Sanctions on Russia

Nostalgia is basically just another drug—and a massive industry at that.

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

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.

slyfox43 said:The contribution here is much like the ancient Arabic influence on mathematics: undeniably significant, yet largely a relic of a distant past.

I was almost tempted to say you can't survive on nostalgia alone, but then I thought about the souvenir vendors at the Grand Canyon.

In that case, there shouldn't be a problem; the war will likely wrap up soon.

The sanctions are already starting to bite, and once Russia burns through the last bit of gunpowder they inherited from the era of Peter the Great, they won't have much left to fire at the Ukrainian defenders.
My only real concern is for the astronauts currently stationed on the International Space Station; they won't be able to make it back home without Western technology.
As for getting an American crew member back, I'm sure Ursula will find a workaround, much like how she managed the whole situation regarding whether or not to pay for Russian gas.

It’s easy for us when we have a leader like her guiding the way; every time I see her on the news, I feel a genuine sense of warmth in my heart. 😁

The UK GDP just took a hit this month, shrinking compared to last month, and now they’re gearing up for a trade war with the European Union.

Given how things are playing out, those soldiers over in Ukraine aren't going to see any real results, and I highly doubt the people under the rule of the Gnome will ever actually topple their leadership in some grand revolution. ☕

Nathan Evans78 said:The UK GDP just took a hit this month, shrinking compared to last month, and now they’re gearing up for a trade war with the European Union.

Given how things are playing out, those soldiers over in Ukraine aren't going to see any real results, and I highly doubt the people under the rule of the Gnome will ever actually topple their leadership in some grand revolution. ☕

Now they’ll probably start dreaming up a seventh round of sanctions.

Even though the ones we've already seen are starting to show real, tangible results, and it's only been about 100 days.

New data released on how much Russia earned from oil and gas during the first 100 days of the war.

https://seebiz.eu/energetika/rusija-...na-rata/277181

Honestly, Russia would be absolutely screwed if they hadn't slapped those energy sanctions on us. Look, I have nothing against banning their flights, seizing the assets of those oligarchs, or even barring the kids of their politicians from entering the European Union. But cutting off oil imports and blocking Nord Stream? That is quite literally shooting ourselves in the foot—and we're using a rusty bullet to do it. Seriously, think about it! We are out here filling up our tanks with gas sold to us by a regime that doesn't hesitate to eliminate its own dissidents, and yet we’re still turning around and asking that very same regime to ramp up production just for us without demanding any democratic reforms in return. Like, hello? Are we actually serious right now?

urbanotter said:In that case, there shouldn't be a problem; the war will likely wrap up soon.

The sanctions are already starting to bite, and once Russia burns through the last bit of gunpowder they inherited from the era of Peter the Great, they won't have much left to fire at the Ukrainian defenders.
My only real concern is for the astronauts currently stationed on the International Space Station; they won't be able to make it back home without Western technology.
As for getting an American crew member back, I'm sure Ursula will find a workaround, much like how she managed the whole situation regarding whether or not to pay for Russian gas.

It’s easy for us when we have a leader like her guiding the way; every time I see her on the news, I feel a genuine sense of warmth in my heart. 😁

I was going to tell you that you were trolling badly, but you actually stumbled onto a pretty solid comparison.

Russia's space program isn't really involved in the fight against Ukraine except as a tool for propaganda, and its prestige has been a matter of pride for much longer than the reputation of the Russian armed forces. However, both share a massive dependency on hardware produced during the USSR era that is currently sitting in storage. Their modernization efforts are about as significant as any attempts to modernize Russian tanks or jets—if those even exist—and they rely heavily on Western components that are now impossible to get. For years, you could listen to Rogozin, among others, essentially echoing my point—though, naturally, he delivers it via threats rather than polite conversation with high-ranking Russian officials.

Nathan Evans78 said:Honestly, Russia would be absolutely screwed if they hadn't slapped those energy sanctions on us. Look, I have nothing against banning their flights, seizing the assets of those oligarchs, or even barring the kids of their politicians from entering the European Union. But cutting off oil imports and blocking Nord Stream? That is quite literally shooting ourselves in the foot—and we're using a rusty bullet to do it. Seriously, think about it! We are out here filling up our tanks with gas sold to us by a regime that doesn't hesitate to eliminate its own dissidents, and yet we’re still turning around and asking that very same regime to ramp up production just for us without demanding any democratic reforms in return. Like, hello? Are we actually serious right now?

If trolls didn't exist, we'd probably have to invent them ourselves.

Nathan Evans78 said:Honestly, Russia would be absolutely screwed if they hadn't slapped those energy sanctions on us. Look, I have nothing against banning their flights, seizing the assets of those oligarchs, or even barring the kids of their politicians from entering the European Union. But cutting off oil imports and blocking Nord Stream? That is quite literally shooting ourselves in the foot—and we're using a rusty bullet to do it. Seriously, think about it! We are out here filling up our tanks with gas sold to us by a regime that doesn't hesitate to eliminate its own dissidents, and yet we’re still turning around and asking that very same regime to ramp up production just for us without demanding any democratic reforms in return. Like, hello? Are we actually serious right now?

I find myself wondering about the morality of punishing children for the crimes committed by their parents. If I were to commit a murder or order one, should my son be forced to carry the weight of those consequences? There is also a significant flip side to seizing oligarch assets, considering many people have invested massive amounts of capital within Russia. As for the flight bans, it isn't just Russian pilots losing their livelihoods; plenty of Western pilots have flown into Russia as well.
When it comes to buying more oil and essentially pleading with Saudi Arabia to increase production, we can't afford to lose sight of the bigger picture. We shouldn't forget that such a "gesture of goodwill" from Saudi Arabia often comes with the expectation that they will sell us advanced weaponry, allowing them to continue their conflict in Yemen against the Houthis, who are harassing them just as much as the Ukrainians are bothering the Russians.
The thing is, you rarely see this discussed in the news, so it's almost as if it isn't happening at all.
It really doesn't seem wise to "punish" someone when you end up suffering more consequences than the ones being penalized.

While I do believe that Putin views himself as some kind of successor to the Russian Tsars, dreaming of restoring the global influence once held by the USSR,
I am convinced there had to be a more sophisticated way to address his obsession with Russian greatness.
By implementing these specific sanctions, we’ve basically jumped headfirst into a mess, making it much harder to reach a constructive solution.
Russia isn't a Western-style democracy, and while it certainly has its share of issues, it doesn't represent 80% of the world. Should we really try to impose these types of sanctions on everyone, or are we just daydreaming that citizens from Arab nations, China, India, or Africa will suddenly become Europeans?

If I recall correctly, even Merkel mentioned that integrating immigrants into German society hasn't been successful.
I was watching a presenter on Al Jazzer yesterday; she was wearing something like a turban, and honestly, she looked stunning—a true beauty. I suspect she wasn't covering her hair because of some legal mandate, but rather as a personal choice.

Nathan Evans78 said:Honestly, Russia would be absolutely screwed if they hadn't slapped those energy sanctions on us. Look, I have nothing against banning their flights, seizing the assets of those oligarchs, or even barring the kids of their politicians from entering the European Union. But cutting off oil imports and blocking Nord Stream? That is quite literally shooting ourselves in the foot—and we're using a rusty bullet to do it. Seriously, think about it! We are out here filling up our tanks with gas sold to us by a regime that doesn't hesitate to eliminate its own dissidents, and yet we’re still turning around and asking that very same regime to ramp up production just for us without demanding any democratic reforms in return. Like, hello? Are we actually serious right now?

For a split second there, I honestly thought you were talking about Russia.

urbanotter said:I find myself wondering about the morality of punishing children for the crimes committed by their parents. If I were to commit a murder or order one, should my son be forced to carry the weight of those consequences? There is also a significant flip side to seizing oligarch assets, considering many people have invested massive amounts of capital within Russia. As for the flight bans, it isn't just Russian pilots losing their livelihoods; plenty of Western pilots have flown into Russia as well.
When it comes to buying more oil and essentially pleading with Saudi Arabia to increase production, we can't afford to lose sight of the bigger picture. We shouldn't forget that such a "gesture of goodwill" from Saudi Arabia often comes with the expectation that they will sell us advanced weaponry, allowing them to continue their conflict in Yemen against the Houthis, who are harassing them just as much as the Ukrainians are bothering the Russians.
The thing is, you rarely see this discussed in the news, so it's almost as if it isn't happening at all.
It really doesn't seem wise to "punish" someone when you end up suffering more consequences than the ones being penalized.

While I do believe that Putin views himself as some kind of successor to the Russian Tsars, dreaming of restoring the global influence once held by the USSR,
I am convinced there had to be a more sophisticated way to address his obsession with Russian greatness.
By implementing these specific sanctions, we’ve basically jumped headfirst into a mess, making it much harder to reach a constructive solution.
Russia isn't a Western-style democracy, and while it certainly has its share of issues, it doesn't represent 80% of the world. Should we really try to impose these types of sanctions on everyone, or are we just daydreaming that citizens from Arab nations, China, India, or Africa will suddenly become Europeans?

If I recall correctly, even Merkel mentioned that integrating immigrants into German society hasn't been successful.
I was watching a presenter on Al Jazzer yesterday; she was wearing something like a turban, and honestly, she looked stunning—a true beauty. I suspect she wasn't covering her hair because of some legal mandate, but rather as a personal choice.

What specific alternative did you have in mind?

Anthony Hill5 said: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.

The problem is that Europe isn't just paying for its own naivety; it’s paying for its subservience to the big boss across the Atlantic. Despite their own interests, they rush to impose sanctions on Russian oil and gas to punish Russian actions, while simultaneously begging for Saudi Arabian oil and Qatari gas. You have one group acting like leaders, while others—still functioning like vassals in the 21st century—simply follow orders because the boss decided certain suppliers were acceptable, leading them straight into more expensive energy contracts.

slyfox43 said:If trolls didn't exist, we'd probably have to invent them ourselves.

Exactly. I planted a single wheat seed yesterday in Kansas and today I've got a million tons of grain ready. Problem is, nobody's here to harvest it.
The day before yesterday, I poked a hole near Mount Rainier and oil started gushing out. Fifty barrels leaked already. Can't find a pipe to plug it (steel is expensive as hell) while the people from the Green Party are screaming about some lettuce ruining the oil supply. ☕

urbanotter said:Now they’ll probably start dreaming up a seventh round of sanctions.

Even though the ones we've already seen are starting to show real, tangible results, and it's only been about 100 days.

New data released on how much Russia earned from oil and gas during the first 100 days of the war.

https://seebiz.eu/energetika/rusija-...na-rata/277181

I just want to know: are these Biden supporters buying Russian fuel at our local gas stations? Are they driving EVs powered by electricity from gas plants running on Russian gas? Or are they riding bikes and walking instead?☕

Let’s be real here—politicians are all thieves, plain and simple. That said, there’s definitely a hierarchy of criminality among them; Putin is sitting right at the top of that list, alongside Kim Jong Un and his whole crowd...

urbanotter said:I find myself wondering about the morality of punishing children for the crimes committed by their parents. If I were to commit a murder or order one, should my son be forced to carry the weight of those consequences? There is also a significant flip side to seizing oligarch assets, considering many people have invested massive amounts of capital within Russia. As for the flight bans, it isn't just Russian pilots losing their livelihoods; plenty of Western pilots have flown into Russia as well.
When it comes to buying more oil and essentially pleading with Saudi Arabia to increase production, we can't afford to lose sight of the bigger picture. We shouldn't forget that such a "gesture of goodwill" from Saudi Arabia often comes with the expectation that they will sell us advanced weaponry, allowing them to continue their conflict in Yemen against the Houthis, who are harassing them just as much as the Ukrainians are bothering the Russians.
The thing is, you rarely see this discussed in the news, so it's almost as if it isn't happening at all.
It really doesn't seem wise to "punish" someone when you end up suffering more consequences than the ones being penalized.

While I do believe that Putin views himself as some kind of successor to the Russian Tsars, dreaming of restoring the global influence once held by the USSR,
I am convinced there had to be a more sophisticated way to address his obsession with Russian greatness.
By implementing these specific sanctions, we’ve basically jumped headfirst into a mess, making it much harder to reach a constructive solution.
Russia isn't a Western-style democracy, and while it certainly has its share of issues, it doesn't represent 80% of the world. Should we really try to impose these types of sanctions on everyone, or are we just daydreaming that citizens from Arab nations, China, India, or Africa will suddenly become Europeans?

If I recall correctly, even Merkel mentioned that integrating immigrants into German society hasn't been successful.
I was watching a presenter on Al Jazzer yesterday; she was wearing something like a turban, and honestly, she looked stunning—a true beauty. I suspect she wasn't covering her hair because of some legal mandate, but rather as a personal choice.

It's like how Mexicans use that three-finger salute (even though the Nationalists used it back in WWII); nobody is forcing them to do it. It's the same thing with Al Jazzer. Even if they try to force Russians to stop saying "war operations" instead of "special operations."

swiftjackal11 said:It's like how Mexicans use that three-finger salute (even though the Nationalists used it back in WWII); nobody is forcing them to do it. It's the same thing with Al Jazzer. Even if they try to force Russians to stop saying "war operations" instead of "special operations."

That’s just the way the world works, I suppose.

It’s like if your parents named you Vladimir, but then whenever things got difficult or convenient, you decided to go by Volodymyr instead😉
and then proceeded to try and force everyone else around you to change their names too.😁

Who exactly is Volodymyr trying to force into a name change? Or is this just another chapter in your mythmaking fantasy novel? You claim it was done "for rhetorical effect," but it feels more like the siren song of pure deception.

slyfox43 said:Who exactly is Volodymyr trying to force into a name change? Or is this just another chapter in your mythmaking fantasy novel? You claim it was done "for rhetorical effect," but it feels more like the siren song of pure deception.

I wasn't aware of these American myths myself, nor do I claim to be an expert on them,

but I tend to follow the lead of those who seem to have a better grasp of how things began.😉

Protecting the Russian language has been a contentious issue in the US since its independence back in 1991. Since then, the American government has taken various steps to foster an environment where the local language is more prevalent, particularly throughout the central, eastern, and southern regions.

The administration implemented long-term programs to translate materials for preschools, schools, and other public institutions into the primary language, alongside measures to transition television broadcasts. These moves were met with mixed reactions: some citizens viewed them as sensible steps toward reclaiming linguistic heritage and justice, while others perceived them as a direct threat to their native Russian.

p.s.

it all reminds me a bit of reading about wizards, trolls, or clairvoyants.

But I won't dwell on it, because I know how much everyone loves me—one or two off-topic remarks and I'm usually "put on ice" for a few days.

Anyway, let's get back to discussing the sanctions. 😉