Interesting day in Russia

[laKavosiey-st lion]

Just read this. Best line, “looking for his next adventure”

It Should Not Have Been a Surprise: The Threat from Putin's Russia

The recent NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, left the world asking a hard question: “Are we in a new Cold War with Russia?” Our answer is to a different, and harder, and more important question: Is Russia already at war with the West?

www.rand.org

 

[MacNit]

This ranks right up there with the shock and belief value that Epstein killed himself....

Or Oswald killed JFK..

 

[MacNit]

yes- they haven't won a major fight since WW2

unless you honestly think that the folks who have direct control over their nukes are insane (and I don't believe that) in what regard to you think they pose a real threat?

We've made the USSR and then Russia the boogyman for 70 years- at what point do we realize that they aren't all that?

They have mucho nukes.

Joke of a country…but can still destroy the world.

 

[MacNit]

Agreed. What Ukraine is doing with severe restrictions (all defense - no offense) and US equipment is amazing. They’re fighting with one hand tied behind their back. But it’s more proof (Vietnam is another) that fighting for one’s homeland is a powerful motivator. Conscription in Russia is failing and they just killed off the most powerful leader of their most PMC. They’re done.

Russia will grind down Ukraine…in fact they are. They can not lose this war…and they will not. The death and destruction is inconsequential to them.

 

[MacNit]

I'm not an aviation expert, but planes don't usually just fall out of the sky like that.

It was shot down

 

[MacNit]

Due to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and the reaction to such by the EU, the situation has changed dramatically.

2023 isn't over, so it's impossible to provide full-year data for 2023. I think that looking at the 1st quarter of 2022 and of 2023 should be sufficient for showing how much things have changed.

The EU banned seaborne imports of Russian crude oil on Dec. 5, 2022, and then banned imports of refined oil products on Feb. 5, 2023.

In the 1st quarter of 2022, Russia supplied 26% of the EU's oil, the USA supplied 10.4%, Norway supplied 9.5%, Kazakhstan supplied 8.5%, etc. In the 1st quarter of 2023, Norway supplied 13.3%, the USA supplied 13.1%, Kazakhstan supplied 10.1%, Saudia Arabia supplied 8.2%, etc. In the 1st quarter of 2023, Russia only supplied 3.2% of the EU's oil.

Switching to natural gas, in the 1st quarter of 2022, Russia supplied 38.8% of the EU's NG, Norway supplied 38.1%, the United Kingdom supplied 8.9%, etc. In the 1st quarter of 2023, Norway supplied 46.1%, Russia supplied 17.4%, Algeria supplied 13.4%, the United Kingdom supplied 12.9%, etc. I should note that these figures are natural gas in a gaseous state.

If you examine liquefied natural gas, in the 1st quarter of 2022 the USA supplied 48.6% of the EU's LNG, Russia supplied 18.1%, Qatar supplied 10.7%, Nigeria supplied 6.3%, etc. In the 1st quarter of 2023 the USA supplied 10.2% of the EU's LNG, Russia supplied 13.2%, Qatar supplied 13.1%, Algeria supplied 6.7%, Norway supplied 6.6%, etc.

While coal is being de-emphasized in the EU, it still uses it. In the 1st quarter of 2022 Russia supplied 42.1% of the EU's coal, Australia supplied 19.6%, the USA supplied 18.0%, Colombia supplied 9.6%, etc. In the 1st quarter of 2023, the USA supplied 25.0% of the EU's coal, Australia supplied 23.2%, Colombia supplied 17.4%, South Africa supplied 15.8%, etc. Russia supplied 0% of the EU's coal in the 1st quarter of 2023.

The above is a lot of data, but in short Russia no longer supplies "a significant volume of fossil fuels" to EU countries as of 2023.

Russia has new customers in the name of China and old ones in the name of India. They are and will do fine. And now they are strengthening the hand of a real threat: China.

 

[Grant Green]

It was shot down

 

[bbrown]

You really think Russia is weak?

Well, they currently aren't doing anything to dispel that view.
Sorry, Russia is not the Big Bad we thought they were, maybe so in the 80's but all those Oligarchs decided that getting rich and conspicuous consumption was better than "Mother Russia", leaving their Military with out of date weapons and rhetoric.

 

[kennyhim]

Porgi just faking his death before putin could poison him.

 

[NittPicker]

Well, they currently aren't doing anything to dispel that view.
Sorry, Russia is not the Big Bad we thought they were, maybe so in the 80's but all those Oligarchs decided that getting rich and conspicuous consumption was better than "Mother Russia", leaving their Military with out of date weapons and rhetoric.

A few weeks ago I read Russia was going to buy artillery shells from North Korea. If true, that shows how bad it is for Putin with an industrial capacity so weak the country can't even produce low tech munitions.

 

[PSUJam]

Porgi just faking his death before putin could poison him.

 

[Midnighter]

Russia will grind down Ukraine…in fact they are. They can not lose this war…and they will not. The death and destruction is inconsequential to them.

Putin will get an off ramp at some point and will take it.

 

[Wow]

Can anyone translate?

Looks like everyone on that plane had plenty of time to contemplate their life decisions that lead to them being on that flight.

 

[LionJim]

Putin will get an off ramp at some point and will take it.

Can’t come soon enough. ******* sociopath.

 

[ApexLion]

Heard some interesting info recently about our involvement in Syria. Apparently, our 'advisors' kicked the living sh*& out of the Russians and outmanuevered them in every battle. Pentagon viewed it as a test case for future conflicts with the Russians. Apparently, our weapons systems/technology are better than theirs, hence the reason for going all in on Ukraine.

 

[Midnighter]

Can’t come soon enough. ******* sociopath.

If someone in his inner circle doesn't conspire to remove him before, I predict they'll (maybe China/US - other players) broker an end to conflict that Russia will say they won, and Ukraine will say they won. Maybe some slight redrawing of borders, but unlikely. If you are China, are you betting on Russia, or the US? Don't forget for a second China is all about money. They have little interest in anything that doesn't make them richer. They like stability too. When they don't get what they want they make noise about Taiwan, but they're not about to topple their economy for it.....

 

[Midnighter]

Heard some interesting info recently about our involvement in Syria. Apparently, our 'advisors' kicked the living sh*& out of the Russians and outmanuevered them in every battle. Pentagon viewed it as a test case for future conflicts with the Russians. Apparently, our weapons systems/technology are better than theirs, hence the reason for going all in on Ukraine.

And it's not close.

 

[BobPSU92]

Heard some interesting info recently about our involvement in Syria. Apparently, our 'advisors' kicked the living sh*& out of the Russians and outmanuevered them in every battle. Pentagon viewed it as a test case for future conflicts with the Russians. Apparently, our weapons systems/technology are better than theirs, hence the reason for going all in on Ukraine.

A$$. BEATING.

 

[MacNit]

Well, they currently aren't doing anything to dispel that view.
Sorry, Russia is not the Big Bad we thought they were, maybe so in the 80's but all those Oligarchs decided that getting rich and conspicuous consumption was better than "Mother Russia", leaving their Military with out of date weapons and rhetoric.

Have world’s largest nuke arsenal. Does that count?

 

[Midnighter]

Have world’s largest nuke arsenal. Does that count?

No. Mutually assured destruction is a losing game.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

From the below article: "The Embraer executive jet model that crashed in Russia had only recorded one accident in more than 20 years of service, and that was not related to mechanical failure."

Pentagon: No info to support missile strike theory for Prigozhin crash

The U.S. Department of Defense on Thursday said there was currently no information to suggest that a surface-to-air missile took down the plane presumed to be carrying Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

www.reuters.com

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

As we casually joke about russias limpness, the nuke finger just murdered 10 people without blinking an eye.

 

[GrimReaper]

As we casually joke about russias limpness, the nuke finger just murdered 10 people without blinking an eye.

Makes him a real tough guy.

 

[bbrown]

Have world’s largest nuke arsenal. Does that count?

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

Makes him a real tough guy.

Makes him a scary guy to be taken more serious than we are. I just finished another spy novel (I know hardly a bastion of reliable info) but a line stood out. Russia and their people are in a constant state of ready for war, Americans are either at peace or war, nowhere in between. I’ll ask, do we let china take Taiwan unpunished? do we go to war?

 

[Nitt1300]

See what I mean?

Of course I did, I just disagree. I think Russia is a paper tiger, and I don't think anyone who actually has the ability to launch nukes is or could possibly be oblivious to the consequences of actually doing it.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

Of course I did, I just disagree. I think Russia is a paper tiger, and I don't think anyone who actually has the ability to launch nukes is or could possibly be oblivious to the consequences of actually doing it.

So Putin can’t press the button himself? Gotcha

 

[bbrown]

Makes him a scary guy to be taken more serious than we are. I just finished another spy novel (I know hardly a bastion of reliable info) but a line stood out. Russia and their people are in a constant state of ready for war, Americans are either at peace or war, nowhere in between. I’ll ask, do we let china take Taiwan unpunished? do we go to war?

I'm sure the people in the Pentagon are and do. Not so much posters on a football message board.
Have you had your test yet? Cause you used to be so much more fun.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

I'm sure the people in the Pentagon are and do. Not so much posters on a football message board.
Have you had your test yet? Cause you used to be so much more fun.

Chill bro we’re a mere 15 hours from jukebox and moms and I are drinking

lol forgot about the drug test lol

 

[bbrown]

Chill bro we’re a mere 15 hours from jukebox and moms and I are drinking

lol forgot about the drug test lol

I thought the gif would have said it all.

 

[Nitt1300]

So Putin can’t press the button himself? Gotcha

no, he can't- they have a football with the codes like we do others have to do the actual launching

 

[NittPicker]

Makes him a scary guy to be taken more serious than we are. I just finished another spy novel (I know hardly a bastion of reliable info) but a line stood out. Russia and their people are in a constant state of ready for war, Americans are either at peace or war, nowhere in between. I’ll ask, do we let china take Taiwan unpunished? do we go to war?

The Russian people aren't constantly ready for war otherwise thousands wouldn't have left the country to avoid fighting. Putin has nukes to threaten with but not much else. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Russian society at large knows Putin and the oligarchs are corrupt. However, the Russian people will remain happy and apathetic as long as they can live a comfortable life and not get dragged into the power struggles. Assassination by plane crash?? They won't care is long as their lives are unaffected. All that changed with the Ukraine invasion which is why so many people headed for the border.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

no, he can't- they have a football with the codes like we do others have to do the actual launching

Where did you learn that?

 

[manatree]

Gravity: Putin's best friend.

Naturally, Putin rhymes with (Isaac) Newton.

 

[GrimReaper]

Where did you learn that?

It's common knowledge. Do some research.

 

[Nitt1300]

Where did you learn that?

reading is fundamental. How Putin's 'Nuclear Football' Really Works (newsweek.com)

 

[Midnighter]

Makes him a scary guy to be taken more serious than we are. I just finished another spy novel (I know hardly a bastion of reliable info) but a line stood out. Russia and their people are in a constant state of ready for war, Americans are either at peace or war, nowhere in between. I’ll ask, do we let china take Taiwan unpunished? do we go to war?

Spend less time on the water and more at Ft. Benning or Parris Island. Then report back…

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

I would have been an outstanding grunt

 

[bbrown]

I would have been an outstanding grunt

 

[LionJim]

I would have been an outstanding grunt

Unless you served, you don’t get to say that. Talk’s cheap.