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dimyh

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  1. I thought last year that the Russian military losses were so severe that they would be 4-5 years before they could attempt any serious threats by tangling with NATO in the Baltics. We all know that is where Putin would like to strike next but I didn't think he would have enough popular support nor the military might to properly intimidate us into inaction. However Russia's shift to a war time economy is going to make them even more dependent on wartime profits. As soon as the Ukraine war ends their true economy is going to be plain to see. Putin is hallowing out their peacetime economy to feed his war machine. That social pressure he has been keen to avoid will be even hotter once the apathetic masses realize "winning" this war is not going to end up adding money to their pockets. It will not be business as usual. So I could see Putin continuing to triple down on his bets and keep up the war angle. Especially if EU/USA keep up the sanctions. Putin might be able to convince enough of his serfs that the only way to keep food on their table is being able to keep working in his manufacturies cranking out shells and drones. Plus with our own inability to really commit to ammo production means that we may look weaker than needed to stave off the little green men if they start showing up in Estonia. It's not something I thought was seriously possible but now it is becoming a bit more plausible. Especially thinking about Putin's own crazy psychological reasons for recovering their lost land and building his own legacy in history. Giving his subjects a financial reason for joining his megalomania is just the cherry on top of the shit sundae he is trying to serve up.
  2. A long but interesting article measuring some of Europe's attitudes about the war and how to maintain support. No doubt enthusiam is waning but the authors are pointing out that a peace is not a permanent end to this conflict. TLDR "The best way to mitigate against war fatigue will be to define this idea of ‘durable peace’. Russian victory is not peace. And if the price of ending the war is turning Ukraine into a no man’s land, it will be a defeat not only for Kyiv but for Europe as a whole. In the event of negotiations, it is essential for both Ukrainian and Western publics to know what is on the table and what is not. What is not negotiable is Ukraine’s democratic and pro-Western future." https://ecfr.eu/publication/wars-and-elections-how-european-leaders-can-maintain-public-support-for-ukraine/#european-perceptions-of-the-war-in-ukraine
  3. Maybe Russia just really likes shooting itself in its tiny pee pee. Either way this is awesome news because replacing those cannot be easy.
  4. And on that note China is showing that Russia is their forever friend...unless money gets in the way. With their own economic problems they aren't quite as willing to challenge any sanctions. At least publicly. I'm sure there are plenty of work around but at the minimum this has to be driving up the price on any black market deals. Main thing though is that we have to keep Ukraine militarily supplied long enough for economic stranglehold to take effect. Putin's all out offensives is to make his position appear as the winning position. In time for his elections in March, the EU Parliament elections in June, and their our own in November. He has to appear as strong as possible to deter any more aid going to Ukraine. Because Russia is not going to win if this becomes a wallet flop out challenge with the West. https://www.businessinsider.com/china-biggest-banks-stop-russia-payments-icbc-ccb-boc-2024-2 China's biggest banks are finally getting scared by the West's sanctions against Russia Huileng Tan Feb 21, 2024, 2:08 AM ET Three of China's Big Four state banks have stopped accepting payments from sanctioned Russian financial institutions, per Izvestia. The halt follows the EU's 12th sanctions package against Russia and US secondary sanctions. The West is now targeting international firms doing business with Russia. Three out of China's Big Four state banks have halted payments from sanctioned Russian financial institutions, Russia's Izvestia news outlet reported on Wednesday. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Bank of China have stopped the transactions since the start of 2024, Alexey Poroshin, the general director of investment and consulting firm First Group, told Izvestia. While the three Chinese banks informed their Russian clients of the move in January, the issues started in December — after the European Union imposed its 12th sanctions package against Russia, Poroshin said. In December, the US also authorized secondary sanctions targeting financial institutions that help Russia skirt sanctions. Chinese banks are tightening compliance checks with Russian businesses because they fear getting caught up in the West's increasingly restrictive sanctions regime against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Poroshin told the Izvestia that Chinese banks are now unwilling to do business with sanctioned firms because the trade balance between the US and China is far greater than that of China and Russia. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Bank of China did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. The West has been ramping up sanctions against Russia as its economy appears resilient even two years after its invasion of Ukraine triggered sweeping trade restrictions. This is partly because Russia has diverted its trade eastward, particularly with China and India. In particular, Russian firms trading internationally have become more dependent on Chinese institutions and the Chinese yuan since some Russian banks withdrew from the SWIFT global financial-messaging system. So, the West is now trying to find a way to break Russia's economy by targeting international firms still doing business with the country instead. The Kremlin has acknowledged issues with Chinese bank transactions, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying earlier this month that authorities are "working" on addressing them with Beijing.
  5. Fun fact this ship was named for Tsaezar Kunikov, who died 81 years ago on this date fighting for the Soviets in WW2. Not sure if just a pure coincidence or if the Ukrainians are adding an extra fuck you to the Ruskies.
  6. Vid of a couple Russian tanks running into each other. Because that's what happens when vodka is your sponsor for driver's ed. We just need to build a half dozen roundabouts near Advika and that Russian tank stockpile will be zero by the 4th of July. Just in time for one of my new favorite pastimes: turret tossing fireworks.
  7. My only sure-fire prediction is that Russia will lose another boat to a country that doesn't even have a navy.
  8. Late entry for Russian babushka of the year. Shame there are not enough people like her to smack some sense in all the vatniks.
  9. God damn inflation! Now the Fed's fiscal plan is fucking with my college football!
  10. I bet Russian air defense is just licking its chops over some fresh meat.
  11. Despite all the shit going on in the world there are still some amazing people.
  12. A nice graphic of the Russian airbases located in Crimea. Still a long way off but interesting to see potential targets once UA gets in range.
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