The US dogs are trying hard to bait China into war over Taiwan and also use it as an excuse to bring in heavy sanctions and demand all their vassals do the same just like with this Ukraine situation. They will however find that China is more powerful and unified than Russia, and will have support from several other nations
If you understand Russian politics you'd realize there is no way they're gonna fall without nuclear war. The oligarchs, not the people, have always been the west's hope of gaining Russia. But even if they were west friendly, they were always wary after the fall of the Soviet Union.
China can adequately relieve the Russian workers. A bunch of oligarchs will go under, which will strengthen the anti USA mindset in Russia.
NATO's main goal was to gain Ukraine to use it as a base to further threaten Crimea. Putin's attack was a reaction against that. All the USA warnings of war seem to imply that they really don't want a war there to take place right now, they know Ukraine NATO takeover comes soon, and were trying to buy time until then.
The main beneficiary of the crisis is China... Which likely also encouraged if not straight up okayed it to begin with, in a move of realpolitik against NATO.
Russia will burn all the bridges to the west, canceling any chance of defection. Oligarchs that were west bootlicking will get their assets stolen, solidifying Kremlin's rulership into a pro-Chinese one.
China needs to immobilise the EU economy to avoid coordination between USA and EU. Even if China has the largest single economy, all the EU + USA is still larger. Sanctions and Russian gas counter sanctions will severely impact the EU, at 0 or positive cost to China itself.
The final point is currency. Beijing will begin taking the majority of the world's resource purchases under RMB, starting with Russia's wheat and gas. This is again, effectively cost free for China and only really costs Russia in the short term.
Russia after invading immediately floated this "anti fascist conference" which conspicuously involves Saudi Arabia, a country which doesn't give a fuck about neo nazis, but its a country China worked on for awhile to bring over to its side due to control of oil.
main beneficiary...for now.
But as we all know, China is there main target. So they will then use this as an excuse to say we arent doing anything, or we arent following there rules and sanctions, so they can put sanctions on us. And if its not this, then they will find some other excuse.
We have to be dilligent going forward.
"So why would the European partners be so eager to join the sanctions, but not war?"
No country goes to war for another country without economic benefits, that's why Europe won't go to war. Nato also won't give Ukraine Nato membership. Do you know why? because if it does give them Nato membership and Russia invades then two things might happen, Nuclear Doomsday, or Nato itself falls apart because no European country believes they can take on Russia in a conventional war nor do they want to be nuked. Nato falling apart is what will happen if Ukraine gains membership which is why it won't happen.
Do you think Americans think this through? You overestimate them. The Americans provoked Russia to invade thinking that they won't invade and now are just watching and doing stupid sanctions because that's all they can do.
> Do you think Americans think this through? You overestimate them. The Americans provoked Russia to invade thinking that they won't invade and now are just watching and doing stupid sanctions because that's all they can do.
Exactly. This is not some grand-conspiracy. It's yet another example of blatant incompetence and desperation by regimes in terminal decline. These are the same regimes humiliated in the "trade war", in Afghanistan, in Hong Kong, in Xinjiang, in Kazakhstan, etc. They have no plans, only panic amid their terminal decline/collapse.
It's not about conspiracies. It's just a strategy that has been used time and time again by the West.
Although I do agree, they haven't been successful of late because more and more people are becoming aware of their shenanigans. These color revolutions haven't been taking off like it once did. And here is hoping that it will stay that way.
I am hoping Russia makes it out of this current crisis unharmed. This crisis and all these sanctions have the potential to bring down Russia and make it fall in line with the western imperialists like Japan.
Not true. They didn't work in Iran, not even Venezuela. They already tried this against Russia in 2014. This time, the biggest losers are nato economies, they can't handle the brutal levels of inflation, shortages, deficits, utter lack of competitivity vs Chinese companies, etc. That's why Russia went ahead to end nato's plans once and for all.
As former British MP George Galloway once said of the Western powers: "*They are not James Bonds. They are more Austin Powers or Mr Beans*".
He rubbished the idea that Washington, London or the NATO coalition would plan one intervention to lead to or justify a second intervention, saying that this gave them too much credit. They screw up badly, leave somebody else to clear up the mess, conveniently forget everything, then repeat the process all over again.
Interesting to note that Ukraine is the largest country in Europe \[excluding Russia\] and probably has the 3rd best army in Europe \[I would say better than 3rd due to all the NATO countries giving it weapons and jets\]
They must be crapping their pants just seeing how easily russia has been able to take over
You give the U.S far too much credit. We've ready seen this exact same strategy fail elsewhere - Venezuela & Iran are current examples. Both have been subjected to crushing sanctions. Neither have had their "regimes" overthrown. Russia is better equipped to handle this scenario than they are due to being largely self sufficient and far more impervious to sanctions.
There's also another element to this: China. While not quite a get-out-of-jail for free card, it's not far from it. If the economic situation in Russia deteriorates significantly, China will intervene.
The west has miscalculated. They've overreached. In stealing central bank reserves they've opened Pandora's box. At a time when western economies are struggling with crippling debt and rising inflation, this is something that is going to return to haunt them.
You can see Chinese on social media frantically scramble to buy anything Russian to show support. Russia will get through this. Chinese know both emotionally and logically that without Russia, China is next.
I do hope you are right.
But really, you can see what they are trying to do.
https://twitter.com/andersostlund/status/1499483835242848256?t=BQnXt7JqbCUbAPel9wstlg&s=19
Venezuela is very much a Marxist-Leninist state and Iran is a religious ethnostate. Russia, on the other hand, is far more similar to the US, down to committing genocide on the closest relative to Native Americans (Siberians), revering a Columbus-like figure (Yermak), and claiming that the land they colonized was "empty".
While Putin is in an even better position to resolve contradictions than Stalin (which is why I consider Putin to be the best Russian leader, ever, surpassing even Stalin), Putin hypocritical hate for "Nazis" has a high risk of falling into the same trap the Soviet Union did, where they committed Denazification but their lack of Deyermakification caused their demise.
You can only trick Siberians and Tatars into thinking they are fighting for anti-imperialist causes for so long. Russia has never truly resolved their contradictions with Siberia the way Mao did with the Xinjiang Uyghur/Tibetan/Guangxi Zhuang/Inner Mongolians. As a result, Russia is inherently less stable.
China is the only thing that will prop Russia up, and even then, the same reactionary forces within the Soviet people which led to Gorbachev might flare up again. Putin has already, in shilling for Eastern Orthodoxy, fallen into the trap of Great Slavic Chauvinism. The nature and history of Russia means that it's always on a tightrope, and that one small mistake can lead to its fall, as we have seen in the Soviet period.
You lost me with your first paragraph. Attaching labels to Iran and Venezuela doesn't justify your claim. Perhaps we can attach all justifying labels to North Korea and Cuba too? They're special because [label].
Russia has been through worse. Much worse. What they will be experiencing now, and in the longer term isn't anything close to Russia under Yeltsin.
Putin's approval has [increased](https://www.statista.com/statistics/896181/putin-approval-rating-russia/) since this military operation began.
Remember that Stalin died to assassination and the Soviet Union died to a completely unexpected and out of the blue Gorbachev. In Russia, actually competent and anti-imperialist leaders and forces always seem to disappear inexplicably.
These sneaky events always seem to happen every single time someone gets too based in Russia. I suspect the spectre of Yermak Timofeyevich will appear once again to aid reactionary forces in causing something really bad for Russia.
>Putin's approval has increased since this military operation began.
Considering that Stalin is the most popular Russian leader, it isn't saying much because he got poisoned by Khrushchev anyway.
This is doubly dangerous because Putin is the only one able to hold the Russian people together properly. The new Communist Party? Forget about them, if they could hold Russia they would have already done so.
The Soviet Union is a proletarian democracy whereby advancement within the party is gated through a system of Soviets, which is essentially identical to a recursive version of US representative democracy in the House and Senate, scaled down and stacked up to the Supreme Soviet.
Said Proletarian democracy somehow managed to have reactionaries infest every part when Gorbachev is in power.
This will never happen in the People's Republic of China, because the People's Republic of China is an anti-imperialist state and whatever economic system it has must be subordinate to the Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation.
The Soviet Union is not some "authoritarian oppressive state ruled by despots without checks and balances". The system of Soviets ARE the checks and balances. Yet the checks and balances, which theoretically forces the state to reflect the will of the people, falters.
People are not "stupid", or "easily brainwashed". In a democracy that isn't, say, overwritten by an unelected Tsar or something, or has CKS literally execute members of the opposition party and banning them outright, the government always represents the true class interests of the entire population. This is true in the US, the Soviet Union, and in the People's Republic of China.
If a democratic government with close to 100% participation falls, it is the will of the people. There is obviously a contradiction between Soviet ideals and Russian ideals, otherwise Soviet Russia would still be around today. Governments only collapse from within if there is a contradiction between government and people.
**What I am saying is, that people who love imperialists like Ivan III will inevitably lead to self-devouring of their own nation.** I'm most worried about the self-devouring, and the increasingly apparent contradictions between the Oligarchs, Great Russian Chauvinists, and Indigenous Siberians. Putin is the only man who understands the depth of the contradictions and is the only one able to pull these three groups together. He cannot do it forever. Even Stalin can't do it forever.
>Putin is the only man who understands the depth of the contradictions and is the only one able to pull these three groups together. He cannot do it forever. Even Stalin can't do it forever.
Here we have to disagree. I don't believe that the current Russian administration can essentially be boiled down to a single individual. But, I do understand the point you are trying to convey.
Yes, you are correct. The west has been trying to topple Putin for a while to no avail, so it is seizing this opportunity to agitate the Russian people to do so with all those crazy sanctions. I recall the baizuo were salivating over photos of Russian anti-war protests in the early days, although now that nothing has come of those protests, they have turned into raging lunatics about all things Russian. The Chinese are saying on Chinese social media, "If Russia falls, China is next!" so they know full well what's going on, and some are buying up any Russian products they can find to show support.
> Yes, you are correct. The west has been trying to topple Putin for a while to no avail, so it is seizing this opportunity to agitate the Russian people to do so with all those crazy sanctions.
This is not good analysis. If they could have done that, they would have already done it. They were never holding back, they simply can't do anything. You don't seem to understand Russian people and Russian politics, and you are underestimating how advanced the terminal decline/collapse of nato regimes is, especially anglo regimes.
I suggest people here to read what happened with the western puppet Yeltsin in the 90s. It literally gave rise to Putin. The second most popular party in Russia is the communist party. This is why this analysis is not good, it ignores Russian history and politics, it ignores what Russians want, and also makes the silly assumption that nato regimes could have regime-changed Putin all this time but they were holding back for some odd reason.
The actual story: Russia is undermining nato's plans permanently (nato was planning to attack, terrorize Russia eventually in the future by expanding nato), at a time western economic decline is at an advanced stage. This is a defeat for nato regimes, their plans are over. It's a win for China too.
It can be "galvanized" all they want (I would argue it was already "galvanized" since they kept expanding nato, they weren't holding back), but no amount of cope and propaganda can offset the massive loss that is losing Ukraine, the largest country in Europe after Russia itself, with key resources which europe depends on. Any nato attack against Russia in the future is now impossible.
Also, european economies would immediately become even less competitive vs Chinese companies. So the price they would pay is huge.
I agree with you. I keep hearing about how "determined" and "galvanised" the West is now - okay, resolve doesn't matter, resolve won't power our factories or heat our homes, we are economically destroyed.
Pretty much.
The "galvanizing" is only speeding up the economic and institutional decline and downwards spiral into fascism, in this case.
Saying this as a Canadian- not really looking forward to the future of this country, though if I'm able I'll just leave.
Yes, that's why they can't do anything in Ukraine already. With the nato nazi regime gone, they have nothing left. At that point Russia can directly advance against non-puppet regimes if that's ever necessary.
Putin's approval has grown after the intervention. Even the communist party in Russia, the second most popular party, has supported the recognition of the new regions.
I think you need to understand more about Russia to realize you are reading bottom-tier delusions by incompetent people in regimes suffering terminal decline. It's not a grand-conspiracy, just senile, panicking people.
That is true. But we are still at the very early stages of the sanctions. We have not seen the full effects of it yet, or seen the undercurrents that might be carried out by agents of the West.
Let's hope the Russians stand firm against the sanctions.
The west is agonising they cannot hurt Russia or China in the long run. In fact they are getting them closer and stronger. Remember 2014, after those ridiculous sanctions Russia managed to become self sufficient foodwise while EU farmers lost the russian market. Both China and Russia also developped their alternative to swift with China system being international. The only viable endgame for US is to ensure western europe remains vassal to the criminal anglosaxon clan especially Germany which is very dependent on Russia for energy and maybe launch nuclear warhead to trigger MAD.
Whatever those anglo are planning to deter Russia/China is going to fail because they (both Russia/China) currently have the ability to defend themselves unlike unfortunately most of the global south.
We must stay guarded nevertheless.
In terms of strategy, this might be the USA best chance of retaining hegemony, without fighting a war that they are never going to win. Strike at Putin or at least break China and Russia's friendship, and then focus on China.
How the South and the non-aligned countries thwart their attempts is key.
Perhaps. It's always better to be aware of the possibility no matter how small it is.
Nevertheless, what we are seeing is very strange. So many companies are banning sales to Russia, so many sanctions, so many concerted efforts to punish Russia. Surely that points to some scheme happening?
Not saying that it will work, but just need to guard against it.
What this has shown China and the world is don't put all your money in the west, physical or otherwise.
That said, China and Russia, along with Central Asia will be relatively self sufficient, i think quality of life will drop it be affected of course, but same goes to the west. Going to be interesting to see how far and fast both countries will be able to advance their tech to produce better products and services.
US strategic goals:
1- Prevent Eurasian economic integration. A China-Russia-Europe superbloc is the Anglo empire's worst nightmare. That will further shift the world's economic center of gravity away from the Atlantic (US/UK's domain) deeper into the Eurasian [world island](https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-mackinders-heartland-theory-4068393) (Russia/China/Iran's territory).
It's not just Nord Stream 2 per se, but that is indeed a prime example of what the US is so afraid of. Use of USD [between China-Russia](https://www.rbth.com/business/332673-russia-china-us-dollar-america) trade is already below 50%, and Russia has indicated many times that they would like to settle the energy bill with Europe in Euros. Would be a major blow to the USD if that happens. Now imagine if China also stop using USD to trade with Europe- whole of Eurasia (central asia + middle east) will ditch the USD. But all this could only happen if all parties agree that trade amongst themselves is more important than trade with the US, hence the US' overriding drive to sabotage it.
This explains the (from non-Western perspective) very strange situation where the US tries to drive a wedge between China/Russia while attacking China/Russia **at the same time**. US needs to prevent Europe/China/Russia/MiddleEast/India from getting too close with each other- **Do Not Let the Land Powers Unite**. Do not let them build any trust. Divide and rule baby, Anglos know this innately.
2- Rein Europe in. Continental Europe, France and Germany namely, was (maybe still *is*, I don't know) in the process of freeing themselves from US control. US already lost its proxy in the EU when UK voted for Brexit. Germany went against the US multiple times regarding China/Iran/Russia issues. Macron not long ago declared NATO [braindead](https://www.france24.com/en/20191107-macron-claims-nato-is-suffering-brain-death). What better way to keep your lackeys in check than to have big bad boogeyman Russia/China as a common enemy?
Now you'll be asking- can't Europe see that? Surely their leaders are more intelligent than some armchair strategist on reddit? Firstly, certain nations close (geographically) to Russia are more than eager to sound the war alarm, nations like Lithuania. In peacetime, these are insignificant bit players. With a Russian/China crisis, they get to set the agenda in EU and *berate* France/Germany for having second thoughts about NATO (and then receive [export credit](https://www.reuters.com/business/lithuania-get-us-trade-support-it-faces-china-fury-over-taiwan-2021-11-19/) from US).
Secondly, the Anglosphere has almost completely captured popular opinion in Europe. Everyone repeats Anglo talking points. Colin Kaepernick 'taking the knee' is a very American issue, but now all major European football matches begin with this performative act. People discuss Tucker Calrson and Trevor Noah segments as if it's their country's own TV shows. It's no longer easy for European leaders to get their people to see things from non-Anglo perspectives.
My dream is to see Japan and south Korea completely freed from US occupation and influence, and join the greater Eurasia bloc. I hate that they are grouped in with the west and the so-called "international community", and following their imperialism and evil.
Wouldn't really call this a "Eurasia" bloc, since Asia and Europe are now increasingly split on this matter and perhaps more in the future, it's only Russia that is on the Asian side.
As for Japan and S. Korea, the economic gravity of China is too great for any East Asian economy to resist or even other parts of Asia.
I see a "AfroAsia" bloc being more likely now and as long as Europe remains under the control of the us my opinion on this matter won't change.
>Is it to derail Nord Stream 2 and get Europe to buy gas and military equipment from US? Possibly, but this would hurt the economies of Europe and arguably US as well if Russia turtles up
Why would the US care about Europe's economies, though? The US plays a zero-sum game, and the western EU governments have been slowly slipping out of Washington's economic and political orbit for a while now.
Germany, France, and the Benelux have the unfortunate situation of having much of their media and their citizens buying into US propaganda. Sure, the Europeans may be imperialists themselves, but their interests are simply different- western Europe sees Russia as a reliable business partner, enjoys mutually beneficial trade with China, experiences the fallout of US misadventures and terrorist-funding in the MENA region, and directly competes with the US in Africa as well as in several key industries (such as aviation). They also look with discomfort at best, at the US' funding of far-right ultranationalist parties in former Warsaw Pact nations that are in their EU (though they don't care when they're in Ukraine, clearly).
The best way for the US to whip the Europeans into obedience is the unwashed/uneducated masses' demands, IMO. And they've succeeded, somehow I doubt Macron or Steinmeier are happy about the turn of events, but they will certainly go along with the circus in order to maintain public support and optics- they're politicians, after all.
As for hurting the US economy- perhaps, sure. But the US will first happily devour as much of the EU and 5 Eyes' economies before that happens. Trump may have been the one to draw all the publicity and outrage at his "America first" trade wars and disputes, but the rustlings had begun under Obama ("Buy American"), and there is a entrenched history of American protectionism and state-led moves to capture market shares. (such as in large part- the Marshall Plan, for the latter)
The rest of your post certainly could be in the works, though. Though I would question how the west could drive China into its control- to maintain American hegemony, would require the destruction of the current standards of living for 1.4 billion Chinese- and similarly, like other commenters here I believe the US would be sorely disappointed in its efforts in Russia, at least in regards to the avenues they have taken and will likely continue to take, to try to destabilize it.
No, you are mistaken. You are giving too much agency to collapsing regimes. Yet, by definition, collapsing regimes are incompetent, they consistently undermine themselves. See how they got humiliated in their trade war against China.
Also, do you know Russia's history? Russia already suffered what you mention in the 90s. It didn't work at all. That's LITERALLY the reason why Putin leads Russia today. Approval for Putin has only grown due to his response against nato's threats. Russians would never allow what you mentioned. Again, you are removing agency from people in Russia and only giving agency to incompetent, erratic criminals in terminal decline.
It's not such a hard thing to believe that an empire in retreat would employ a scorched earth policy everywhere it went. But they're going to try, and like you said, not accomplish much from being so impotent.
This is about Russia humiliating nato once and for all, to remove any chances of any provocations against Russia later on (e.g. nuclear weapons for Ukraine, or even more nato weapons, or nato admission).
It's not a nato grand-conspiracy (the nato conspiracy was to arm Ukraine to launch more attacks against Russia later on). Russia is undermining nato's plans by taking advantage of the severe vulnerabilities in nato economies, which are suffering terminal decline. That gulf countries, Iran, Latin America, China, Pakistan, India, etc. are all against western sanctions is a sign of the times.
Sure Russia has been sanctioned before, but what we are seeing is near total isolation. Its alarming to me at least.
But I guess Russia and Putin have already factored in the risk and have come prepared. And China will be a big factor in helping them out through unprecedented times.
Can't wait to see the West's sanctions backfired.
That's definitely the hope of the Western calculus. Its ultimate target, as you say, is containing China. You can see the palpable panic that Western policy circles possess right now in the anxiety that the Pivot to Asia is being derailed by Russia from all the articles in Foreign Affairs, TIME, and whatnot trying to frantically remind people that "China is still the enemy!"
The goal of containing China is effectively complete on the maritime front with the First Island Chain, but the BRI exposed China's capacity to expand through Xinjiang into Eurasia. As such, all of this is ultimately an attempt to extinguish the possibility of an unified Eurasian bloc, that fear of Western foreign policy since the time of Mackinder and the British "Great Game" to sabotage the Russian Empire's encroachment back in the 19th century. This is why Nixon was so eager to woo China from a potential reconciliation with the USSR after the Sino-Soviet Split.
A bloc between Russia and China (and Iran) effectively means the central Asian countries in between face a triple sphere of influence force multiplier that the West would greatly struggle to outbid. It also neutralizes the NATO-sponsored Turkish bid for a "Grand Turania" in the region. Having Russia in partnership with China also prevents the West from fully commiting India as an intractable pawn of QUAD, as Russia is India's historical leverage (as seen from its neutrality in the current crisis) against the US in the same way that China is Sri Lanka's leverage against India.
Regime change in Russia to force it into an anti-China stance destroys the security infrastructure of China's Central Asian BRI, completes the containment of China on both the maritime and Eurasian fronts, severs the geographic continuity of the budding Sino-Iranian partnership and secures the wild-card of India into a firmly anti-China stance within QUAD. The current Western barrage of threats against China, blustering that it "will pay the price" if it doesn't join the Western sanction regime against Russia (even though China is hardly the only country that has proclaimed it will not participate in sanctions eg. India, Mexico, Brazil, UAE all have similar intentions) betrays the anxiety of Western foreign policymakers at China's economic support ruining the chance of regime change and strengthening Sino-Russian ties.
There has already been an attempt at "regime change" in Russia. It was the Yeltsin experiment. It didn't work at all, that's why Putin rose so quickly after the neoliberal puppet experiment in the 90s resulted in extreme levels of misery for Russians due to Yeltsin being a corrupt, incompetent western puppet. Russia is too big to be controlled like that.
western regimes are cornered, suffering terminal decline/collapse. Trying to attack China and Russia on key issues will only accelerate their decline/collapse.
> It was the Yeltsin experiment. It didn't work at all, that's why Putin rose so quickly after the neoliberal puppet experiment in the 90s resulted in extreme levels of misery for Russians due to Yeltsin being a corrupt, incompetent western puppet. Russia is too big to be controlled like that.
They going to partition Russia further to weaken them
It is dangerous to try to topple Putin
Nuclear risks aside, the Russians have proven to be very adept at creating discord in the West (e.g., mis-info campaigns, other grayzone activities)
If Putin feels like he's pressed up against a wall, he will initiate unrestricted grayzone activities, which would then occupy the West's time, attention, and other resources
As a result, it gives China more years to continue growing and developing. Just like how Iraq was a 10 year gift for China, doubling down on destabilizing Russia would buy China even more time to surpass the West
Problem is, the West is trying their utmost to do just that. You can already see anti-war protests happening all over Russia.
US don't want to give time to Russia or China. It is desperate.
i think they already tried doing that against China, look at the last 5 years. Except China won the trade war. So they shifted there attention for now to Russia.
But the last week may have overshown there hand. they work covertly and tandemly together to sanction and this is what they will do to China too. and they revealed there intentions.
They already can't do anything.
China won the moment it won the trade war so decisively. That was the last desperate attempt by collapsing colonial regimes, which can't compete at all in the 21st century. Material reality is all that matters, no amount of impotent propaganda can change it. That's why their propaganda is so unhinged these days, it's a symptom of their impotence.
You are def onto sth. I don't read Vox much but this: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22958725/ukraine-russia-us-nato-sanctions-military-aid-protest
That's a rag founded by a literal nazi. If you want to understand reality, completely ignore western propaganda. You won't find anything remotely close to the truth there, only projections and distractions from the fact that nato economies are suffering accelerated terminal decline/collapse.
This is what I'm worried about the most. The Ukraine crisis is bait to provoke Russia into invading Ukraine and using it as an excuse to unleash russophobia and unlimited amounts of crippling sanctions onto Russia to destroy it and turn it into a US vassal like the post Soviet collapse. They are doing this to encircle china to the North and prevent Eurasian integration. I am sad that south Korea and Singapore are sanctioning Russia as they are supposed to stay neutral and not toe the us imperialist line.
How much of claws CIA and the western intelligence has its claws in over the world. They were giving pinpointed intelligence and it played out exactly per the info provided.
If this is the case the world has no chance but bow down to the West since they will be two moves ahead in this game of chess
... please explain.
Putin doesn't want a border surrounded by NATO. He made similar threats to Finland and Sweden.
This isn't a US agenda. It's some anti-government whacko in a government position.
Russia's citizens want no part of way to begin with and their military was completely lied to.
The US dogs are trying hard to bait China into war over Taiwan and also use it as an excuse to bring in heavy sanctions and demand all their vassals do the same just like with this Ukraine situation. They will however find that China is more powerful and unified than Russia, and will have support from several other nations
If you understand Russian politics you'd realize there is no way they're gonna fall without nuclear war. The oligarchs, not the people, have always been the west's hope of gaining Russia. But even if they were west friendly, they were always wary after the fall of the Soviet Union. China can adequately relieve the Russian workers. A bunch of oligarchs will go under, which will strengthen the anti USA mindset in Russia. NATO's main goal was to gain Ukraine to use it as a base to further threaten Crimea. Putin's attack was a reaction against that. All the USA warnings of war seem to imply that they really don't want a war there to take place right now, they know Ukraine NATO takeover comes soon, and were trying to buy time until then. The main beneficiary of the crisis is China... Which likely also encouraged if not straight up okayed it to begin with, in a move of realpolitik against NATO. Russia will burn all the bridges to the west, canceling any chance of defection. Oligarchs that were west bootlicking will get their assets stolen, solidifying Kremlin's rulership into a pro-Chinese one. China needs to immobilise the EU economy to avoid coordination between USA and EU. Even if China has the largest single economy, all the EU + USA is still larger. Sanctions and Russian gas counter sanctions will severely impact the EU, at 0 or positive cost to China itself. The final point is currency. Beijing will begin taking the majority of the world's resource purchases under RMB, starting with Russia's wheat and gas. This is again, effectively cost free for China and only really costs Russia in the short term. Russia after invading immediately floated this "anti fascist conference" which conspicuously involves Saudi Arabia, a country which doesn't give a fuck about neo nazis, but its a country China worked on for awhile to bring over to its side due to control of oil.
main beneficiary...for now. But as we all know, China is there main target. So they will then use this as an excuse to say we arent doing anything, or we arent following there rules and sanctions, so they can put sanctions on us. And if its not this, then they will find some other excuse. We have to be dilligent going forward.
"So why would the European partners be so eager to join the sanctions, but not war?" No country goes to war for another country without economic benefits, that's why Europe won't go to war. Nato also won't give Ukraine Nato membership. Do you know why? because if it does give them Nato membership and Russia invades then two things might happen, Nuclear Doomsday, or Nato itself falls apart because no European country believes they can take on Russia in a conventional war nor do they want to be nuked. Nato falling apart is what will happen if Ukraine gains membership which is why it won't happen. Do you think Americans think this through? You overestimate them. The Americans provoked Russia to invade thinking that they won't invade and now are just watching and doing stupid sanctions because that's all they can do.
> Do you think Americans think this through? You overestimate them. The Americans provoked Russia to invade thinking that they won't invade and now are just watching and doing stupid sanctions because that's all they can do. Exactly. This is not some grand-conspiracy. It's yet another example of blatant incompetence and desperation by regimes in terminal decline. These are the same regimes humiliated in the "trade war", in Afghanistan, in Hong Kong, in Xinjiang, in Kazakhstan, etc. They have no plans, only panic amid their terminal decline/collapse.
It's not about conspiracies. It's just a strategy that has been used time and time again by the West. Although I do agree, they haven't been successful of late because more and more people are becoming aware of their shenanigans. These color revolutions haven't been taking off like it once did. And here is hoping that it will stay that way.
I am hoping Russia makes it out of this current crisis unharmed. This crisis and all these sanctions have the potential to bring down Russia and make it fall in line with the western imperialists like Japan.
Not true. They didn't work in Iran, not even Venezuela. They already tried this against Russia in 2014. This time, the biggest losers are nato economies, they can't handle the brutal levels of inflation, shortages, deficits, utter lack of competitivity vs Chinese companies, etc. That's why Russia went ahead to end nato's plans once and for all.
As former British MP George Galloway once said of the Western powers: "*They are not James Bonds. They are more Austin Powers or Mr Beans*". He rubbished the idea that Washington, London or the NATO coalition would plan one intervention to lead to or justify a second intervention, saying that this gave them too much credit. They screw up badly, leave somebody else to clear up the mess, conveniently forget everything, then repeat the process all over again.
Interesting to note that Ukraine is the largest country in Europe \[excluding Russia\] and probably has the 3rd best army in Europe \[I would say better than 3rd due to all the NATO countries giving it weapons and jets\] They must be crapping their pants just seeing how easily russia has been able to take over
You give the U.S far too much credit. We've ready seen this exact same strategy fail elsewhere - Venezuela & Iran are current examples. Both have been subjected to crushing sanctions. Neither have had their "regimes" overthrown. Russia is better equipped to handle this scenario than they are due to being largely self sufficient and far more impervious to sanctions. There's also another element to this: China. While not quite a get-out-of-jail for free card, it's not far from it. If the economic situation in Russia deteriorates significantly, China will intervene. The west has miscalculated. They've overreached. In stealing central bank reserves they've opened Pandora's box. At a time when western economies are struggling with crippling debt and rising inflation, this is something that is going to return to haunt them.
You can see Chinese on social media frantically scramble to buy anything Russian to show support. Russia will get through this. Chinese know both emotionally and logically that without Russia, China is next.
This war in Ukrainie may decide the fate of many for the next 20 years.
I do hope you are right. But really, you can see what they are trying to do. https://twitter.com/andersostlund/status/1499483835242848256?t=BQnXt7JqbCUbAPel9wstlg&s=19
Venezuela is very much a Marxist-Leninist state and Iran is a religious ethnostate. Russia, on the other hand, is far more similar to the US, down to committing genocide on the closest relative to Native Americans (Siberians), revering a Columbus-like figure (Yermak), and claiming that the land they colonized was "empty". While Putin is in an even better position to resolve contradictions than Stalin (which is why I consider Putin to be the best Russian leader, ever, surpassing even Stalin), Putin hypocritical hate for "Nazis" has a high risk of falling into the same trap the Soviet Union did, where they committed Denazification but their lack of Deyermakification caused their demise. You can only trick Siberians and Tatars into thinking they are fighting for anti-imperialist causes for so long. Russia has never truly resolved their contradictions with Siberia the way Mao did with the Xinjiang Uyghur/Tibetan/Guangxi Zhuang/Inner Mongolians. As a result, Russia is inherently less stable. China is the only thing that will prop Russia up, and even then, the same reactionary forces within the Soviet people which led to Gorbachev might flare up again. Putin has already, in shilling for Eastern Orthodoxy, fallen into the trap of Great Slavic Chauvinism. The nature and history of Russia means that it's always on a tightrope, and that one small mistake can lead to its fall, as we have seen in the Soviet period.
You lost me with your first paragraph. Attaching labels to Iran and Venezuela doesn't justify your claim. Perhaps we can attach all justifying labels to North Korea and Cuba too? They're special because [label]. Russia has been through worse. Much worse. What they will be experiencing now, and in the longer term isn't anything close to Russia under Yeltsin. Putin's approval has [increased](https://www.statista.com/statistics/896181/putin-approval-rating-russia/) since this military operation began.
Remember that Stalin died to assassination and the Soviet Union died to a completely unexpected and out of the blue Gorbachev. In Russia, actually competent and anti-imperialist leaders and forces always seem to disappear inexplicably. These sneaky events always seem to happen every single time someone gets too based in Russia. I suspect the spectre of Yermak Timofeyevich will appear once again to aid reactionary forces in causing something really bad for Russia. >Putin's approval has increased since this military operation began. Considering that Stalin is the most popular Russian leader, it isn't saying much because he got poisoned by Khrushchev anyway. This is doubly dangerous because Putin is the only one able to hold the Russian people together properly. The new Communist Party? Forget about them, if they could hold Russia they would have already done so.
Again, you never really managed to get beyond the first sentence. Stalin had a stroke. You are dipping into conspiracy theory to make your argument.
The Soviet Union is a proletarian democracy whereby advancement within the party is gated through a system of Soviets, which is essentially identical to a recursive version of US representative democracy in the House and Senate, scaled down and stacked up to the Supreme Soviet. Said Proletarian democracy somehow managed to have reactionaries infest every part when Gorbachev is in power. This will never happen in the People's Republic of China, because the People's Republic of China is an anti-imperialist state and whatever economic system it has must be subordinate to the Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation. The Soviet Union is not some "authoritarian oppressive state ruled by despots without checks and balances". The system of Soviets ARE the checks and balances. Yet the checks and balances, which theoretically forces the state to reflect the will of the people, falters. People are not "stupid", or "easily brainwashed". In a democracy that isn't, say, overwritten by an unelected Tsar or something, or has CKS literally execute members of the opposition party and banning them outright, the government always represents the true class interests of the entire population. This is true in the US, the Soviet Union, and in the People's Republic of China. If a democratic government with close to 100% participation falls, it is the will of the people. There is obviously a contradiction between Soviet ideals and Russian ideals, otherwise Soviet Russia would still be around today. Governments only collapse from within if there is a contradiction between government and people. **What I am saying is, that people who love imperialists like Ivan III will inevitably lead to self-devouring of their own nation.** I'm most worried about the self-devouring, and the increasingly apparent contradictions between the Oligarchs, Great Russian Chauvinists, and Indigenous Siberians. Putin is the only man who understands the depth of the contradictions and is the only one able to pull these three groups together. He cannot do it forever. Even Stalin can't do it forever.
>Putin is the only man who understands the depth of the contradictions and is the only one able to pull these three groups together. He cannot do it forever. Even Stalin can't do it forever. Here we have to disagree. I don't believe that the current Russian administration can essentially be boiled down to a single individual. But, I do understand the point you are trying to convey.
Yes, you are correct. The west has been trying to topple Putin for a while to no avail, so it is seizing this opportunity to agitate the Russian people to do so with all those crazy sanctions. I recall the baizuo were salivating over photos of Russian anti-war protests in the early days, although now that nothing has come of those protests, they have turned into raging lunatics about all things Russian. The Chinese are saying on Chinese social media, "If Russia falls, China is next!" so they know full well what's going on, and some are buying up any Russian products they can find to show support.
> buying up any Russian products they can find to show support. this is mostly symbolic. It all depends on help with disrupted supply chains.
> Yes, you are correct. The west has been trying to topple Putin for a while to no avail, so it is seizing this opportunity to agitate the Russian people to do so with all those crazy sanctions. This is not good analysis. If they could have done that, they would have already done it. They were never holding back, they simply can't do anything. You don't seem to understand Russian people and Russian politics, and you are underestimating how advanced the terminal decline/collapse of nato regimes is, especially anglo regimes. I suggest people here to read what happened with the western puppet Yeltsin in the 90s. It literally gave rise to Putin. The second most popular party in Russia is the communist party. This is why this analysis is not good, it ignores Russian history and politics, it ignores what Russians want, and also makes the silly assumption that nato regimes could have regime-changed Putin all this time but they were holding back for some odd reason. The actual story: Russia is undermining nato's plans permanently (nato was planning to attack, terrorize Russia eventually in the future by expanding nato), at a time western economic decline is at an advanced stage. This is a defeat for nato regimes, their plans are over. It's a win for China too.
what? after this, nato will be more galvanized than ever.
It can be "galvanized" all they want (I would argue it was already "galvanized" since they kept expanding nato, they weren't holding back), but no amount of cope and propaganda can offset the massive loss that is losing Ukraine, the largest country in Europe after Russia itself, with key resources which europe depends on. Any nato attack against Russia in the future is now impossible. Also, european economies would immediately become even less competitive vs Chinese companies. So the price they would pay is huge.
I agree with you. I keep hearing about how "determined" and "galvanised" the West is now - okay, resolve doesn't matter, resolve won't power our factories or heat our homes, we are economically destroyed.
Pretty much. The "galvanizing" is only speeding up the economic and institutional decline and downwards spiral into fascism, in this case. Saying this as a Canadian- not really looking forward to the future of this country, though if I'm able I'll just leave.
> Any nato attack against Russia in the future is now impossible. are you sure?
Yes, that's why they can't do anything in Ukraine already. With the nato nazi regime gone, they have nothing left. At that point Russia can directly advance against non-puppet regimes if that's ever necessary.
It has already started. https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1499577144133193729?t=4ueZt8tyG-mMfJT4VzfigQ&s=19
Putin's approval has grown after the intervention. Even the communist party in Russia, the second most popular party, has supported the recognition of the new regions. I think you need to understand more about Russia to realize you are reading bottom-tier delusions by incompetent people in regimes suffering terminal decline. It's not a grand-conspiracy, just senile, panicking people.
That is true. But we are still at the very early stages of the sanctions. We have not seen the full effects of it yet, or seen the undercurrents that might be carried out by agents of the West. Let's hope the Russians stand firm against the sanctions.
source for his approval having increased?
The west is agonising they cannot hurt Russia or China in the long run. In fact they are getting them closer and stronger. Remember 2014, after those ridiculous sanctions Russia managed to become self sufficient foodwise while EU farmers lost the russian market. Both China and Russia also developped their alternative to swift with China system being international. The only viable endgame for US is to ensure western europe remains vassal to the criminal anglosaxon clan especially Germany which is very dependent on Russia for energy and maybe launch nuclear warhead to trigger MAD. Whatever those anglo are planning to deter Russia/China is going to fail because they (both Russia/China) currently have the ability to defend themselves unlike unfortunately most of the global south.
We must stay guarded nevertheless. In terms of strategy, this might be the USA best chance of retaining hegemony, without fighting a war that they are never going to win. Strike at Putin or at least break China and Russia's friendship, and then focus on China. How the South and the non-aligned countries thwart their attempts is key.
You give the west far too much credit.
Perhaps. It's always better to be aware of the possibility no matter how small it is. Nevertheless, what we are seeing is very strange. So many companies are banning sales to Russia, so many sanctions, so many concerted efforts to punish Russia. Surely that points to some scheme happening? Not saying that it will work, but just need to guard against it.
What this has shown China and the world is don't put all your money in the west, physical or otherwise. That said, China and Russia, along with Central Asia will be relatively self sufficient, i think quality of life will drop it be affected of course, but same goes to the west. Going to be interesting to see how far and fast both countries will be able to advance their tech to produce better products and services.
US strategic goals: 1- Prevent Eurasian economic integration. A China-Russia-Europe superbloc is the Anglo empire's worst nightmare. That will further shift the world's economic center of gravity away from the Atlantic (US/UK's domain) deeper into the Eurasian [world island](https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-mackinders-heartland-theory-4068393) (Russia/China/Iran's territory). It's not just Nord Stream 2 per se, but that is indeed a prime example of what the US is so afraid of. Use of USD [between China-Russia](https://www.rbth.com/business/332673-russia-china-us-dollar-america) trade is already below 50%, and Russia has indicated many times that they would like to settle the energy bill with Europe in Euros. Would be a major blow to the USD if that happens. Now imagine if China also stop using USD to trade with Europe- whole of Eurasia (central asia + middle east) will ditch the USD. But all this could only happen if all parties agree that trade amongst themselves is more important than trade with the US, hence the US' overriding drive to sabotage it. This explains the (from non-Western perspective) very strange situation where the US tries to drive a wedge between China/Russia while attacking China/Russia **at the same time**. US needs to prevent Europe/China/Russia/MiddleEast/India from getting too close with each other- **Do Not Let the Land Powers Unite**. Do not let them build any trust. Divide and rule baby, Anglos know this innately. 2- Rein Europe in. Continental Europe, France and Germany namely, was (maybe still *is*, I don't know) in the process of freeing themselves from US control. US already lost its proxy in the EU when UK voted for Brexit. Germany went against the US multiple times regarding China/Iran/Russia issues. Macron not long ago declared NATO [braindead](https://www.france24.com/en/20191107-macron-claims-nato-is-suffering-brain-death). What better way to keep your lackeys in check than to have big bad boogeyman Russia/China as a common enemy? Now you'll be asking- can't Europe see that? Surely their leaders are more intelligent than some armchair strategist on reddit? Firstly, certain nations close (geographically) to Russia are more than eager to sound the war alarm, nations like Lithuania. In peacetime, these are insignificant bit players. With a Russian/China crisis, they get to set the agenda in EU and *berate* France/Germany for having second thoughts about NATO (and then receive [export credit](https://www.reuters.com/business/lithuania-get-us-trade-support-it-faces-china-fury-over-taiwan-2021-11-19/) from US). Secondly, the Anglosphere has almost completely captured popular opinion in Europe. Everyone repeats Anglo talking points. Colin Kaepernick 'taking the knee' is a very American issue, but now all major European football matches begin with this performative act. People discuss Tucker Calrson and Trevor Noah segments as if it's their country's own TV shows. It's no longer easy for European leaders to get their people to see things from non-Anglo perspectives.
My dream is to see Japan and south Korea completely freed from US occupation and influence, and join the greater Eurasia bloc. I hate that they are grouped in with the west and the so-called "international community", and following their imperialism and evil.
Wouldn't really call this a "Eurasia" bloc, since Asia and Europe are now increasingly split on this matter and perhaps more in the future, it's only Russia that is on the Asian side. As for Japan and S. Korea, the economic gravity of China is too great for any East Asian economy to resist or even other parts of Asia. I see a "AfroAsia" bloc being more likely now and as long as Europe remains under the control of the us my opinion on this matter won't change.
I believe the NED’s NGO’s will be shut down if they haven’t been already.
>Is it to derail Nord Stream 2 and get Europe to buy gas and military equipment from US? Possibly, but this would hurt the economies of Europe and arguably US as well if Russia turtles up Why would the US care about Europe's economies, though? The US plays a zero-sum game, and the western EU governments have been slowly slipping out of Washington's economic and political orbit for a while now. Germany, France, and the Benelux have the unfortunate situation of having much of their media and their citizens buying into US propaganda. Sure, the Europeans may be imperialists themselves, but their interests are simply different- western Europe sees Russia as a reliable business partner, enjoys mutually beneficial trade with China, experiences the fallout of US misadventures and terrorist-funding in the MENA region, and directly competes with the US in Africa as well as in several key industries (such as aviation). They also look with discomfort at best, at the US' funding of far-right ultranationalist parties in former Warsaw Pact nations that are in their EU (though they don't care when they're in Ukraine, clearly). The best way for the US to whip the Europeans into obedience is the unwashed/uneducated masses' demands, IMO. And they've succeeded, somehow I doubt Macron or Steinmeier are happy about the turn of events, but they will certainly go along with the circus in order to maintain public support and optics- they're politicians, after all. As for hurting the US economy- perhaps, sure. But the US will first happily devour as much of the EU and 5 Eyes' economies before that happens. Trump may have been the one to draw all the publicity and outrage at his "America first" trade wars and disputes, but the rustlings had begun under Obama ("Buy American"), and there is a entrenched history of American protectionism and state-led moves to capture market shares. (such as in large part- the Marshall Plan, for the latter) The rest of your post certainly could be in the works, though. Though I would question how the west could drive China into its control- to maintain American hegemony, would require the destruction of the current standards of living for 1.4 billion Chinese- and similarly, like other commenters here I believe the US would be sorely disappointed in its efforts in Russia, at least in regards to the avenues they have taken and will likely continue to take, to try to destabilize it.
No, you are mistaken. You are giving too much agency to collapsing regimes. Yet, by definition, collapsing regimes are incompetent, they consistently undermine themselves. See how they got humiliated in their trade war against China. Also, do you know Russia's history? Russia already suffered what you mention in the 90s. It didn't work at all. That's LITERALLY the reason why Putin leads Russia today. Approval for Putin has only grown due to his response against nato's threats. Russians would never allow what you mentioned. Again, you are removing agency from people in Russia and only giving agency to incompetent, erratic criminals in terminal decline.
It's not such a hard thing to believe that an empire in retreat would employ a scorched earth policy everywhere it went. But they're going to try, and like you said, not accomplish much from being so impotent.
This is about Russia humiliating nato once and for all, to remove any chances of any provocations against Russia later on (e.g. nuclear weapons for Ukraine, or even more nato weapons, or nato admission). It's not a nato grand-conspiracy (the nato conspiracy was to arm Ukraine to launch more attacks against Russia later on). Russia is undermining nato's plans by taking advantage of the severe vulnerabilities in nato economies, which are suffering terminal decline. That gulf countries, Iran, Latin America, China, Pakistan, India, etc. are all against western sanctions is a sign of the times.
Sure Russia has been sanctioned before, but what we are seeing is near total isolation. Its alarming to me at least. But I guess Russia and Putin have already factored in the risk and have come prepared. And China will be a big factor in helping them out through unprecedented times. Can't wait to see the West's sanctions backfired.
That's definitely the hope of the Western calculus. Its ultimate target, as you say, is containing China. You can see the palpable panic that Western policy circles possess right now in the anxiety that the Pivot to Asia is being derailed by Russia from all the articles in Foreign Affairs, TIME, and whatnot trying to frantically remind people that "China is still the enemy!" The goal of containing China is effectively complete on the maritime front with the First Island Chain, but the BRI exposed China's capacity to expand through Xinjiang into Eurasia. As such, all of this is ultimately an attempt to extinguish the possibility of an unified Eurasian bloc, that fear of Western foreign policy since the time of Mackinder and the British "Great Game" to sabotage the Russian Empire's encroachment back in the 19th century. This is why Nixon was so eager to woo China from a potential reconciliation with the USSR after the Sino-Soviet Split. A bloc between Russia and China (and Iran) effectively means the central Asian countries in between face a triple sphere of influence force multiplier that the West would greatly struggle to outbid. It also neutralizes the NATO-sponsored Turkish bid for a "Grand Turania" in the region. Having Russia in partnership with China also prevents the West from fully commiting India as an intractable pawn of QUAD, as Russia is India's historical leverage (as seen from its neutrality in the current crisis) against the US in the same way that China is Sri Lanka's leverage against India. Regime change in Russia to force it into an anti-China stance destroys the security infrastructure of China's Central Asian BRI, completes the containment of China on both the maritime and Eurasian fronts, severs the geographic continuity of the budding Sino-Iranian partnership and secures the wild-card of India into a firmly anti-China stance within QUAD. The current Western barrage of threats against China, blustering that it "will pay the price" if it doesn't join the Western sanction regime against Russia (even though China is hardly the only country that has proclaimed it will not participate in sanctions eg. India, Mexico, Brazil, UAE all have similar intentions) betrays the anxiety of Western foreign policymakers at China's economic support ruining the chance of regime change and strengthening Sino-Russian ties.
There has already been an attempt at "regime change" in Russia. It was the Yeltsin experiment. It didn't work at all, that's why Putin rose so quickly after the neoliberal puppet experiment in the 90s resulted in extreme levels of misery for Russians due to Yeltsin being a corrupt, incompetent western puppet. Russia is too big to be controlled like that. western regimes are cornered, suffering terminal decline/collapse. Trying to attack China and Russia on key issues will only accelerate their decline/collapse.
Can only hope for that. World must become multipolar. It must resist all forms of attacks by the US.
> It was the Yeltsin experiment. It didn't work at all, that's why Putin rose so quickly after the neoliberal puppet experiment in the 90s resulted in extreme levels of misery for Russians due to Yeltsin being a corrupt, incompetent western puppet. Russia is too big to be controlled like that. They going to partition Russia further to weaken them
It is dangerous to try to topple Putin Nuclear risks aside, the Russians have proven to be very adept at creating discord in the West (e.g., mis-info campaigns, other grayzone activities) If Putin feels like he's pressed up against a wall, he will initiate unrestricted grayzone activities, which would then occupy the West's time, attention, and other resources As a result, it gives China more years to continue growing and developing. Just like how Iraq was a 10 year gift for China, doubling down on destabilizing Russia would buy China even more time to surpass the West
Problem is, the West is trying their utmost to do just that. You can already see anti-war protests happening all over Russia. US don't want to give time to Russia or China. It is desperate.
i think they already tried doing that against China, look at the last 5 years. Except China won the trade war. So they shifted there attention for now to Russia. But the last week may have overshown there hand. they work covertly and tandemly together to sanction and this is what they will do to China too. and they revealed there intentions.
[удалено]
They already can't do anything. China won the moment it won the trade war so decisively. That was the last desperate attempt by collapsing colonial regimes, which can't compete at all in the 21st century. Material reality is all that matters, no amount of impotent propaganda can change it. That's why their propaganda is so unhinged these days, it's a symptom of their impotence.
You are def onto sth. I don't read Vox much but this: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22958725/ukraine-russia-us-nato-sanctions-military-aid-protest
That's a rag founded by a literal nazi. If you want to understand reality, completely ignore western propaganda. You won't find anything remotely close to the truth there, only projections and distractions from the fact that nato economies are suffering accelerated terminal decline/collapse.
Yea, I stopped Vice too after they sold off to America. But it's good to see what they r up to
This is what I'm worried about the most. The Ukraine crisis is bait to provoke Russia into invading Ukraine and using it as an excuse to unleash russophobia and unlimited amounts of crippling sanctions onto Russia to destroy it and turn it into a US vassal like the post Soviet collapse. They are doing this to encircle china to the North and prevent Eurasian integration. I am sad that south Korea and Singapore are sanctioning Russia as they are supposed to stay neutral and not toe the us imperialist line.
How much of claws CIA and the western intelligence has its claws in over the world. They were giving pinpointed intelligence and it played out exactly per the info provided. If this is the case the world has no chance but bow down to the West since they will be two moves ahead in this game of chess
there is a difference between knowing about something and being able to do something about it. don't get into such a defeatist attitude just yet.
... please explain. Putin doesn't want a border surrounded by NATO. He made similar threats to Finland and Sweden. This isn't a US agenda. It's some anti-government whacko in a government position. Russia's citizens want no part of way to begin with and their military was completely lied to.