is taking over parts of Guyana with not many objections from the west or offers to protect the freedom of people in Guyana. For obvious reasons it's just very rarely that they put these things in writing at the top levels.

Unfortunately, no one really cares whether you feel that's acceptable to you or not.

As far as Bulgaria leaving EU, Russia is not strong enough on its own yet, so if that would to happen Bulgaria would be leaving EU for BRICS with funding from China. With the technological gap shrinking the global trend is turning back to resources, and it just happens that unlike in US there just aren't that many resources in EU. Seeing EU starting to break apart would not be a positive for the west.

The Washington Post Oct. 13, 2016
While the days of its worst behavior are long behind it, the United States does have a well-documented history of interfering and sometimes interrupting the workings of democracies elsewhere. It has occupied and intervened militarily in a whole swath of countries in the Caribbean and Latin America and fomented coups against democratically elected populists.

The most infamous episodes include the ousting of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953 — whose government was replaced by an authoritarian monarchy favorable to Washington — the removal and assassination of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba in 1961, and the violent toppling of socialist Chilean President Salvador Allende, whose government was swept aside in 1973 by a military coup led by the ruthless Gen. Augusto Pinochet.
...
Sometimes that agenda also explicitly converged with the interests of U.S. business: In 1954, Washington unseated Guatemala's left-wing president, Jacobo Arbenz, who had had the temerity to challenge the vast control of the United Fruit Co., a U.S. corporation, with agrarian laws that would be fairer to Guatemalan farmers. The CIA went on to install and back a series of right-wing dictatorships that brutalized the impoverished nation for almost half a century.
...
Aside from its instigation of coups and alliances with right-wing juntas, Washington sought to more subtly influence elections in all corners of the world. And so did Moscow. Political scientist Dov Levin calculates that the “two powers intervened in 117 elections around the world from 1946 to 2000 — an average of once in every nine competitive elections.”
...
CIA operatives gave millions of dollars to their Italian allies and helped orchestrate what was then an unprecedented, clandestine propaganda campaign: This included forging documents to besmirch communist leaders via fabricated sex scandals, starting a mass letter-writing campaign from Italian Americans to their compatriots, and spreading hysteria about a Russian takeover and the undermining of the Catholic Church.
...
“We had bags of money that we delivered to selected politicians, to defray their political expenses, their campaign expenses, for posters, for pamphlets,” recounted F. Mark Wyatt, the CIA officer who handled the mission and later participated in more than 2½ decades of direct support to the Christian Democrats.
...
This template spread everywhere: CIA operative Edward G. Lansdale, notorious for his efforts to bring down the North Vietnamese government, is said to have run the successful 1953 campaign of Philippines President Ramon Magsaysay. Japan's center-right Liberal Democratic Party was backed with secret American funds through the 1950s and the 1960s. The U.S. government and American oil corporations helped Christian parties in Lebanon win crucial elections in 1957 with briefcases full of cash.
...
In Chile, the United States prevented Allende from winning an election in 1964. “A total of nearly four million dollars was spent on some fifteen covert action projects, ranging from organizing slum dwellers to passing funds to political parties,” detailed a Senate inquiry in the mid-1970s that started to expose the role of the CIA in overseas elections. When it couldn't defeat Allende at the ballot box in 1970, Washington decided to remove him anyway.
“I don’t see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people,” Kissinger is said to have quipped. Pinochet's regime presided over years of torture, disappearances and targeted assassinations.
...
After the end of the Cold War, the United States has largely brought its covert actions into the open with organizations like the more benign National Endowment for Democracy, which seeks to bolster civil society and democratic institutions around the world through grants and other assistance. Still, U.S. critics see the American hand in a range of more recent elections, from Honduras to Venezuela to Ukraine.
...
“If the Chinese indeed tried to influence the election here . . . the United States is only getting a taste of its own medicine,” Peter Kornbluh, director of the National Security Archive, which is affiliated with George Washington University, said in a 1997 interview with the New York Times. “China has done little more than emulate a long pattern of U.S. manipulation, bribery and covert operations to influence the political trajectory of countless countries around the world.”

[Branko]

Meanwhile today in Moscow who one of the most nasty Z-person, traitor of Ukriane Ilya Kiva was eliminated:
https://www.ft.com/content/834e90a5-6ae0-4839-b184-2c7c5e22ced0
Previously he was member of Ukraine's Rada, but after start of invasion he run away to Russia where he actively supported war in Ukraine and become frequent guest on propaganda shows.
Interesting moment that in 2014 he was active participant of Maidan, become member of nationalist Right Sector, but later he changed views to pro- Russian. What a chameleon. Quite ironical that Kiva in his last post on Telegram today posted that best option for Zelensky now is suicide, well, that didn't aged well:
https://t.me/The_Kyva/6381
This SBU operation shows that traitors can't feel safe even far away in Moscow.

FSB killed him, because Zelensky is too valuable to Russia

[paxmao]

...

handing out subscriptions for free unlimited Russian gas

LOL behold geopolitical expert again trying to make it sound as if Kremlin never tried to bribe western politicians or even entire countries with petrodollars and cheap gas... still not able to connect the dots on why this brilliant strategy didn't work though.

You need to work on your reading comprehension skills. Thought it was obvious, no? West/US has exponentially more resources and a global reserve currency, that's why they engaged in financial expansionism. Russia is not even in the same weight category on the financial field. That kept going until "west" got to Ukraine which Russia drew a red line at, and demanded a written reply to their security demands from US, think we all can guess what US wrote in that response (can't wait until it's declassified), so Russia switched to military engagement. Then in the beginning Russia again tried to negotiate peace but then Boris Johnson said that WE MUST CONTINUE THE WAR, and here we are. But just because Russia cannot compete globally on the financial field, doesn't mean they can't do it selectively, which i think they're doing rather successfully in Hungary now. Instead of challenging the whole block which would be a financial suicide, Russia just needs to send cookies to the weakest link from the block with a veto power. Now west is forced to apply yet another double standard, pay for Ukrainian army, politicians, civil servants, retirement fund, support Ukrainian currency but at the same time try to justify why Russia and China cannot do even half of that because...reasons.

You are opening another topic, but let's play along. May I understand why in the world Ruzzia feels they are entitled to have any guarantees from anyone, particularly of the US? Was that "request" something like: "either you give me the guarantee I am seeking or I will start a war an spoil the welfare of half of the world". do you understand that it is quite difficult to threaten an economy ten times your size and an army 10 times yours?

Of course that is not going to be accepted. And if Ruzzia chooses the warpath, there shall be war.

Re all other whattabouts on China and Bulgaria are irrelevant to it. Bulgaria is going to lag behind since they will not be getting funds. If the government is elected again, it is well in the realm of possibility they will be invited to join Ruzzia and leave UE (good luck to all).

Agreements for spheres of influence are as old as time and happen all the time. The reason is simple and the same as why US demanded Soviet union not to open bases in Cuba and bring missiles there or US would put Cuba under a blockade. [...]

Unfortunately, no one really cares whether you feel that's acceptable to you or not.

As far as Bulgaria leaving EU, Russia is not strong enough on its own yet, so if that would to happen Bulgaria would be leaving EU for BRICS with funding from China. With the technological gap shrinking the global trend is turning back to resources, and it just happens that unlike in US there just aren't that many resources in EU. Seeing EU starting to break apart would not be a positive for the west.
[... pages of whatabout removed]

Unfortunately, no one really cares if you feel that was acceptable, as you can see by the fact that there is a war just before your nose.

Ruzzia is not the Soviet Union, is a much weaker leader of a federation. Obviously Ruzzia and other bits of the world have a disagreement on the "sphere of influence" that Ruzzia actually has.

If that lack of influence was doubtful, It has been confirmed to be very weak. Waging war Ruzzia can cause a lot of trouble to all including themselves, but that's it.

Mark Twain said "It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt”, so I would say "it is better to have the world doubting your power than start a war like this and confirm your irrelevance".


Have you seen the fireworks in Crimea? does that look to you like influence?
https://t.me/Crimeanwind/49640

[Hispo]

Meanwhile today in Moscow who one of the most nasty Z-person, traitor of Ukriane Ilya Kiva was eliminated:
https://www.ft.com/content/834e90a5-6ae0-4839-b184-2c7c5e22ced0
Previously he was member of Ukraine's Rada, but after start of invasion he run away to Russia where he actively supported war in Ukraine and become frequent guest on propaganda shows.
Interesting moment that in 2014 he was active participant of Maidan, become member of nationalist Right Sector, but later he changed views to pro- Russian. What a chameleon. Quite ironical that Kiva in his last post on Telegram today posted that best option for Zelensky now is suicide, well, that didn't aged well:
https://t.me/The_Kyva/6381
This SBU operation shows that traitors can't feel safe even far away in Moscow.

Sometimes I forget how brutal war is...
I just checked the article and took a deep dive into the history of Ukraine intelligence on the assassination of specific targets in the occupied territories and within Russia itself. It kinds of reminds me when Wagner used to do the same thing against defectors in Ukraine.
It would have been more intelligent for him just to move out Ukraine to shut up, instead talking and catching the attention as he obviously liked to.
The straw which broke the Camel's back was officially endorsing the Kremlin and actively collaborating to present his own homeland as a Nazi ridden hell hole.

Rest in pepperoni.

[DaRude]

...

handing out subscriptions for free unlimited Russian gas

LOL behold geopolitical expert again trying to make it sound as if Kremlin never tried to bribe western politicians or even entire countries with petrodollars and cheap gas... still not able to connect the dots on why this brilliant strategy didn't work though.

You need to work on your reading comprehension skills. Thought it was obvious, no? West/US has exponentially more resources and a global reserve currency, that's why they engaged in financial expansionism. Russia is not even in the same weight category on the financial field. That kept going until "west" got to Ukraine which Russia drew a red line at, and demanded a written reply to their security demands from US, think we all can guess what US wrote in that response (can't wait until it's declassified), so Russia switched to military engagement. Then in the beginning Russia again tried to negotiate peace but then Boris Johnson said that WE MUST CONTINUE THE WAR, and here we are. But just because Russia cannot compete globally on the financial field, doesn't mean they can't do it selectively, which i think they're doing rather successfully in Hungary now. Instead of challenging the whole block which would be a financial suicide, Russia just needs to send cookies to the weakest link from the block with a veto power. Now west is forced to apply yet another double standard, pay for Ukrainian army, politicians, civil servants, retirement fund, support Ukrainian currency but at the same time try to justify why Russia and China cannot do even half of that because...reasons.

You are opening another topic, but let's play along. May I understand why in the world Ruzzia feels they are entitled to have any guarantees from anyone, particularly of the US? Was that "request" something like: "either you give me the guarantee I am seeking or I will start a war an spoil the welfare of half of the world". do you understand that it is quite difficult to threaten an economy ten times your size and an army 10 times yours?

Of course that is not going to be accepted. And if Ruzzia chooses the warpath, there shall be war.

Re all other whattabouts on China and Bulgaria are irrelevant to it. Bulgaria is going to lag behind since they will not be getting funds. If the government is elected again, it is well in the realm of possibility they will be invited to join Ruzzia and leave UE (good luck to all).

Agreements for spheres of influence are as old as time and happen all the time. The reason is simple and the same as why US demanded Soviet union not to open bases in Cuba and bring missiles there or US would put Cuba under a blockade. [...]

Unfortunately, no one really cares whether you feel that's acceptable to you or not.

As far as Bulgaria leaving EU, Russia is not strong enough on its own yet, so if that would to happen Bulgaria would be leaving EU for BRICS with funding from China. With the technological gap shrinking the global trend is turning back to resources, and it just happens that unlike in US there just aren't that many resources in EU. Seeing EU starting to break apart would not be a positive for the west.
[... pages of whatabout removed]

Unfortunately, no one really cares if you feel that was acceptable, as you can see by the fact that there is a war just before your nose.

Ruzzia is not the Soviet Union, is a much weaker leader of a federation. Obviously Ruzzia and other bits of the world have a disagreement on the "sphere of influence" that Ruzzia actually has.

If that lack of influence was doubtful, It has been confirmed to be very weak. Waging war Ruzzia can cause a lot of trouble to all including themselves, but that's it.

Mark Twain said "It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt”, so I would say "it is better to have the world doubting your power than start a war like this and confirm your irrelevance".


Have you seen the fireworks in Crimea? does that look to you like influence?
https://t.me/Crimeanwind/49640

It wasn't whataboutism in a sense that i wasn't justifying the action, just simply stating that this is just how the world works (whether right or wrong). No competition can exists with double standards.

Yes unfortunately we humans are still living in the your tribe vs my tribe mindset. World powers need to constantly expand thus the disagreements, we haven't figured out how to adjust influences as power shifts from one side to another. We got a bit better when we transitioned from military expansionism to mostly financial expansionism, where we try to buy out other countries instead of just clubbing them with sticks, but when outcome is not clear and expansion is contested we fall back to military confrontation and killing each other as a way to decide who's stronger. Russian sphere has been contrasting since the 80s, and now its sphere of influence is down to bare bone Russian speaking countries from the old Soviet block with majority sharing direct border with Russia. It was an insane move for US to challenge the status quo and go after them, especially after Russia was getting stronger in the 2000s.

Financially, west has thrown more sanctions at Russia than any other country in the world, yet Russia's economy is on course to recover this year from a 2.1% drop in GDP in 2022, as the West imposed sweeping sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. In the first quarter of this year, GDP decreased 1.8% and grew 4.9% in the second. And militarily, despite billions in military equipment, all of NATO resources, intelligence, spy networks, satellites, and "foreign volunteers" Russia is still advancing almost 2 years into the conflict. So I'm not sure what's your definition of a "very weak" country is.

As per above, waging the war is just a way to contest the financial expansion. Outcomes are, either Ukraine stays under Russian sphere (Russia wins), Ukraine transitions to the west sphere (Russia looses), some compromise where Ukraine is split between two spheres. There's also a chance of Ukraine becoming a truly neutral buffer state, but i don't think it's probable seeing how even Switzerland is forced to give up its neutrality. Of course in all scenarios Ukraine always looses, and the west never really looses as long as it doesn't get involved directly.

Good quote from Mark Twain but doesn't apply to current situation. You can only cry paper tiger for so long, after fighting it for almost 2 years and still loosing some land, still yelling paper tiger starting to just sound silly.

As you're aware, I don't pay much attention to daily military events from the front. They're just used to confuse and manipulate the masses, gives a false sense of understanding the dynamics of the conflict, only to set up for a big dissapointment. What I'm watching now is Senate Republicans Block Ukraine Aid Bill. I still expect them to fund Ukraine until spring as dropping Ukraine now in the winter would be catastrophic and send the worst possible message. But now seeing even republicans in the Senate (not just the house of representatives) blocking it, and Zelenskiy canceling his speech to the Senate last minute, makes the probability of a hard drop in winter non negligible and its growing with every day. Regardless, the writing is on the wall, with US presidential elections starting in the spring, this would be the last aid packag to Ukraine.

Meanwhile today in Moscow who one of the most nasty Z-person, traitor of Ukriane Ilya Kiva was eliminated:
https://www.ft.com/content/834e90a5-6ae0-4839-b184-2c7c5e22ced0
Previously he was member of Ukraine's Rada, but after start of invasion he run away to Russia where he actively supported war in Ukraine and become frequent guest on propaganda shows.
Interesting moment that in 2014 he was active participant of Maidan, become member of nationalist Right Sector, but later he changed views to pro- Russian. What a chameleon. Quite ironical that Kiva in his last post on Telegram today posted that best option for Zelensky now is suicide, well, that didn't aged well:
https://t.me/The_Kyva/6381
This SBU operation shows that traitors can't feel safe even far away in Moscow.

Sometimes I forget how brutal war is...
I just checked the article and took a deep dive into the history of Ukraine intelligence on the assassination of specific targets in the occupied territories and within Russia itself. It kinds of reminds me when Wagner used to do the same thing against defectors in Ukraine.
It would have been more intelligent for him just to move out Ukraine to shut up, instead talking and catching the attention as he obviously liked to.
The straw which broke the Camel's back was officially endorsing the Kremlin and actively collaborating to present his own homeland as a Nazi ridden hell hole.

Rest in pepperoni.

Guess he still needed to get paid somehow and was promised an easy job. Regardless of how anyone feels about this person, surely everyone must see the dissonance here. On one hand they try to convince everyone that Russians are committing genocide against Ukrainian people, but on the other there's indirect coverage of how this Ukrainian was safely living in Moscow without any issues and enjoying his life until this and it's SBU that's now trying to make sure that Ukrainians (dissidents) don't feel safe in Russia anymore   anyone knows of any openly Jewish dissidents living happily in Berlin under Nazis?

Encyclopaedia Britannica
Genocide, the deliberate and systematic destruction of a group of people because of their ethnicity, nationality, religion, or race. The term, derived from the Greek genos (“race,” “tribe,” or “nation”) and the Latin cide (“killing”), was coined by Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-born jurist who served as an adviser to the U.S. Department of War during World War II.

[suchmoon]

...

handing out subscriptions for free unlimited Russian gas

LOL behold geopolitical expert again trying to make it sound as if Kremlin never tried to bribe western politicians or even entire countries with petrodollars and cheap gas... still not able to connect the dots on why this brilliant strategy didn't work though.

You need to work on your reading comprehension skills. Thought it was obvious, no? West/US has exponentially more resources and a global reserve currency, that's why they engaged in financial expansionism. Russia is not even in the same weight category on the financial field. That kept going until "west" got to Ukraine which Russia drew a red line at, and demanded a written reply to their security demands from US, think we all can guess what US wrote in that response (can't wait until it's declassified), so Russia switched to military engagement. Then in the beginning Russia again tried to negotiate peace but then Boris Johnson said that WE MUST CONTINUE THE WAR, and here we are. But just because Russia cannot compete globally on the financial field, doesn't mean they can't do it selectively, which i think they're doing rather successfully in Hungary now. Instead of challenging the whole block which would be a financial suicide, Russia just needs to send cookies to the weakest link from the block with a veto power. Now west is forced to apply yet another double standard, pay for Ukrainian army, politicians, civil servants, retirement fund, support Ukrainian currency but at the same time try to justify why Russia and China cannot do even half of that because...reasons.

The only thing obvious is that when you bullied someone in the playground and got your face bashed in, you would cry and complain that the other guy didn't play by your made up rules and/or turned out to be "not even in the same weight category". Your verbal gymnastics is impressive. However if you're trying to establish "new world order" or whatever putinists call it, then it follows from said gymnastics that you either miscalculated bigly or are just plain lying.

Richest country in the world, ruled by the greatest leader of all time, does not have enough resources to compete in the global markets or at least not suck horribly, and the lemmings still can't figure out why.