Ukraine Conflict - continuing

[BruceVC]

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240527-kyiv-says-talks-on-france-sending-military-instructors-to-ukraine-are-ongoing

 

@Malcador

It looks like that Tweet isnt even true, I must learn to stop falling for SM " news " ...I  generally dont respond but I sometimes do 

[Zoraptor]

The tweet is a bit more of a sensationalised version of the statement made on the subject on Syrski's telegram. There's no 'soon' or other suggestion of a timetable from Syrski, all he's done is sign the paperwork so they can come.

Rational and accurate takes don't always get the retweets, likes and upvotes so much as telling people what they want to hear though.

[Malcador]

6 hours ago, BruceVC said:

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240527-kyiv-says-talks-on-france-sending-military-instructors-to-ukraine-are-ongoing

 

@Malcador

It looks like that Tweet isnt even true, I must learn to stop falling for SM " news " ...I  generally dont respond but I sometimes do 

Well, was from AFP, not exactly WarMonitor, so figured it was ok. 

[BruceVC]

27 minutes ago, Malcador said:

Well, was from AFP, not exactly WarMonitor, so figured it was ok. 

True and I often quote AFP 

I have mentioned this before but Im at a point now where I dont assume any SM political news is true. It may be true but I dont assume it until confirmed

SM has a legitimate purpose for certain news, Megan Thee Stallion new hot outfit or a celebrity chefs new restaurant are things I believe on SM. But I get annoyed with myself when I end up believing a SM political\war update and then I tend to respond. Thats why I generally wait for confirmation or do my own quick research

[Mamoulian War]

On 5/27/2024 at 3:55 PM, kanisatha said:

According to a recent Politico story, the "allow" side is winning in the vigorous internal debate within the Administration on this issue.

Trump joined the party as well with his latest 180

 

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/05/29/7458155/

[Malcador]

Sweden donating some AEW&C planes, they'd need those for F-16s. 

[Malcador]

https://news.sky.com/story/joe-biden-partially-lifts-ban-on-ukraine-using-us-weapons-in-strikes-on-russian-territory-13145668

Interesting change, but not far enough for Ukraine, I guess. Realities of when both your arms belong to someone else heh.

[Gorth]

@BruceVC you may or may not find this interesting. After my favourite Russian blogger left Russia at the beginning of the war, inside information sort of dried out. Stumbled across this girl a few weeks ago, ethnic Tatar (she also has videos about the 190+ ethnic groups living together in the federation), but Russian citizen, giving insight into life in Russia. Her blogs are from the perspective of what I consider "enlightened" Russians, not the "bogans" from the "only in Russia" videos. If interested, you can find a 2 year old video on her channel where she explains why she isn't leaving and why politics doesn't interest her.

 

[Malcador]

Her channel is nice, came across people claiming she's some FSB operative..based off a video of a pickup artist in Odessa, heh.

People OD on propaganda, I guess.

 

[Gorth]

1 hour ago, Malcador said:

Her channel is nice, came across people claiming she's some FSB operative..based off a video of a pickup artist in Odessa, heh.

People OD on propaganda, I guess.

 

Sad thing is, it's entirely possible... although I think that is giving FSB too much credit.

[HoonDing]

What did happen to that girl in Vladivostok

[Sarex]

6 hours ago, Gorth said:

@BruceVC you may or may not find this interesting. After my favourite Russian blogger left Russia at the beginning of the war, inside information sort of dried out. Stumbled across this girl a few weeks ago, ethnic Tatar (she also has videos about the 190+ ethnic groups living together in the federation), but Russian citizen, giving insight into life in Russia. Her blogs are from the perspective of what I consider "enlightened" Russians, not the "bogans" from the "only in Russia" videos. If interested, you can find a 2 year old video on her channel where she explains why she isn't leaving and why politics doesn't interest her.

 

She doesn't mention the pricing of those electronics compared to before the sanctions. I always wondered if Kazakhstan taxes the goods that go through their country to Russia.

Edited May 31 by Sarex

[Gorth]

21 minutes ago, HoonDing said:

What did happen to that girl in Vladivostok

IIrc her name was Natasha or something close. Last video I saw (a year ago) was posted from some other country. I *think* she was staying in Georgia

https://www.youtube.com/@NatashasAdventures/videos

 

[BruceVC]

6 hours ago, Gorth said:

@BruceVC you may or may not find this interesting. After my favourite Russian blogger left Russia at the beginning of the war, inside information sort of dried out. Stumbled across this girl a few weeks ago, ethnic Tatar (she also has videos about the 190+ ethnic groups living together in the federation), but Russian citizen, giving insight into life in Russia. Her blogs are from the perspective of what I consider "enlightened" Russians, not the "bogans" from the "only in Russia" videos. If interested, you can find a 2 year old video on her channel where she explains why she isn't leaving and why politics doesn't interest her.

 

Great video, thanks for posting. I watched the whole video but Gorthfuscious she is DEFINITELY an FSB agent and Im surprised you would post such outrageous propaganda 

Im joking obviously, she is not a FSB agent . I think she is exactly what she says  she is and the whole video is a well meaning video from a young person about her life in  Russia and she objectively discusses what she thinks matters and what is important since sanctions after the invasion  of Ukraine

And I believe everything she says

But the real criticism towards Russia is the politics  and the reality of freedom in Russia under Putins autocracy. Its not  about SM hyperbole around " no food on supermarkets" or " I cant access FB anymore "  and its interesting at the end where she says "I always wondered how people in  China could survive without FB or  Youtube " like that really is a big deal, " OMG I cant access FB anymore "  But she is your average young person and thats a big deal to them and she means well 

But going back to the real issues within Russia, she openly admits politics doesn't concern her and thats expected unless you support the authoritarian reality of Russia. How would she feel if she was member of the LGBT community? We have just had an  election in SA as you know and the belief that people have in free and fair elections was the winner, it doesnt matter who wins because its the will of the people through the ballet box that is the most important thing

We had weeks of opposition parties campaigning, townhall meetings, candidates coming onto talk shows and news networks and openly and freely criticizing the ANC and its policies with both fair and unfair comments. Our state owned media station provided the same platform  because we allow and encourage those basic political freedoms and that matters to me and always will

None of that exists in Russia, there is no free media and no real criticism allowed of the state or its policies and they dont have free and fair elections

And thats not  a concern to many people in Russia because there is nothing they can do about it like this young lady which is why she specifically mentions her video is not about politics 

So her is video  is honest and truthful but what she talks about is not the real criticism I have towards Putin or his system of government. Its what his interpretation and implementation of a government means 

And I will  always believe  governments must support basic freedoms like human rights, freedom of speech and leadership change being determined through free and fair elections

But if you ignore this you can absolutely be happy in Russia or have a normal life like she explained in the video

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mamoulian War]

You should not, as FSB has employed loads of young “influencers” and not only in Russia, who are payed to talk positively about Russia. These are aimed especially at Latin American, African and Asian countries. But not exclusively.

[HoonDing]

Losing every EU capital (except Budapest xD) in exchange for Stalingrad, Leningrad and Moskva is an acceptable sacrifice for Biden.

[Gorth]

19 hours ago, Mamoulian War said:

You should not, as FSB has employed loads of young “influencers” and not only in Russia, who are payed to talk positively about Russia. These are aimed especially at Latin American, African and Asian countries. But not exclusively.

This. I don’t think she’s lying but I suspect her choice of location and subject gets “vetted” by people you don’t want to antagonise 

[BruceVC]

20 hours ago, Mamoulian War said:

You should not, as FSB has employed loads of young “influencers” and not only in Russia, who are payed to talk positively about Russia. These are aimed especially at Latin American, African and Asian countries. But not exclusively.

Sure  but if  you watch the video its honest and critical,  I dont consider  it effective  Russian propaganda  because she is making assumptions about what are  the reality of sanctions around things like  food  in supermarkets.  There  isnt food and agriculture sanctions on Russia so why  would  any supermarket not have food or EU food choices.  This is just one example 

During Apartheid we  had sanctions for decades  but we  always had food on the shelves in supermarkets and we werent getting unrestricted economic trade  from the likes  of China.  We traded with Western countries  around some things but there   were definitely some things we couldnt get.  But South Africa  became very independant around productivity.  And they justified it outside of the enforcement of flawed  Apartheid  laws  due to the real threat of Communism and the reality  of the Cold War, we became a  smaller  version of the Russian "war  economy  " reality within Russia.  The Apartheid  government ran  the country  for decades  under sanctions but its not sustainable and sanctions had a slow but real  economic impact   

But I dont think  she is FSB because the whole  video is too simplistic  and obviously the views  of  a  young person who is clearly not political  but is well meaning. Like I  mentioned in a previous post when she  said " I thought how can people survive without FB or  Youtube " ,  my best  comment in the whole  video. She is so cute 

Edited June 1 by BruceVC

[Gorth]

I enjoyed a video where she mocked people for even suggesting Ukraine was somehow Russian and had some fun conversations with a Ukrainian friend to show linguistic and cultural differences. Ie both former Soviet states but different countries .That was 3 years ago and the video is still there in 

[Mamoulian War]

2 hours ago, BruceVC said:

Sure  but if  you watch the video its honest and critical,  I dont consider  it effective  Russian propaganda  because she is making assumptions about what are  the reality of sanctions around things like  food  in supermarkets.  There  isnt food and agriculture sanctions on Russia so why  would  any supermarket not have food or EU food choices.  This is just one example 

During Apartheid we  had sanctions for decades  but we  always had food on the shelves in supermarkets and we werent getting unrestricted economic trade  from the likes  of China.  We traded with Western countries  around some things but there   were definitely some things we couldnt get.  But South Africa  became very independant around productivity.  And they justified it outside of the enforcement of flawed  Apartheid  laws  due to the real threat of Communism and the reality  of the Cold War, we became a  smaller  version of the Russian "war  economy  " reality within Russia.  The Apartheid  government ran  the country  for decades  under sanctions but its not sustainable and sanctions had a slow but real  economic impact   

But I dont think  she is FSB because the whole  video is too simplistic  and obviously the views  of  a  young person who is clearly not political  but is well meaning. Like I  mentioned in a previous post when she  said " I thought how can people survive without FB or  Youtube " ,  my best  comment in the whole  video. She is so cute 

Well propaganda for Russian simps is very different than propaganda for people, who can use their brains once in a while, but still can be influenced by nice words and “cute” face. Even not the smartest string pullers in Russia know, that propaganda targeted to flatearthers does not work on average Joe. Anything still released in the Russia in the social space, is controlled by the state, that’s a fact. They have also annected a law last year, that if some Russian citizen criticizes Russia on social media, and lives outside Russia, It is forbidden for Russian companies to sponsor them, which is punished by heavy fines. And what do you think what happens, when influencers’ income starts to get dry? They usually try to find the easiest way, how to get it back. And that is to appease whoever holds the gates to the flow of money

[Gorth]

1 hour ago, Mamoulian War said:

Well propaganda for Russian simps is very different than propaganda for people, who can use their brains once in a while, but still can be influenced by nice words and “cute” face. Even not the smartest string pullers in Russia know, that propaganda targeted to flatearthers does not work on average Joe. Anything still released in the Russia in the social space, is controlled by the state, that’s a fact. They have also annected a law last year, that if some Russian citizen criticizes Russia on social media, and lives outside Russia, It is forbidden for Russian companies to sponsor them, which is punished by heavy fines. And what do you think what happens, when influencers’ income starts to get dry? They usually try to find the easiest way, how to get it back. And that is to appease whoever holds the gates to the flow of money

Georgia is in the process of introducing an almost carbon copy of that law, leading to unrest in the country. Spitefully referred to as "the Russian Law"

[Mamoulian War]

35 minutes ago, Gorth said:

Georgia is in the process of introducing an almost carbon copy of that law, leading to unrest in the country. Spitefully referred to as "the Russian Law"

As far as I understand, if the money they get are from Russia, they do not need to be “marked” as a Foreign Agent. It’s mind bogling, that some people are still in favour of Russian paid parties, after what they suffered through in 2008.

[BruceVC]

1 hour ago, Gorth said:

Georgia is in the process of introducing an almost carbon copy of that law, leading to unrest in the country. Spitefully referred to as "the Russian Law"

https://www.politico.eu/article/georgia-european-union-candidacy-protest-nana-malashkhia-georgian-dream-party/

Whats worse  is 80% of  Georgians  want to join the EU and this  latest legislation is your  typical  Russian style  underhanded  attempt  to prevent that

Its very clear what the overall Russian\Putin  strategy is to recreate the old Soviet borders  and Russian influence. You cannot leave it   up  to citizens to decide their  own future   in almost all  former   Soviet  states because given a choice  the majority of  people  will want  to align with the EU\West

You make  sure you  support fellow Autocracies and  keep them in power, you invade and occupy or  you actively interfere  in the domestic policies  of the country so  that  it makes  joining the EU harder

But you dont ever  let  citizens decide their own future because sovereignty is the enemy 

[Malcador]

7 hours ago, Mamoulian War said:

Well propaganda for Russian simps is very different than propaganda for people, who can use their brains once in a while

Like the Ghost of Kiev.

[Mamoulian War]

Yeah, you are correct. That was propaganda for people, who can use their brains once in a while, but sometimes are unable to overcome through their emotion, and because of that, they were wishing, that it would be true (in the West). In Russia, this was a propaganda, which tried to sew a little bit of fear into the pilots of larger country, which are committing war crimes on daily bases, and for some time it worked.