Posted on 02/21/2022 3:32:30 PM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
Sitting alone at a desk in a grand, columned Kremlin room, Vladimir Putin looked across an expanse of parquet floor at his security council and asked if anyone wished to express an alternative opinion.
He was met with silence.
A few hours later, the Russian president appeared on state television to give an angry, rambling lecture about Ukraine, a country that in Putin’s telling had become “a colony with a puppet regime”, and had no historical right to exist.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
There are all kinds of corruption and Putin demonstrates nearly all of them. Only a fool would believe otherwise.
“What are you expecting them to protest?”
Putin looking out for ethnic Russians trapped in a now-unfriendly country? Maybe some of the members of Pussy Riot, but hard to think of anyone else.
You must watch FoxNews
The Russian interior minister said something along the lines that Putin should declare that the recognition of the breakaway republics refers to all of Donbass, not just the 1/3 the separatists hold. I’m not sure what exactly he has recognized. The separatists legally claim the entire two provinces, not just what they hold.
The next step will probably be an order to Ukrainian military and government forces to evacuate from all of the “independent” Donbass, followed by an attack on the Ukrainian lines if they don’t.
If there is military resistance by Ukraine, then that’s the point I’m guessing that Putin invades Ukraine as a whole and takes Kiev.
Putin has declared a no-fly zone over the Sea of Azov.
There are old families in Kansas who have nothing kind to say about Missouri to this day. There are probably Basques who still want their own country.
China wants Taiwan back—AND Siberia. Chew on that, Vlad.
Seriously? Many have speculated that he is the richest man in the world. While that is probably a stretch, he is certainly a billionaire many times over. Not bad for a lifetime government employee. Very few US politicians, even the rich ones, could afford the fuel for his megayacht, let alone the crew.
Yes something tells me his troops really are into making war again. Like, WTF are we doing here anyway?
Excellent analysis, IMHO...
With Russian troops now in the “disputed” territories and building bases, the invasion has all but begun. But at home at least 2 hardliners are not happy with Pooty’s decisions.
At least Biden’s decision to stop the Keystone XL and the Israeli pipelines while approving the Nortstream2 along with the 20% of Russian gas New England region imports has made Russia’s military venture less of a financial burden
Prove it. What matters is the perception of the Russian people. I don’t believe a damn thing in our government says or the mainstream media. You can’t use either as a source to prove it.
Ten years ago, I read reports in the Western media that Putin's personal net worth was $200 Billion. How accurate that is, I don't know.
But I doubt that Putin permitted oligarchs to get rich without any of that wealth flowing to him.
Putin didn't end the oligarchs. He simply replaced some of Yeltsin's oligarchs with his own.
Oh dear...
China’s moving into Argentina, looks like they may have to go back to the Falklands.
Let’s assume they’re off by a factor of 10 on the lowest figure - $200 Billion. That’s $20 Billion. Factor of 100 then $2 Billion.
I am not saying they’re right or accurate. I need more than your word that Putin lives like some Russian nationalist monk.
I grant you Putin is a nationalist and wants a powerful respected if not feared Russia. He wants to restore the Imperial 1914 borders that took 400 years to make. (Poland & Finland are likely not to fall back into the Imperium.) It just strains credibility that the new “Czar” doesn’t have wealth like one.
Title is dumb, I’ll assume the article is the same.
This is awful.
Good luck to the Europeans dealing with it.
They eventually did it with Stalin, though it got messy with the Politburo running around the Kremlin with Tokarev pistols.
About Putin...I have an old friend, Columbia PhD in Russian/Soviet studies. Hr spent 35 years in the DIA as as a Soviet/Russian and ‘stans specialist. He observed the removal of nukes from Kazahkstan and Ukraine. He told me years ago in a very matter of fact tone that Vladimir Putin is both evil and insane.
Shaun Walker has been wrong & the Guardian has been wrong for the past 8 years. Wrong again.
It cracks me up that there are people who think Ukraine is a real country.
They are a real country like the Republic of Texas is a real country.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.