Posted on 01/17/2024 3:45:34 PM PST by UMCRevMom@aol.com
Former Finnish intelligence colonel Martti J. Kari.
Russia has always befuddled Western analysts, a fact best summed up by Winston Churchill who said the multicontinental colossus is “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” More recently, “experts” wondered why Putin was pushing forces to Ukraine’s border, then why he launched such a massive attack, and now why on earth he’s reducing cities to rubble and pushing civilians into mass graves.
Studying Russian history and culture over the past few years has given me inklings into the “Russian mind” but I’ve only scratched the surface. Thankfully, Martti J. Kari has far more insight. Kari is a former Finnish intelligence colonel and currently teaches cybersecurity at the University of Jyväskylä. (Oh, how I love Finnish names.)
This thread is brought to you by the Ministry of Propaganda of Ukraine.
“In today’s “I support the current thing” social-media hot-take factory, attempting to understand one’s adversaries is equated to sympathizing with them. They won’t learn much from Professor Kari because they’re unteachable. But if you know your military history, you can be assured that Finns are not sentimental about the Bear on their border. (Full disclosure: As a Finnish American, I share this skepticism.)
I ran across a lecture Kari gave in 2018 which is the best analysis I’ve found on Russia’s attitude toward geopolitics. Unfortunately, it is in Finnish, and the English version is performed by a text-to-talk robot, making it tough going. So I’ve gathered the best bits from his hour-long talk into a readable format. It is quite long but well worth the read.
As we wonder how best to end the nightmare in Ukraine and prevent Putin from moving further west, understanding his mindset is the first step. Please note that I have slightly edited the transcript for clarity and brevity. All content belongs to Kari and any translation errors belong to me and Google. (Visit his video links and give him several likes!)
Take it away, Martti…”
By
Jon Gabriel, Ed.
April 4, 2022
Russian strategic culture: Why Russia does things the way it does
By Martti J. Kari, former intelligence Colonel in the Finnish Defense Forces
https://ricochet.com/1214468/finnish-intelligence-officer-explains-the-russian-mindset/
No intelligence on how to just get to the point.
Noted for further reading when time allows.
Foreign Policy is the liberal publication that endorsed Hillary...
PING
PRESIDENT PUTIN: THE ORIGINAL, THE REAL Z-Z-Z-Z-—ZZZ-ZEEPER
“Z” the symbol of new Russian ideology and has become a militarist symbol in Russian propaganda.
Opponents of the war have pejoratively called the Z symbol a zwastika or zwaztika, referring to the Nazi swastika.
Ocado redesigned a new logo for its Zoom service in less than a week after comparisons were being made to the Russian battle symbol: “Zwastika” used on tanks and other military vehicles in Ukraine.
‘rashist = Russian fascist’
To put it simply, Russia going full fascist with the Z as its national identity.
Why is Ukraine culture so corrupt?
Foreign Policy, owned by Washington Post.
At least, this is marginally better than being subjected to endless links of monetized YT’ers and mass-reproduced/repeated lists of supposed equipment kills every day.
From my point of view, if someone wants to explain philosophically, historically or otherwise note how ‘Russia Bad,’ then have at it. It doesn’t change my opposition to the US forgoing its responsibility to protect its OWN borders from third world slags in lieu of wasting time, money and support for Ukraine.
... Um ... okay ...
Continental powers had more powerful governments than island nations because they had to defend their borders. Russia didn't have any natural borders, so they got a very powerful government and expansionist tendencies. Centralized authority became even stronger in the expansionist empire to hold the pieces of the empire together. Add to this the rigors of the climate and the poor soil in the Russian heartland and it's clear why individualism and political liberty didn't develop there in the way that they did in countries further west.
And full of grey rocks and chert.
“Foreign Policy is the liberal publication that endorsed Hillary...”
Well, well, well.
Mommy Dearest is now posting news from a Think Tank that supported Hillary.
From the article: “ALWAYS BEHIND IN TECHNOLOGY
Russia is technologically backward and has always been. Someone said that the Russian has invented nothing but a samovar and, even there, the faucet was stolen from the Germans.”
All the research Kari does and he fails to mention Yuri Gagarin, the Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who, aboard the FIRST successful crewed spaceflight, became the FIRST human to journey into outer space.
Doesn’t sound like: “Always behind in technology” to me.
This is just another backhanded slap at the Russian people by Zelensky-lover, mommy.
OK zeepers, have at it! Let the name calling begin...Putinpoofter, America-hating pro-Russian propagandist, traitor...go for it!
“Why is Ukraine culture so corrupt?”
Centuries of Ruzzian influence. That’s why.
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