Whenever this goat-whisperer kicks the bucket, I’m throwing a massive party—hookers and lamb chops for the whole damn town. God help us. A rare, disgusting creature—honestly, just an evolutionary mistake.
Don't go writing off Crimea just yet—regardless of how you look at the politics of it all... Zelensky himself mentioned that everything starts in Crimea and eventually ends there, too. Sultan also recently pointed out that Crimea is an inseparable part of Ukraine. If the Ukrainians catch momentum and things start moving in their favor, I guess they won't just stop. Even if Zelensky gets a direct order from the US, maybe the sheer momentum of the crowd will be impossible to control.
Hoho, I haven't really had a chance to catch up on the news yesterday or today—it feels like everything is happening at once. Though, I have to admit, this sudden wave of optimism is actually a little unsettling. Well, we'll just have to wait and see.
I used to be one of those people who thought the Russians were pretty cool before they invaded Ukraine. They had this whole persona going—like they were some tough guys who wouldn't let anyone push them around, bold, capable, always standing their ground... it was almost romantic, in a way. Then came the violation of Ukraine, the Bucha massacre, then those simulations on public TV showing the nuclear destruction of the United Kingdom and the USA, followed by that ridiculous "fridge" nonsense, the constant rambling from Zakharov, Lavrov, and Peskov, those reports from that robot Konashenkov... and the icing on the cake was that guy presenting a skull like some kind of primitive savage. They've lost all credibility. I mean, look, I can get on board with this if things turn out okay. But as far as reputation goes? They've lost it.
Btw, it's been a while since we've heard anything from Lavrov.
gentlerider7 said:I mean, let’s be real about this ambassador guy—he’s actually the last person you should be listening to, right? I remember him back in the day claiming that those bodies they found in Bucha were nothing more than hired actors playing parts, so how on earth can anyone take his word for anything now? Honestly, if you believe that kind of nonsense, you're basically asking to be lied to.
This has to be one of the absolute lowest points yet. To just mock a man in front of cameras and the whole world... honestly, it's just gross.
Megan Thomas5 said:Isn't it a little embarrassing for Russia to admit their agent was basically loitering around for days, plotting, causing chaos, and finally taking out the target before slipping across the border into Estonia? 😁 So much for those "powerful" Russians.😁
I guess Ruje has been watching way too many American movies🤣
I’m honestly curious how that crowd feels now when they hop in the car to go for a drive... sitting there feeling the heat. 🤣 If they mentioned Dugin, I guess someone might be feeling a bit of smoke in their eyes over the next few days. As for Putin and his little cronies—well, they better pray that the Ukrainians are behind this. If it’s actually their own people, then they are in deep trouble...
By the way, has anyone bothered to ask Dugina's other side how he's doing? You know, checking in to see if he's on the verge of tears or whatever...?
You know, some people just love to preach about patriotism, heritage, freedom, or the future of their kids—it's always their own, or someone else's, depending on the day. Some folks don't even care about the small stuff, like whether they're shivering at 20 degrees in their living room or staying cozy at 72... There’s this thing people call guts—real, old-fashioned backbone. Freedom doesn't have a price tag, which I guess means it isn't for sale.
ironseal said:And look, I don't know, maybe it really is some kind of distraction. I highly doubt Zelenskyy isn't working in total coordination with the Americans.
Of course he is. The biggest issue here is that what the Ukrainians had years to prepare for since 2014, they're now trying to cram into just a few months... We're talking about training for all these high-tech systems and stuff—that takes time. Once that training wraps up and all the hardware they agreed on arrives from Madrid, things aren't going to look great for the Russians. On top of that, they’ll likely need to ramp up reserve mobilization, since the guys currently on the ground are getting worn down pretty fast. But this whole thing is going to drag on for a while—I mean, it's probably not even in the best interest of the Americans or the other stakeholders to see this end too quickly.
The biggest issue here is that everything Putin actually wanted is slowly starting to happen—it’s just happening much later than he originally anticipated. He was banking on leaders like Viktor Orbán, and he definitely counted on Germany being way too dependent on Russian energy. He also knew how much Europeans value their comfort and how terrified they are of losing it. So, things are just drifting along, and I suspect we're going to see more and more division among the EU members. The European Union just isn't equipped to end this. I’ve been scrolling through comments on other news sites, and honestly, people just seem too self-absorbed—not to mention the total lack of empathy out there. Plus, it feels like the Russians have a pretty solid handle on intelligence work, because it seems almost impossible to move anything—even weapons—without them intercepting it.
The US and the EU—since it was pretty obvious an invasion was coming—could have worked out a specific defense pact or mutual military aid agreement with Ukraine, separate from NATO, to deter the kid. There was plenty of time to pull something like that off, maybe as far back as 2014...
Henry Lopez10 said:It feels to me like this whole thing is just a massive trap set for Putin.
You’re dealing with an absolute ruler here—a nationalist who has zero interest in democracy or globalism. He’s someone who refuses to let globalism, the West, or mainstream Western corporations come into Russia to exploit national resources and everything else tied to that narrative... at least, not on their terms. Russia is powerful. And honestly, you can't just unseat him and his inner circle because he's too deeply entrenched. Your only real option would be a Kennedy-style move, but that would likely just solidify the current political status quo. Not to mention the sheer amount of money it would cost amidst the resulting chaos. 😉 So, what’s the play? You provoke him gradually. You irritate him, poking at his core ideologies and his ego. You identify his psychological vulnerabilities as both a man and a leader, then humiliate and manipulate him. You exploit those weaknesses. You basically get those hypothetical leaders in Europe to play right into your hands. Putin launches an assault on an innocent, non-confrontational, West-leaning Ukraine, which allows you to frame him as a mad narcissist attacking a victim. Which, to be fair, is exactly what Ukraine is. I'm just laying out the scenario. You fuel the madness until, in the eyes of the world, the democracies, and even his own people, he looks like a warmongering lunatic. Everyone starts wanting him gone. Between the sanctions and other strategic moves, the fallout eventually forces him out of power, whether through diplomacy or brute force. Once he falls, the autocracy and the dream of a new USSR collapse along with him. Boom. Modernity rushes in, bringing Western business and globalism in all its various forms. The West grows stronger, and China gets even more powerful, even though they’re already an economic titan.
The people pulling the strings have him exactly where they want him. And if nothing else, at least Americans selling oil will make a killing. They’re putting Putin exactly where they intended. The pressure builds every single day, though unfortunately, the Ukrainians and Russians will be the ones footing the bill. Interesting theory, isn't it?
But seriously. What isn't... 😁
Even if that's not the case, it makes for a pretty good movie script. 🙂
If anyone else calls Americans fools around here, they're going to get it.
Laura Scott7 said:Man, you can't even say that without getting roasted, huh? Like, remember when they were trying to pull off those negotiations in Moscow? Hehe, honestly, Putin went a little overboard there—it’s a miracle he didn't suggest meeting in some random suburb of Chicago instead.🙏>
The whole world immediately saw that as a provocation—just completely unprofessional.
It’s like me inviting you out for coffee in Vegas when I don't even have five bucks in my wallet. (Okay, maybe it's not an exact comparison, damn it, but it feels just as ridiculous 🤣)
frozencobra50 said:Oh, they damn well love him. The average Russian knows perfectly well that both he and his kids are going to suffer because of Putin's policies, but whatever. This guy is a ruthless player and he sure as hell isn't going down without a fight. He's built such a rigid hierarchy within Russia that he's practically untouchable...
It doesn't even have to be an immediate ousting. Just enough to make the ship wobble—enough to turn protests into a constant distraction. That's plenty to start with
And while we're at it, why doesn't NATO just start flipping their doctrine whenever they feel like it, just like the Russians do—even when it comes to nukes, regardless of how terrifying that sounds? Because what's the alternative? Just keep folding to Putin?
The truth is, Putin is only as powerful as he is because of this policy of appeasement and non-confrontation from the West, especially coming from Germany and Merkel.
I guess you could say Vladimir Putin is only as powerful as those 40 or so people he has to justify his moves to every once in a while. If they actually get fed up... things aren't going to go so well.
I'm just waiting on today's speech from Putin. Let's see what he's got in store—maybe some grand plan to revive America or Czechoslovakia... or who knows, maybe he'll try to rename the leadership in Trinidad and Tobago. Hard to say, really. We'll just have to wait and see. Wild Vlado
bluemason3 said:Sanctions aren't a silver bullet or some kind of magic wand.
They do work, though. The real question is whether they work enough.
It’s a paradox: they actually tend to hit harder in autocratic regimes. Since power is held by a tiny circle of people, they don't necessarily need to worry about public opinion. It's much easier for them to maintain their own lifestyle while the rest of the country suffers economic damage.
Look at South Korea—despite all the pressure, they kept developing nukes. Iran hasn't collapsed either. Both have felt the sting of sanctions, even if they manage to bypass them through gray markets involving China and others.
That said, Russia has a much larger economy and was far more integrated into the West than the others, regardless of how much that changed in recent years. But that’s a double-edged sword; it means the West ends up hurting its own economy too.
At the end of the day, it's a tool for pressure. A total collapse isn't guaranteed, though there is a chance that economic strain could force a different faction of leadership to step in against Putin, or weaken the military's budget. Even then, it's hard to say how much the state can squeeze its citizens versus the military, or how long they can keep exporting weapons to countries that can navigate the sanction systems.
If sanctions stay in place long enough, and if the West doesn't start pulling them back due to their own economic interests, they will eventually have an effect. You just have to view them as one tool in the toolbox, rather than a standalone solution.
Beyond what was mentioned, sanctions are also meant to hit individuals, business owners, and regular folks, not just the government apparatus. The idea is to create—or at least build the potential for—resentment toward those in power.
The million-dollar question is really just how much the Russian domestic elite wants to be the most hated and rejected nation on the planet. It doesn't seem like their youth—or the population in general—is particularly eager to be seen as some backward, regressive group, so I guess the real question is just how long it takes them to get their act together and handle their own mess. Maybe they'll eventually see those assholes who ruined everything for them being laughed off the main town square.