Russia invades Ukraine again?

[Svartalf]

Russia's demands for a neutral Ukraine and a promise not to seek NATO membership seem doable, even agreeable to the experts. So if Russia agrees to leave, recognizes Ukraine's government, and mothballs its military ambitions, we can focus on sanctions.

erdogan is so deplorable we should strip turkey of its membership and bestow it on Ukraine, whether they sought it or not.

[pErvinalia]

.

[Tero]

Putin might have to come out of his cave and lead this effort. When he runs out of generals, it will be embarrassing.

[Tero]

Currency juggling

According to Gazprom (GAZP.MM), around 97% of its gas sales to Europe and other countries as of Jan. 27 were settled in euros or U.S. dollars.

A disruption to Russian oil and gas imports would hit some EU countries harder than others. Germany, Europe's biggest economy and energy consumer, receives 18% of Russia's gas exports and 11% of its oil.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said he was "not scared" by Putin's demand, since Latvia does not import Russian crude oil and could replace Russian gas with liquefied natural gas from elsewhere.

"Nobody will pay in roubles," Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Jansa said.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy ... 6PeHwUjqhU

[laklak]

Looks like he's about to Declare Victory and go home.

[Svartalf]

I won, I got rid of those useless morons and maintenance heavy hardware.

[Cunt]

https://nypost.com/2022/03/26/hunter-bi ... e-e-mails/

The US awarded $23.9 million to Metabiota later in 2014, with $307,091 allocated for a “Ukrainian research projects,” government spending records showed.

The younger Biden bragged to investors that his company organized funding for Metabiota and helped it “get new customers” including “government agencies,” according to e-mails.

B&V had been commissioned in 2010 by the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency to build a lab in Odessa, to “enhance the government’s existing surveillance systems to detect, report and respond to bioterrorism attacks, epidemics and potential pandemics,” the company’s website said.

Could that laptop be legit after all? Sheesh, THAT would sure be awkward for 'the Big Guy'...

[rainbow]

Looks like he's about to Declare Victory and go home.

It won't be easy. There are some pissed off Ukrainians that might to take revenge on the retreating invaders.

[Cunt]

Some news, of a sort, from around Podil.

https://www.strava.com/activities/6883270416

[Tero]

Elsewhere:
-According to Reuters, a Kremlin spokesman responded: "That's not for Biden to decide. The president of Russia is elected by Russians."

-It's not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes.
(just like in America)

[Cunt]

Going to check out a Canadian podcaster interviewing this guy in a bit.
https://twitter.com/barnes_law/status/1 ... 0749623298

Do you seriously think it a coincidence that the son of the VP was involved in funding biolab projects in Ukraine for the government his Dad helped stage a coup in?

[Tero]

if it's not in Hunter's "laptop" it did not happen

[Joe]

Do the Russians have laptop derangement syndromeTM?

[Tero]

Baltic issues, hybrid war etc.

To be clear, Russia can certainly make mischief in the Baltics through hybrid tactics, complicating life for Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. At the same time, however, such tactics would inspire a hostile response from local populations not interested in joining the Russian Federation, as has been the case in Eastern Ukraine. Moreover, Russian efforts to disclaim responsibility would almost certainly be met with deaf ears in Europe and North America. Russia would likely find itself stuck in a new conflict at a time when its economy and military are already struggling. It would become more deeply isolated in the world and effectively kill off the hope of reintegration in global markets. And since the Baltic states are NATO members, the United States could provide lethal aid to host governments without requiring a protracted national debate, as was the case in Ukraine. Such aid will help raise the costs for Russia without having to take the risk of a large-scale conventional operation that would increase the danger of escalation.

The Baltic states will ask for more. In the event they face a Russian-sponsored rebellion, they will almost surely demand that NATO allies live up to their collective security obligations and intervene directly. When they do, U.S. leaders must be ready to speak candidly about the limits of U.S. support rather than encouraging false optimism. NATO’s collective security provision (Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty) does not call on all members to automatically send military forces to a member state under attack. Instead, it requires only that they treat an attack on any member as an attack on all of them, and that they meet to deem what kind of assistance is necessary. U.S. leaders can reassure their Baltic counterparts that Washington will provide assistance, but not the kind of military response that will risk a nuclear strike. The best response will be one that slowly raises Russia’s penalty for meddling without opening the pathways to escalation. No doubt Baltic leaders will bridle at this, but they will benefit from honesty rather than bluster. The truth is that no one knows whether the United States or any other members of NATO would risk a nuclear exchange with Russia over slivers of contested territory in Eastern Europe. Much more credible would be a promise of low-level support that preserves Baltic sovereignty, raises Russian costs, and reduces the risk of escalation.

https://warontherocks.com/2015/08/deali ... ompetence/

Except, the local rebellions in Baltic countries (Russian speakers) are very unlikely to have a lot of traction. Those people have moved on. Most are bilingual by now.

[Tero]

Russia sure has a wimpy constitution!

Reuters:
Under constitutional changes approved in 2020, Putin could seek election for two more 6-year terms as president, allowing him to stay in power until 2036.

The Kremlin says Putin is a democratically elected leader and that it is for the Russian people, not Washington, to decide who leads their country.