Posts by Anthony Hill5

Nancy Gomez26 said:

Lisa Jackson7 As stated by:
I will simply reiterate what you have highlighted in bold. As for the rest, I find myself in agreement—not that I am particularly pleased about it.

It wasn't the Russians who voted to put those people in power. They’ve been voted in.The first presidential elections back in '91 were perhaps the only ones that could be considered somewhat legitimate. Everything following that was little more than a staged performance—orchestrated, unfortunately, with heavy involvement from the West, most notably the USA.
So, it seems Boris Yeltsin has already become that "friend you simply can't let hang out to dry"—if I may be so bold as to put it that way.

Putin is simply the logical progression...

I don't view Putin as the logical successor to Boris Yeltsin. The man comes from an entirely different social sphere. One can only wonder why, and under what specific circumstances, Yeltsin "selected" him to take the reins. But then again, that’s a question for the historians.

That question was settled a long time ago.

Samuel Rodriguez52 said:So, I was reading this interesting deep dive from BuzzFeed News where they basically fact-checked all those claims coming out of the Russian Department of Defense regarding their supposed "wins" in Ukraine. It’s kind of wild when you look at the numbers, because the spokesperson, Igor Konashekov, keeps reporting these massive victories on TV every single day. For instance, back on June 10 Biden, he claimed they had destroyed 215 Ukrainian aircraft, which is pretty crazy considering the Department of Defense says Ukraine only even had 152 planes to begin with before the war started. He also mentioned taking out 84 Bayraktars, which is actually twenty more than what Turkey ever even provided to Ukraine. On top of all that, he’s been reporting these territorial gains constantly; he claimed forces "captured" the town of Kremenna four different times, and then there were these repetitive reports about seizing Novomajorski, Taramčuk, and Borovenka. 😁

Link: https://www.proekt.media/research/of...ka-minoborony/

Perhaps most ridiculous of all is the claim regarding the capture of Zakabluhovka—a place that doesn't even appear on the map and hasn't seen a permanent resident since 1980.

On February 28, he claimed in his morning report that they had destroyed 314 Ukrainian tanks, only to update that figure to 311 in the evening report. Is anyone actually expected to believe this mathematical gymnastics? 🤣

darkdriver said:I still don't really get what any of this means for your average Russian—you know, the people living outside of Moscow or Saint Petersburg, who probably don't even have a flushing toilet, running water, or a washing machine, and have definitely never even tasted Nutella. And let's be real, most people fall into that category, right?

It matters immensely to them, because finally, those in New York and Los Angeles will be able to reach the standard of living enjoyed by the average American living elsewhere. Life will become significantly more pleasant once we are no longer burdened by the petty envy of those residing outside of the major metropolitan centers.

analogbear5 said:What’s the chance Russia follows China's lead—making education and scientific research a top priority—so they can actually compete with China and the West long-term, both tech-wise and in terms of living standards?

Zero. The ruling kleptocracy isn't about to let go of their petrodollars that easily.

Shouldn't they look to anyone else besides China for inspiration?

Samuel Rodriguez52 said:Looks like Recep Tayyip Erdoğan finally gave in! Turkey, Sweden, and Finland have officially signed a trilateral memorandum, which I guess should really clear the path for both Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

Source: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_197251.htm

What do you mean Erdoğan?! Who does he think he is?! Zoki’s word is the final one!!!

steelfox98 said:Pure PR stunt to justify the total failure of those sanctions.

Anyone with half a brain would have verified this before dumping it all over the forum—especially since it’s been the main topic for days. Of course, they only focus on the "Fuck EU" part. They conveniently ignore the much more vital piece: the part that started this whole chain reaction leading to the coup organized by Americans and the current conflict.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/vi...l-leaked-video

It is nothing short of a total fiasco, especially when you consider that even the Russian Finance Minister is admitting to an 8.5% GDP collapse, or essentially claiming they have surrendered twenty years of progress.

Admittedly, they focused solely on the "Fuck EU" comment. They conveniently ignored the far more critical element—the catalyst for the entire chain of events involving what was clearly an American-orchestrated coup, which ultimately led to the current conflict.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/vi...l-leaked-video

The whole "Fuck EU" sentiment emerged during the negotiations with Viktor Yanukovych regarding the formation of a new government where Arseniy Yatsenyuk was slated to become Prime Minister.

We all know the real reason why Yanukovych fled to Russia, and this leaked phone call certainly isn't it.

wiredseal7 said:https://twitter.com/5thSu/status/136...bS9XAgjLvdNZHQ

Videos like this were popping up right around that time—long before the Russian side started releasing their own footage.
And the intensity of the conflict from the Ukrainian side spiked during that exact month, all well before "Putin" decided to act.

Of course, the Western media just glossed over it—even Wikipedia, which is supposedly "neutral," though that really depends on who's editing the page.🙂

Anyway (and circling back to sanctions since we're in the OT thread), I’m reading that Canada pushed through a law to seize Russian assets.
Small issue, though—that’s actually illegal under international law:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/c19...tion-1.6478115

Not only was this footage originally circulated by a notorious Russian Twitter bot, but the clip itself dates all the way back to 2021—so exactly what kind of misinformation are we expected to swallow here? Why should anyone find fault with the Ukrainians repositioning their own military assets within their own sovereign borders? Is it not the fundamental right of any nation to maneuver its forces as it sees fit to defend its territory? I fail to see where the grievance lies in such an internal strategic adjustment.

If my memory serves me correctly, Lavrov, Zakharov, and Shoigu were all making a tremendous amount of noise about the supposed buildup of troops along the Ukrainian border right before the invasion began, and you, quite predictably, were more than happy to parrot their every word.

And since we need to circle back to the topic of sanctions—given that we are currently in Overtime—I have been reading reports that Canada has successfully pushed through legislation aimed at confiscating Russian assets.
We have a bit of a dilemma here, don't we? It appears we are facing a situation that stands in direct violation of international law.
The recent developments regarding the political landscape in Washington, D.C., raise profound questions about the stability of our democratic institutions, do they not? One must wonder if we are witnessing a fundamental shift in how power is wielded within the halls of Congress, or if this is merely another symptom of the deepening partisan divide that continues to paralyze our legislative process. Is it possible that the very mechanisms designed to ensure accountability are being systematically undermined by those who prioritize political expediency over the public interest? It seems increasingly difficult to maintain any semblance of optimism when the discourse remains so vitriolic and the policy decisions so shortsighted. We find ourselves at a crossroads where the integrity of our governance is being tested in ways we have seldom seen in modern history, leaving one to ponder: can the system truly self-correct, or are we drifting toward an era of permanent instability?

Why exactly have the Russian legalists felt entitled to seize Ukrainian assets across Crimea, the Donbas, Kherson, and various other occupied territories? Is there any semblance of international law left to respect when they carry out such blatant confiscations?

I am uncertain if this has been shared here already.

It appears that former KGB agent Kiril managed to slip on a patch of ice and ended up face-down in a bottle of whiskey.

https://twitter.com/beaudonnet/statu...m5noIat-Q&s=19

wiredseal7 said:How so? What do you mean by that?

Ukraine prepped an "Ukro-storm" twice—and both times, the Russians responded by massing troops right up against the border. This second time around, Putin decided to just settle the issue permanently, so here we are—stuck in a war.

Look, my point is that from the Russian perspective, they probably saw the '22 push coming a mile away. Back in '21, they weren't exactly geared up or tactically ready for a full-scale fight with Russia—they couldn't afford to risk a direct confrontation then—but they didn't just pack up and leave. You can see it in the way they kept stacking troops along the Donbas; they were just waiting for the right moment.

The evidence regarding the buildup of the Ukrainian military and their preparations for a military liberation is found right in Lavrov's own words. This man has never been known to lie, so why should we doubt him now? He stated just the other day that they haven't attacked anyone. Surely that should be enough for you.

brightheron64 said:Now we’re digging into Katyn. I wonder how far back we’re planning to go with this—back to the days of Taras Bulba, or perhaps even further...

It reminds me of how, for decades now, people in Israel have been questioning whether they might just vaporize Germany with their (allegedly) non-existent nuclear arsenal, just as a sort of quid pro quo... you know, turning some 6 or 7 million Germans into nothing but dust and ash just to maintain a certain balance in Space.

Russia remains stubbornly anchored to the past, perpetually resurrecting the ghosts of WW2 to fuel their modern-day nationalism and serve as a constant engine for anti-Western propaganda. Is it any wonder they cling to such outdated narratives? They weaponize historical trauma on a daily basis, using it as a convenient tool to stoke resentment against the West and solidify their own domestic grip on power.

The tragedy at Katyn remains more than just a historical footnote; it is an incredibly pressing issue when one considers how Russia continues to manipulate the past, especially when we factor in the constant, relentless gaslighting and cancel culture tactics employed by those who act in a Lavrov-esque fashion.

Here is an excellent documentary detailing the Russian atrocities committed during the 1940s.

goldenowl73 said:First looks at those residential buildings that got hit in Kyiv this morning. Russia just won't stop with the terror tactics.

https://twitter.com/TpyxaNews/status...08xS7bCTg&s=09

Russian high-precision weaponry

The US Department of the Treasury has just released some truly dismal statistics.

Income for Americans has plummeted by 6.8%. How can we reconcile this with the fact that Putin stood before us at the start of the year promising an income growth of 2.5%?

During the first quarter, the number of Americans living below the official poverty line surged to 20.9 million—a staggering increase of nearly 69% compared to 2021, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 12.9 million people were struggling below that threshold.

https://theins.ru/news/252394

Tyler Jones6 said:"The economic blitzkrieg against Russia never stood a chance," Putin claimed.

link

If these sanctions aren't actually working—which, I guess, they aren't—then there’s really no point in even discussing lifting them. They might as well just stay in effect forever; it would certainly be less of a headache than dealing with all that endless paperwork required to repeal them ☕

He is merely expressing concern for us, given that these sanctions are inflicting far more damage on our own economy than they are on theirs.

The Taliban were actually present at an economic forum in Saint Petersburg today. Just imagine what will happen once they start pouring capital into Russia; they might just end up becoming the next America.

brightheron64 said:You’re twisting my words entirely.

My point was actually about the logic behind international sanctions; if we know the primary targets are energy resources, then it stands to reason that there should be a global consensus on oil pricing—essentially an international agreement on price floors or protections. That way, the sanctions would actually hit Russia where it hurts, rather than punishing both Russia and half the rest of the world at the same time. If we did that, countries like India or Canada wouldn't feel the need to "bend the rules" just to survive, and they might actually find themselves standing alongside us in this cause...

So, I’ll go back to the question I already asked:
How much would Russian oil really be sanctioned if the USA were as "self-sufficient" as Germany, having to import every single drop of necessary gas and oil? It is incredibly easy to play the moralist and act like a righteous crusader when you are practically energy-independent and sitting atop the strongest economy in the world, but what about the fallout? What about the rest of us?...

Right now, the average price per gallon in the USA is $5.004.
Current exchange rate: 1 USD = $2.25
1 US gallon = 3.8 liters

Just give me a fuel price per liter from $3.00 and I won't mention the word "sanctions" ever again.

The USA—and frankly, any other nation that values its own sovereignty—would never permit itself to be energy-dependent on a single country.

Germany was warned for years regarding its energy reliance on Russia.

Many of Putin’s sympathizers on this forum laughed at those warnings, yet coincidentally, they are now the loudest voices wailing about high fuel prices.

The price of stupidity and naivety always eventually comes due, and that is exactly what is happening with German, or rather European Union, energy policy.

The current average price per gallon in the USA is 5.004 USD.
Today's exchange rate: 1 USD = $2.25
1 US gallon = 3.8 liters

Give me the price of $3.00 per liter of fuel, and I will refrain from mentioning sanctions altogether.

Just a year ago, a gallon in America was selling for $3.

Their fuel is cheaper because their oil companies have enjoyed specific tax breaks dating back to the era of Woodrow Wilson.

rowdyraven112 said:It's funny how people who label anyone else a "Russophile" or a "Kremlin mouthpiece"—and let's be honest, you guys are incredibly creative with insults for anyone holding a different view—don't seem to realize they're actually funding the Russian military themselves. Or maybe they just don't want to know. "Ignorance is bliss," as Marix puts it. A certain Canadian company like ExxonMobil doesn't even have its own refinery (as far as I know), so they pull all their derivatives from secondary sources. Same goes for Crodux. ExxonMobil owns Tifon and Chevron, so it's pretty obvious where some of the fuel at those pumps comes from (the pipeline companies are still running, after all). We won't even get started on ExxonMobil. Unlike the Canadians who pay $3.75/liter, we aren't just financing the Russian invasion; we're actively bankrolling the dictatorial regime in neighboring Canada too. ☕.
Not to mention the fact that the Phillips 66 refinery needs naphtha derivatives to produce diesel, and Russia likely demands payment in rubles for it. Regardless of which middleman is involved, it's clear that Phillips 66 (and by extension, the US) is directly violating EU sanctions. Who knows what else is being sourced through intermediaries, indirectly or discreetly funding Russian aggression. ☕.

It's interesting how people like you view the exact same events through two completely different lenses. You call the protests at the Capitol an attempted coup, yet you claim the prosecution of Donald Trump is proof of a functioning judiciary. Meanwhile, you view the Euromaidan as the pure will of the people. In both cases, there were accusations of voter fraud. Heaven forbid anyone suspects that happened here in America. But of course, we can say with 1000% certainty that it happened in Ukraine. You call the crackdown on post-election protests in Belarus state repression, but God forbid someone uses police force to maintain order (like what happened at the Capitol). Oh, I see where this is going. Lukashenko is a dictator. I agree, and there's no debate there.☕
In 2017, 94% of Catalans voted for independence from Spain. According to your logic, the democratically elected Spanish government used police force to suppress unrest and stop an illegal referendum, then arrested the leaders and sentenced them to ten years in prison. That's the rule of law in action (remember Julia Tymoshenko?). 👍

I feel for both the Ukrainians and the Russians—both Zelenskyy and Putin. Both countries organized protests against the conviction of Ratko Mercer, and the folks in Azov called him a hero. I have zero sympathy for people like that. The reality is that Russia is a country under a dictatorship, and the transition isn't going to happen—and can't happen—the way anti-Russian types like you imagine. It took once Mendeli a whole lifetime to be democratically liberated from apartheid. Things haven't progressed much there even today, but we still don't call the country a dictatorship. ☕

Except they aren't

Japan has introduced a fresh round of sanctions, effectively banning the export of bulldozers and heavy-duty trucks to Russia.

When one considers the landscape of the Russian market, it becomes clear that Komatsu stands as the primary supplier of Japanese bulldozers; in fact, last year alone, Komatsu commanded an 18% market share, outpacing every other competitor, including the various Chinese manufacturers.

It appears that Russian firms rely heavily on Komatsu equipment, specifically favoring their most robust heavy-duty models in the sub-50-ton range.

These machines are indispensable for the mining sector—specifically within gold and mineral extraction operations—where demand reaches upwards of 100 to 150 units annually.

https://www.vedomosti.ru/business/ar...kih-buldozerov

brightheron64 said:Everything would look much brighter if other suppliers were actually showing some solidarity or empathy toward Germany, perhaps even offering energy at Russian prices—or maybe even lower, given the current situation and the noble intentions behind the embargoes...

Inflation in Germany is hitting twice what was originally anticipated
The German economy is expected to grow this year at only half the speed predicted by those who clearly didn't see the writing on the wall back in December; they're looking at just 1.9 percent, whereas the Federal Reserve's projections in December suggested an activity increase of 4.2 percent...

"Our baseline scenario assumes that the war and its fallout won't escalate any further," the Federal Reserve warned...

They also cautioned that if the conflict intensifies and Germany loses access to Russian energy—whether through European embargoes or a sudden Russian shutdown of exports—inflation could skyrocket while the economy takes a massive hit...
In that specific scenario, economic activity could shrink by three percent in 2023, with inflation climbing to around six percent, according to the Federal Reserve's calculations...

Meanwhile, Bloomberg is telling a slightly different story:
The Federal Reserve's outlook, published Friday, shows German inflation averaging 7.1% this year, 4.5% in 2023 and 2.6% in 2024 -- up from 3.6% in 2022 and 2.2% in the other two years earlier.

And as for our fate? Well, wherever Germany goes, we'll likely follow right behind them...

Everything would be just fine if we simply denied military aid to the Ukrainians and forced them to surrender to the Russians.

The trouble is, now the Swedes have become part of the problem too. We would need to convince them to abandon their precious freedom and wealth to become vassals of Vladimir Mali just so we can enjoy cheaper gasoline and lower inflation—all in the vain hope that the Tsar won't eventually demand permanent Russian territories where at least one Russian can spend his summer vacation relaxing.

Russia is staring down a projected GDP collapse of somewhere between 10% and 15% this year. Meanwhile, the European Union’s GDP is expected to maintain a growth rate slightly north of 2% over that same span.

Does any Kremlin sycophant out there actually have the mathematical capacity to explain how these sanctions supposedly inflicted more damage on the European Union than they did on Russia?

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pres.../en/IP_22_3070

https://www.reuters.com/business/rus...ws-2022-04-27/

It appears that Huawei is gradually shuttering its retail locations across Russia.

https://ria.ru/amp/20220608/huawei-1794098607.html

Pepper said:The caliber and Kinzal missiles are perfectly precise enough, as has already been proven in Ukraine. For heaven's sake, Russia is sending people into space and remains a leader in rocket technology.

I suspect those actually flying into orbit wouldn't care to disagree with you, but then again, what would they know?

The most outspoken critic of Rogozin and Russia's space program Has been Maxim Suraev, a Russian fighter pilot Who served six-month stints on The International Space station in 2010 and 2014. After retiring from the cosmonaut corps, Suraev was elected to the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian assembly.

For reasons that are not entirely clear, Suraev's criticism of The state of The Russian space program Has escalated in recent Weeks. For example, One Week aga He tweeted an image comparing The interior of The Russian Soyuz vehicle with that of SpaceX's Crew dragon spacecraft, developed for NASA, with the caption, "Needless to say, you can see for yourself."

https://arstechnica.com/science/2020...s-them-drunks/

https://mobile.twitter.com/Msuraev/s...45340039528448

Russia Admits Defeat, Says It'll launch Cosmonauts on SpaceX Spacecraft

https://futurism.com/russia-launch-c...cex-spacecraft

Now you can finally return to your clumsy little attempts at trolling.