Lol...he's actually like an old time Russian Czar....where do you think the Mafia learned their tactics?
I was reading an interesting article about how the Czars controlled the alcohol racket and used that to control the masses. The Czars definitely understood the racket business.
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One Type 45 destroyer armed with anti-aircraft missiles and an anti-submarine Type 23 frigate will leave the Royal Navy's carrier task group in the Mediterranean and head through the Bosphorus into the Black Sea, according to the report.
RAF F-35B Lightning stealth jets and Merlin submarine-hunting helicopters will stand ready on the task group's flag ship, the carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, to support the warships in the Black Sea, the report added.
He said Russia’s troop buildup was expected to reach 120,000 within a week, a greater deployment than the Russian buildup in 2014. Worrying signs included the deployment of a regiment of paratroopers, Iskander missiles, electronic warfare and “other clear signs of potentially offensive capabilities,” Kuleba said.
He said Ukraine did not know when or if Russia would cross the front line “but we certainly see strategic military preparations.”
“We in Ukraine have learned one thing about Putin's actions,” Kuleba said. “This lesson is that anything can be expected from the Russian leadership.”
"There are also wild rumours that Mr. Putin may make some kind of announcement regarding neighbouring Belarus, where his presidential ally Alexander Lukashenko – facing months of mass protests against his rule – said over the weekend that he had made the most important decision of his political career, one he needs to discuss with Mr. Putin. Mr. Putin is believed to desire the unification of Russia and Belarus, which like Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991."
On top of this, USA/Russia exchanging sanction and Russia pissing off the Czech Republic over the 2014 bombings which has resulted in recent sanctions.
For someone who may be more experienced than myself on the topic, is this posturing or worrying development?
Last edited by TherapyforGlencross; 04-20-2021 at 12:22 PM.
For someone who may be more experienced than myself on the topic, is this posturing or worrying development?
I don't know if I have more experience, but I think it is worrying. Nothing like a good old fashioned war to get the economy pumping. Ukraine also said that if they don't get fast tracked into NATO, they are going to acquire nuclear weapons.
Belarus and Russia uniting wouldn't be a huge deal. There has been a unification movement there since the USSR fell. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have fairly large numbers of supporters for unification as well.
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"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
Russia kind of scares me more than anyone else. China I think is more of a long term problem, with the entire cult of the Party over there.
Russia's GDP is the same as Canada, despite a much larger population. China's GDP is thriving. When Putin eventually leaves this earth, Russia could pivot any number of directions, unlike China whose leaders seem indoctrinated into the culture of the Communist Party allowing for a bit of consistency in governance.
This leaves Russia as a cornered bear who may lash out. World stability doesn't do them any good, unlike China who seems to prefer the status quo of building power with a stable world - using the current world to its advantage
If there is one thing Russia does well, it's play the long game. I think a lot of their aggression is meant to cause a demographic shift over time. There are already about 1 million Ukrainian refugees living in Poland and Slovakia, and I think that is part of their strategy. Chase Ukrainians out and move Russians in, then over time, you take the country without a fight. Putin is just trying to find that line where he can do this quickly while still making it unlikely the West will do anything other than bark. It also has the added benefit of causing economic hardship on neighboring countries that they see as unfriendly.
In related news, Czechia expelled 18 Russian diplomats and said they have evidence that the 2014 explosion of an arm's depot that killed 2 people was an act of terrorism sponsored by Russia.
I still believe that in a conventional war (exclusive of invasion of Russia) NATO would win, it would be bloody but they would win.
Man I wish I was 21 again.
I don't know if a conventional war between NATO and Russia would be possible to contain. It would probably become WWIII quickly. Fronts would likely open in the Caucasus and possibly other areas as each side tries to control the global supply chain. Plus, there are a few Russian allies that would quickly capitalize on the disorder to expand their own borders with the West unable to counter act.
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"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
I don't know if a conventional war between NATO and Russia would be possible to contain. It would probably become WWIII quickly. Fronts would likely open in the Caucasus and possibly other areas as each side tries to control the global supply chain. Plus, there are a few Russian allies that would quickly capitalize on the disorder to expand their own borders with the West unable to counter act.
Yeah, sadly I know.
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
I don't know if a conventional war between NATO and Russia would be possible to contain. It would probably become WWIII quickly. Fronts would likely open in the Caucasus and possibly other areas as each side tries to control the global supply chain. Plus, there are a few Russian allies that would quickly capitalize on the disorder to expand their own borders with the West unable to counter act.
If Russia and USA go to meaningful war it will be bye bye Taiwan to start. Anyone who thinks China wouldn't jump in to enjoy some advances of its own (may even attack Russia...) is crazy. The world is a powder keg right now, lots of alliances that could be auto triggered. It has all the makings of the last 20s.
If Russia and USA go to meaningful war it will be bye bye Taiwan to start. Anyone who thinks China wouldn't jump in to enjoy some advances of its own (may even attack Russia...) is crazy. The world is a powder keg right now, lots of alliances that could be auto triggered. It has all the makings of the last 20s.
Bosnia is another one that could light up. Serbia is a traditional ally of Russia and views Bosnia similar to how Russia views Ukraine. The conflict in Ukraine has attracted many volunteers from the area and Russia has been sending provacateurs there for a couple of years now.
Bosnia is another one that could light up. Serbia is a traditional ally of Russia and views Bosnia similar to how Russia views Ukraine. The conflict in Ukraine has attracted many volunteers from the area and Russia has been sending provacateurs there for a couple of years now.
Yeah if Serbia starts up, I fully believe the Croatians will charge in to see who can get the most land. History tells me they view large parts of Bosnia as theirs.
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
Corporal Jean-Marc H. BECHARD, 6 Aug 1993
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Originally Posted by Sliver
Just ignore me...I'm in a mood today.
Last edited by undercoverbrother; 04-20-2021 at 03:42 PM.
The propaganda in Russia is full on crazy. They are trying to convince their people that Russian families in countries where Russians are a minority, have their babies stolen from them. Here's compilation video of some of the crazy things they say on the news there:
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"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
The propaganda in Russia is full on crazy. They are trying to convince their people that Russian families in countries where Russians are a minority, have their babies stolen from them. Here's compilation video of some of the crazy things they say on the news there:
"We must protect the Germans in the Sudetenland"
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterJoji
Johnny eats garbage and isn’t 100% committed.
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The Russian's have always been experts at propaganda.
Just look at the exceptional movie Alexander Nevsky made in 1938 by Sergei Eisenstein.
Even though the Russian's and German's were allies at the time, the movie that was based on the real Nevsky talked about the inevitable invasion of Mother Russia by German knights before they were beaten by Russian Peasants.
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