President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman informed Russians this week that the “special military operation” that Putin launched in Ukraine in February 2022 was set to go on much longer because it is now “a war against the collective West.”
That’s right: a war.
It was remarkable to hear that word from Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Journalists were explicitly banned from using it as the invasion began and thousands of Russians have been detained, fined and imprisoned for telling the truth about a war which has now been raging for almost two years.
“Moscow deputy Aleksey Gorinov was sentenced to seven years in prison for saying ‘war,’” Sergey Davidis, head of the Political Prisoners Support group, told The Daily Beast. He said over 20,000 Russians have now been detained and punished for protesting against the war. “That includes 131 Russians who have been sentenced to long prison terms in punishment for peaceful or for more radical anti-war actions,” he said. “I don’t think punishments against the war will now be milder after the Kremlin openly says ‘war.’ Putin will be next to declare it.”
In one week from today it will be 2 years into a “3 day special military operation”. At some point even the most delusional people have to face the music. We can only hope that it eats at his psychological health and he soon drops dead.
It just goes to show that his “special military operation” has basically failed if it lasted 727 days longer than usual
that’s just how special it is ✨️🫠✨️
Classic Russian Federation
no you stupid russian cunt you are not at war with the west, you are at war with ukraine and they are making your mighty army look like fucking clowns.
If you would be at war with the west, you would be pretty much done by the end of the week and now for the love of god do us a favor and skip to the chapter where you put a fucking gun to your mouth and pull the trigger.
Honestly how have there not been any successful assassination attempts on this mf yet, seriously. Let’s get on with it, shall we. I’m over Putin already, since even before the war.
Unfortunately it won’t prevent another one taking his place. Especially with the 2020’s constitutional referendum that basically lets Russian war criminals get away unpunished. I think the whole country is fucked beyond repair at this point.
How anyone over there still sucks this dude off is beyond me lmao
I would imagine it’s at gunpoint, figuratively or literally.
There are a lot of people there that haven’t experienced oppression personally and genuinely believe that “strong ruler” that “keeps people in line” is what’s needed for their country to be “strong”.
Also one of the key points of Russian propaganda that has been hammered into them for decades is that “democracy is a sham” and that any alternative to Putin’s regime would be just as oppressive and simply less “competent” (and therefore lead to Russia’s ruin).
Putin supporters do not believe that democracy can work and they don’t want democracy, as simple as that.
What’s to stop someone from leaving? Are they North Korea like that?
Emigration is really hard, both emotionally and financially, regardless of where you live.
That’s a really good point I hadn’t considered in passing, moving to a whole new country, and as a Russian? Probably pretty tough
Most end up in Georgia, because it’s just across the border, culturally and linguistically close.
And Georgia has it really bad rn as well. Basically no one is talking about how Russia has Georgia completely under its thumb. It’s really bad in Tbilisi. I wish it got more coverage.
Usually illegal to work unless you have money to pay to get the permission to work.
No, but there are many obstacles. Besides usual ones common to migration in general, due to sanctions people who want to emigrate won’t be able to easily access their money left in Russia. Also if they speak up against Putin everything they left in Russia will be confiscated and returning back (for any reason including possible deportation) will be dangerous (Russia is smart enough to not charge dissenters living abroad so that they won’t be able to claim asylum, but when they return they can be arrested. This strategy was used since USSR times). This makes emigration a risky proposition unless you already have a high-paying job lined up for you, and can receive foreign citizenship in a short time.
They don’t let valuable people live. Also they don’t let people convert roubles to western currency. The current exchange rate for roubles is a complete sham as it’s not a free market
Pretty sure many people in the world aren’t doing business with Russian currency for obvious reasons.
That only changed recently, it wasn’t always like that. “Free markets” don’t need to be fully free for the same reason that the tolerant need not tolerate the intolerant.
Based in the news I’ve read, the Russian government, and also the ones of many neighboring countries
Open windows I suspect
Huh?
Defenestration joke.
I can’t believe there’s an actual word for this
It’s a long and proud tradition that has existed for as long as there have been windows at higher than ground level. Entire wars were started over this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defenestrations_of_Prague
I am however convinced that in Putin’s Russia, defenestrations aren’t always the actual cause of death. It’s a far too convenient method for covering up torture.
Do you have a few minutes to talk about our lord and savior donald trump?
The ones closest to him in his inner circle are very incentive to be loyal as many of them got rich, and their wealth depends, on Putin’s blessing. Those who don’t, like Prighozhin, get made an example of and have their private planes mysteriously fall from the sky.
do not underestimate Russian conservatives
Propaganda, fear and other things.
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Nice privilege you got here . . . Be a shame if anything were to happen to it, y’know. Like in russia.
I was aware of my own ignorance on the topic, and maybe my words weren’t clear or concise enough for your liking, but it was very much a comment intended to receive answers, opinions, and viewpoints so that I could educate myself
But your random slap on the wrist was super effective and was a crucial excercise. Good job.
This is just western version of propaganda I assume. Most Russians still overwhelmingly support the clown
Overwhelming “support” is not that surprising, to be honest, when the question is “Do you support Putin or do you want to fall out of a window?”
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“Every time we hit the bottom harder and fall through it and now we are at war with the entire world, it seems. What else could be worse? Next will be nuclear, nobody doubts. What depresses me most is the helpless situation we have: the majority will still vote for Putin simply because they feel lost without him, despite tiny salaries, awful medical service, men dying on the front, despite the growing feeling of instability.”
Bloody Russians, at least they could not vote for fucking Putin.
I don’t think this would change anything about the election results. At most the real numbers, which are a closely guarded state secret, would inform Putin that there is growing discontent.
Yes but that must be taken into account when Putin makes decisions.
If he gets 5% of the vote he must be thinking “shit I need to do something different”
MORE GULAG!
Yep like double down on what’s already happening
Voting in a Presidential election there actually does even less than it does in the US. It’s all just a fun show for the people that Putin puts on sometimes.
Remember, this is nothing but a sign that the Russian economy is booming!
There have been so many signs of the Russian economy booming the last 2-3 months it’s hard to keep up…
But rest assured, I’m here to help you remember the wise words of the great and courageous leader Vladimir Putin who is guarding the insides his pala…eh…I mean part of Russia from those pesky Nazis!
Russian something goes boom but it’s not their economy… unless that’s also what an implosion sounds like.
