How dangerous is Vladimir Putin?

And what's more: his approval rate is dropping...(but might be that they exaggerate...)

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New research, conducted by the Levada Center – a polling company registered as a foreign agent over receiving Western funding in the past – found that 64 percent of the 1,600 people surveyed backed Putin’s performance, down from 65 percent in the last poll, conducted in November.

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Putin’s approval rating drops slightly to 64%, while Navalny overtakes Communist Party leader in new Russian opinion poll — RT Russia & Former Soviet Union

Sample group 1600 people out of 144M. Putin support down one percent. Technically this allows the statement to be true. The smaller the numbers involved the more useless it is to bother calculating percentage increases and the more likely it is that we're dealing with shysters, ingrates and other and sundry assorted lower life forms whose sole purpose on the planet is to deceive and confuse. Classless leeches.

So holey molley and ten hail Marie's.

Nothing happening here folks . Please move along.

Attachment 64307

^ Navalny is one big dog and pony show sponsored by the Western powers.

Russia has the 5th or 6th most billionaires in the world. It's the biggest country in the world. And yet , you really think that Putin has everyone scared straight except for one attention whoring e-grifter named Alexey Navalny ? Really ?

Maybe ... just maybe... There is a political consensus in Russia ?

Western pundits believed post-Maidan Ukraine would serve as an ‘example’ for Russia – in reality, it’s become a cautionary tale

6 Feb, 2021 07:40

"Many Russian liberals and foreign pundits saw Ukraine's 2014 'Maidan' as an event that would inspire change in Moscow. Today, as an increasingly dysfunctional Kiev clamps down on free speech, it looks more like a cautionary tale. In May 2014, newly elected Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko promised that he would rapidly bring peace to his country. "The anti-terrorist operation cannot and should not last two or three months. It should and will last hours," he said.

Nearly 60,000 hours later, the war into which the badly named "anti-terrorist operation" morphed is still going on. Poroshenko’s successor Volodymyr Zelensky similarly promised to bring the fighting to an end. "My main goal… is that I want to end the war. This is my mission within these five years," he told journalists. But he has been equally unsuccessful.

Zelensky resoundingly defeated Poroshenko in the 2019 presidential election, in which the incumbent won a plurality of votes only in the far west of the country. By portraying himself as a candidate not only of peace, but also of national unity, Zelensky was able to attract the votes of a large number of Russian-speaking Ukrainians in the south and east of the country who had been alienated by Poroshenko’s increasingly nationalistic tone.

Unfortunately, since then Zelensky has betrayed those voters time after time.
Not only has he failed to take any of the steps required to bring the war to an end – most notably, the concessions demanded in the 2015 Minsk II agreements – but his government has also further suppressed the language rights of Ukrainians and is now clamping down on the opposition media.

In January 2020, liberal Russian pundits lined up to praise Zelensky’s new year’s speech. Zelensky was said to have promoted an image of national unity, seeking to overcome linguistic and other differences which had been accentuated by his predecessor’s nationalist policies. "It doesn’t matter what your street is called as long as it is clean and asphalted," said Zelensky, in a line which seemed to suggest that his government would bring an end to the habit of changing street names from those of communist heroes to those of nationalist icons like Stepan Bandera.

In fact, it hasn’t. Not only has Zelensky failed to provide clean and asphalted streets, but it’s since become clear that what he really meant was not that he would bring an end to forcible Ukrainization, but that Russian speakers should just shut up and stop complaining about it, since, after all, none of that stuff actually "matters."

Thus, Zelensky has done nothing to reverse the 2019 law on official languages, which sharply restricts the use of Russian. Most notably, on January 16 a new rule came into effect which obliges all service providers (shops, restaurants, etc.) to offer their services in Ukrainian by default. Meanwhile, censorship in Ukraine has reached new levels of silliness, prohibiting for instance a book about the Vikings by an American author because it referred to ancient Kievan Rus’ as "Russia."

Now Zelensky has gone even further, banning three television stations owned by opposition politician Taras Kozak, on the grounds that they are spreading Russian disinformation. Zelensky claims that he supports freedom of speech but not "propaganda financed by the aggressors." "These media have become one of the tools in the war against Ukraine, so they are blocked in order to protect national security," said Zelensky’s spokesperson Yuliia Mendel.

The fact that the ban comes at a moment when Zelensky’s popularity is plummeting, and when Kozak’s party Opposition Platform – For Life is leading in national opinion polls may be entirely coincidental. But then again it may not. The move smacks of political desperation.

It is also, of course, deeply undemocratic in character. Had former president Viktor Yanukovich, who was overthrown in the February 2014 Maidan revolution, ever attempted such a thing, Ukrainian liberals and their Western allies would have cried huge screams of outrage. Now, however, they are silent, or even supportive. The US Embassy in Kiev, for instance, issued a statement that it backed the measure as designed "to counter Russia’s malign influence."

The US response reveals the shallowness of Western assertions that in backing the Maidan revolution and subsequent governments they are supporting democracy, human rights, and a liberal order. In reality, geopolitics seems to be the primary concern. As long as Ukraine remains resolutely anti-Russia, a blind eye will be turned to nearly all and any abuses of democratic principles.

And here’s where the situation becomes rather sad. In the immediate aftermath of the Maidan revolution, it was said that Vladimir Putin’s response was driven by fears that Western-style democracy in Ukraine would provide a positive model which would incite a similar revolution in Russia.'

Western pundits believed post-Maidan Ukraine would serve as an ‘example’ for Russia – in reality, it’s become a cautionary tale — RT Russia & Former Soviet Union

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Originally Posted by OhOh

It is also, of course, deeply undemocratic in character. Had former president Viktor Yanukovich, who was overthrown in the February 2014 Maidan revolution, ever attempted such a thing, Ukrainian liberals and their Western allies would have cried huge screams of outrage. Now, however, they are silent, or even supportive. The US Embassy in Kiev, for instance, issued a statement that it backed the measure as designed "to counter Russia’s malign influence."

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I agree with this. I think western democracies, and in particular the Americans, had a great deal to do with undermining Mr. Yanukovich. People like Mr. Zelensky seem to have a natural tendency to swing right and I give you its neighbours Poland and Hungary as examples. To comprehend the problems plaguing The Ukraine we have to venture back to at least WW2 where, in the west of the country there was a significant part of the population who were not unwelcoming to the Nazis whereas in the eastern part of the country thousands died defending mother Russia. Folks in this part of the world have excellent memories.

Overall what we are seeing is simply another example of the continuing Cold War which has hardly subsided since the fifties. Had the west pursued a less aggressive path after the fall of the Soviet Union I'm quite sure things would be different today.

That's my pennies worth.

Fire away.

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Originally Posted by russellsimpson

People like Mr. Zelensky seem to have a natural tendency to swing right and I give you its neighbours Poland and Hungary as examples.

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But that's not why the Mr.Z. is now being impeached...

https://teakdoor.com/world-news/2020...ml#post4219474

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Not only has he failed to take any of the steps required to bring the war to an end

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Which presumably involves accepting that Russia's invasion of sovereign territory was acceptable.

Get fucked with your RT nonsense.

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Originally Posted by russellsimpson

Overall what we are seeing is simply another example of the continuing Cold War which has hardly subsided since the fifties. Had the west pursued a less aggressive path after the fall of the Soviet Union I'm quite sure things would be different today.

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It's an ideological difference that drove the issue and now it's a matter of Russian dominance and power. Their previously forced allies are quite happy to have been freed from the yoke of Russian militarism and oppression, add to that the disintegration of the Soviet Union into the 'Stanss' etc... and you have a country that is used to only totalitarian leadership.

They're frightened of themselves and envious of the west.

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Originally Posted by russellsimpson

I agree with this. I think western democracies, and in particular the Americans, had a great deal to do with undermining Mr. Yanukovich. People like Mr. Zelensky seem to have a natural tendency to swing right and I give you its neighbours Poland and Hungary as examples. To comprehend the problems plaguing The Ukraine we have to venture back to at least WW2 where, in the west of the country there was a significant part of the population who were not unwelcoming to the Nazis whereas in the eastern part of the country thousands died defending mother Russia. Folks in this part of the world have excellent memories.

Overall what we are seeing is simply another example of the continuing Cold War which has hardly subsided since the fifties. Had the west pursued a less aggressive path after the fall of the Soviet Union I'm quite sure things would be different today.

That's my pennies worth.

Fire away.

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Gorbachev , Yeltsin, Putin term 1 and Medvedev all tried everything they could to make a proper peace deal with Europe.

A 2 speed NATO would have been perfect and all the aforementioned leaders were open to it. But the US didn't want that. They wanted more war and that's what we have.

They wanted Russia to just grovel and give up territory whenever NATO wanted more. If Russia granted independence and NATO membership to Chechnya , they would just move onto the next territory.

A country is either an empire or part of someone else's. Russia was too big to fit into the EU or nato. It was never going to happen.

But we have laughable fools like Panama skat actually believe it's all a morality play. If only the Russian leadership was nicer guys , then Russia could join the EU and NATO and it would be all one big happy family.

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Originally Posted by Backspin

Gorbachev , Yeltsin, Putin term 1 and Medvedev all tried everything they could to make a proper peace deal with Europe.

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Good grief . . .

Before Putins 2nd term. Before the US coup in Ukraine and Crimea

Russia and Nato must reach deal, Medvedev says | Europe – Gulf News


Moscow: A new arms race will erupt if Russia can't agree with the West about a joint European missile defence programme, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned on Tuesdayin his annual address.

A Nato summit this month proposed an alliance missile-shield plan and invited Russia to participate. Questions remain about possible joint command of such a system.

"In the next 10 years, the following alternatives await us — either we reach agreement on missile defence and create a full joint cooperation mechanism, or, if we don't go into a constructive agreement, a new phase of the arms race will begin. And we will have to make a decision on deploying new means of attack," Medvedev told both houses of parliament.

Rogue nations

Medvedev has already endorsed the NATO proposal. Experts from both sides are meeting before the end of the year to consider linking NATO's and Russia's separate systems to provide a shield against incoming missiles from rogue nations, and deliver a report to defence ministers in July.

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Russian dominance and power

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Is Nato really scared of this? Is Europe really scared of a Russian invasion? That's just laughable. It isn't Russia encroaching on European borders, it is Nato encroaching on Russia. I think a lot less paranoia and a bit more pragmatism would lead to some more desirable outcomes. But, unless it has a distinct change of heart in foreign policy, this is what the USA fears.

^
A bare bones missile defense shield would have been just enough to make peace. The minimum.

And just like with Iran , there are elements in the US who made sure this didn't happen. Because they didn't want peace. Peace would be a problem for the military industry. Instead we have a new cold war. Which is just so much fun for all of them.

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Originally Posted by sabang

Is Europe really scared of a Russian invasion? That's just laughable. It isn't Russia encroaching on European borders, it is Nato encroaching on Russia.

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Did you somehow miss Russia invading Crimea?

Or did I miss NATO invading Russia?

You plank.

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Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Did you somehow miss Russia invading Crimea?

Or did I miss NATO invading Russia?

You plank.

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The Ukraine had a non alignment provision added to its constitution as part of the terms of independence when the USSR was dissolved.

Russia also negotiated for 17 years to have Ukraine as it's MFN status country under WTO. In other words , there was tariff free trade and capital movement between the 2.

This was all intentionally ripped to shreds when the elected government was overthrown and a US aligned govt took power.

It's a miracle that there wasn't a full fledged war for such brazen moves by the US

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Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Did you somehow miss Russia invading Crimea?

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Originally Posted by Backspin

The Ukraine had a non alignment provision added to its constitution as part of the terms of independence when the USSR was dissolved.

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So it was ok for Russia to attack . . . but there must be more:

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Originally Posted by Backspin

It's a miracle that there wasn't a full fledged war for such brazen moves by the US

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Ah yes - your bogeyman . . . you're as bad as Klondyke and OhOh now, just not as amusing

What is it with this bare faced lie about Russia invading Crimea? You are fully aware there was no invasion (and neither would there need to be as Russia already had 6 military bases there). There was a Parliamentary Referendum, and as we all knew would be the case there was an overwhelming majority vote in favour of reuniting with Russia, following the events of the Maidan rebellion & Coup.

It was certainly a lot better managed than can be said for the remainder of Ukraine.

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Originally Posted by sabang

What is it with this bare faced lie about Russia invading Crimea? You are fully aware there was no invasion (and neither would there need to be as Russia already had 6 military bases there). There was a Parliamentary Referendum, and as we all knew would be the case there was an overwhelming majority vote in favour of reuniting with Russia, following the events of the Maidan rebellion & Coup.

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:smileylaughing::smileylaughing::smileylaughing:

So all of these videos are staged and fake...

Russia's Little Green Men Enter Ukraine: Russian Roulette in Ukraine - YouTube

Sneaking Into A Ukrainian Military Base - YouTube

Getting Stuck on a Ukrainian Battleship: Russian Roulette in Ukraine - YouTube

Ship Sinked to Block Port: Russian Roulette in Ukraine - YouTube

Serbian War Veterans Operating in Crimea: Russian Roulette in Ukraine - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdBeGwXgoqI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Dk2emDU0o

It goes on and on. They must have done an epic job faking all this shit.

:smileylaughing:

Show me the dead bodies. Show me the bombed & mortared villages. Show me the streams of fleeing refugees. Show me the refugee camps that must surely exist after this 'invasion', over the border in Ukraine. Show me the satellite images. :chitown:


Anyway, Crimea is doing just fine thank you. As for Ukraine, well I guess that's your problem now.

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Originally Posted by sabang

Show me the dead bodies. Show me the bombed & mortared villages. Show me the streams of fleeing refugees.

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Well it was all clearly displayed, but you choose to deny reality. Why is that? Are you profiting financially?

What a fucking twat. Is this a Hoohoo nick or something?

:rofl:

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Originally Posted by sabang

Is Nato really scared of this? Is Europe really scared of a Russian invasion? That's just laughable. It isn't Russia encroaching on European borders, it is Nato encroaching on Russia. I think a lot less paranoia and a bit more pragmatism would lead to some more desirable outcomes. But, unless it has a distinct change of heart in foreign policy, this is what the USA fears.

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Spot on.

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Originally Posted by Backspin

The Ukraine had a non alignment provision added to its constitution as part of the terms of independence when the USSR was dissolved.

Russia also negotiated for 17 years to have Ukraine as it's MFN status country under WTO. In other words , there was tariff free trade and capital movement between the 2.

This was all intentionally ripped to shreds when the elected government was overthrown and a US aligned govt took power.

It's a miracle that there wasn't a full fledged war for such brazen moves by the US

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Agreed. Did you know that Christa Freeland's mother helped draft that constitution? Which is neither here nor there.

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Originally Posted by sabang

What is it with this bare faced lie about Russia invading Crimea? You are fully aware there was no invasion (and neither would there need to be as Russia already had 6 military bases there). There was a Parliamentary Referendum, and as we all knew would be the case there was an overwhelming majority vote in favour of reuniting with Russia, following the events of the Maidan rebellion & Coup

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Spot on sabang. Some "polls' at the time suggested at least a ninety percent approval amoung the citizens on the peninsula.

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Originally Posted by bsnub

Well it was all clearly displayed, but you choose to deny reality.

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Weren't also the WMD in Iraq clearly displayed? (Even GWB looked for them in OO, but I do not dare to show here that picture...)

However, at the end of the day, anybody can travel to Crimea - can be booked e.g. with Crimea Travels – Get Authentic Experience

Unlike travelling to Iraq - only in disguise, even if bringing a wooden turkey...

There is little doubt in my mind that Russian forces were involved in the military action in the east of the country. The rationale was that a majority of people in the region were Russian speaking and, on a practical level, the region provided guaranteed access to the peninsula.

I find it outrageously stupid that the Americans would imagine for a second that the Russians would ever give up a region where their navy headquarters was stationed. I say "Americans" because, had it been up to the Europeans, I think the situation would have resolved quite differently. I understand exactly how the Russians were viewing the evolving situation as an existential threat to their very existence.

Non of what has transpired is in the least surprising. Russia will never give up the Crimea. To insist that they do so is sheer madness. Let's remove the sanctions and get Mother Russian back into the G8. Going forward Russia is not going going to be of any threat. We really have to normalize Russian relations so we can deal more effectively with the increasing Chinese threat.

Anyway, my two pennies worth. Fire away.:spin:

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Originally Posted by russellsimpson

There is little doubt in my mind that Russian forces were involved in the military action in the east of the country.

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"Were"?

:confused:

Were involved, are involved.

Ukraine had dissolved. The elected government was overthrown by a violent rebellion, followed by a coup. There was no more democratic republic, or whatever you might term it, of Ukraine. The new government was illegitimate- appointed at gunpoint.

Thus ended Crimeas fairly brief flirtation with being part of that dysfunctional place (which was done over their heads in the first place)- their Parliament called a Referendum, and was welcomed back to the Russian bear hug. End of. Like a fairy tale, for the Crimeans.

Bsnub is a moron. There has been 25,000+ russian troops in Crimea since Catherine the great.

What has the US done since it took Ukraine ? It's doing mock bombing runs on Russian cities along the Russian border. According to the US media

U.S. Air Force B-52s Just Flew A Mock Bombing Run On Russia’s Baltic Fortress

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Originally Posted by bsnub

:smileylaughing::smileylaughing::smileylaughing:

So all of these videos are staged and fake...

Russia's Little Green Men Enter Ukraine: Russian Roulette in Ukraine - YouTube

Sneaking Into A Ukrainian Military Base - YouTube

Getting Stuck on a Ukrainian Battleship: Russian Roulette in Ukraine - YouTube

Ship Sinked to Block Port: Russian Roulette in Ukraine - YouTube

Serbian War Veterans Operating in Crimea: Russian Roulette in Ukraine - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdBeGwXgoqI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Dk2emDU0o

It goes on and on. They must have done an epic job faking all this shit.

:smileylaughing:

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Thanks for reminding me to watch this pristine operation again

New documentary showing the Russian air base and operations in Syria. Its pretty hardcore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbT6fvQo0SQ

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Originally Posted by Backspin

Bsnub is a moron.

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Oh my god. One of the biggest imbeciles on TD has the gall to call someone an idiot. Let me remind you that the majority of the forum regularly and routinely points out your brainless idiocy in almost every post you make. You are in no place to call anyone but yourself a moron.

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Originally Posted by bsnub

Oh my god. One of the biggest imbeciles on TD has the gall to call someone an idiot. Let me remind you that the majority of the forum regularly and routinely points out your brainless idiocy in almost every post you make. You are in no place to call anyone but yourself a moron.

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Meh. Just some controversial opinions

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Originally Posted by Backspin

Just some controversial opinions

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Umm no. You are a dimwitted clown and countless people on this forum aside from myself have pointed that out to you.

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Originally Posted by Backspin

Meh. Just some controversial opinions

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Originally Posted by bsnub

Umm no. You are a dimwitted clown and countless people on this forum aside from myself have pointed that out to you.

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This . . .

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Originally Posted by russellsimpson

I find it outrageously stupid that the Americans would imagine for a second that the Russians would ever give up a region where their navy headquarters was stationed.

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That statement should be extended by:

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...and to allow establishing of a navy base of a state from the other side of the world...

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Originally Posted by Klondyke

That statement should be extended by:

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Nah, it shouldn't really. Why? Because:

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2021/02/287.jpg

"Putin signs law allowing him to serve 2 more terms as Russia's president "
Putin signs law allowing him to serve 2 more terms as Russia's president - CBS News

As If anybody thinks this thug is ever leaving office alive.

Putin seems to think he still has important work yet to do. I personally think Putin is still very popular amoung the Russian people and can remain president for as long as he wishes.

^oh I don't think so BB. He no doubt has excellent security now and for life. Probably one of those folks who die in the middle of a lovely dream.

He's a sharp dude whether you care for his policies or not.:spin:

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Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

As If anybody thinks this thug is ever leaving office alive.

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Why not to replace him by somebody so bright and fit like (please no names here...)?