Russia - threadbanned users in OP

I'm under no illusion we'll see an invasion in the coming days, the west should have stuck to its agreements, under no circumstances would the US put up with this at its borders, remember how they had a haemorrhage over missiles in Cuba

I've the misfortune to work with 2 anti war, pro Russia idiots.

They're busy making arrangements to head to Shannon to sabotage the American war planes when Biden attacks peaceful Russia.

Which raises the issue, if the shtf,will the government allow Shannon be used like previous? Russia is a lot closer than Iraq and may well take offense.

Russia opened a criminal investigation on Saturday into reports that Ukrainian shells exploded in Russia’s region of Rostov, as the west and Kyiv warn Moscow is looking to create a pretext to invade its neighbour.

A number of reports carried by Russian state news agencies earlier in the day said that at least three shells exploded in Russia’s border region of Rostov on Saturday.

Russian prosecutors said in a statement that according to their investigation “on 19 February 2022, from 5 to 6am, unidentified persons on the territory of Ukraine, using a multiple launch rocket system, shelled the border area of the Tarasovsky district of the Rostov region”

From the Guardian. Putin searching desperately for his pretext. It's all been telegraphed to a tee by western intelligence. The Russian Federation is infiltrated from top to bottom. Quite embarrassing for them in itself really.

I've lived in Moscow, but travelled around the republics a bit too, so have seen a good cross section of Russia and Russian society over several years. Like a lot of other Country's that I've visited, the "Average" ( if such a thing exists LOL ) Russian and his Wife are fine. Its a hard Country to live and rear a Family in, 20 + years of Putins leadership, has not translated into a society where Life for the majority is easy.

To try an understand modern day Russian's ( my take on it anyway) you have to travel back into their Communist past, where everything was micromanaged and controlled...independent thought was not welcome. Anyone wearing any kind of official cap, had power. Theoretically, no one wanted for anything because the state took care of everything. And to a certain extent it worked .... some of my Friends there still pine for the good old days of communism... but more and more, a kind of "Capitalism" crept in.....so while a service / goods were technically free, it did not hurt to take a small "Gift". It became in effect a bit "Mafia -like" and the corruption was already there, even before the fall of the Soviet Union.

And this mindset was a godsend to the new Russian Capitalists...they took over a people who were pre conditioned not to question anything. By the time this mindset changed, and they realized what had happened, it was too late. And so we have today's modern Russia and the situation in Ukraine.

Personally, I like Russia, and the Russian people, and I think of how much better it could have been for them, and the World, had it not been hijacked by Putin and his oligarchs.

'Well one major difference between elections here in the West, and in Russia is that in Russia, the outcome is guaranteed 110 % in advance, ( you could say the same thing about Ireland,,,no matter who you vote for, the result is the same ) What Russians see and hear about Putin is carefully stage managed and crafted, they are never allowed to see the real Vladimir, or his henchmen. He projects an image of strong masculinity, riding a horse while shirtless , dipping into a freezing pool during Orthodox Christmas, negative attitude towards Gays, Lesbians etc. The real " Strongmans, Strongman".

Sport in schools is a major activity...100%, Its encouraged and fostered almost like a religion. Wrestling, ( very big) but all track and field sports are big there.

As for the Russians you met in Italy... There's the old joke told about the three Russians (under the communist system) discussing cars Nr1 says " Comrade in my experience, the MG built in the UK is the best there is., Nonsense, says Nr 2, the US Built Chrysler is the best, for sure!!. Nr 3 says. The best, absolute very best, is the Lada built here in Communist Russia. Both Nr 1 and Nr 2 look at Nr 3 in amazement.....WHAT?? they exclaim??? Comrade, are you serious??? You know nothing, absolutely nothing about cars !!! No, Comrades, I know plenty about cars, but I know absolutely nothing about either of you!!!!

When you get to know them, ( and they you ) they make great friends, and being Irish is a definite "Plus". Unless you are in the habit of drinking Vodka, I'd strongly recommend not starting drinking it with a Russian....stick with the the Guinness or beer. I've seem them drink a bottle of it, before getting down to some serious drinking....

What an arrogant response. So if one hasn't read your 'suggested' book then one doesn't have a 'modicum' of understanding of Putiin!

SSSHHHHH Comrade,,,NO ,it has always been the Lada, built in Samara, Russia as every good Russian know's,. . But its parents were Italian.

Oh more arrogance! I'm sure you're quite the Putin expert after reading your one book, but I dare say you're in a tiny minority on this thread on both sides who've read it, are you planning to aim your conceit at everyone who doesn't pass your test?

I think you're exaggerating quite a lot there buddy, the Western press isn't as free and fair as you think, they are both very controlled in different ways plenty of journalists in the UK and USA have been fired or resigned shortly after reporting on valuable information concerning their governments or intelligence services.

It's not a good idea to go against Western intelligence in the mainstream media, remember what happened to David Kelly one of the world's great weapons experts, In 2003, Dr David Kelly was identified as the source for a BBC report which claimed the British government had “sexed up” a dossier on Iraq’s weapons capability to justify the invasion of Iraq earlier that year. The report led to a major public confrontation between the government and the BBC. Kelly was called to appear on 15 July before the parliamentary intelligence and security and foreign affairs committees, Two days later Kelly was found dead near his home, apparently there was "overwhelming evidence" he committed suicide.

The BBC journalist he gave the information to, Andrew Gilligan said In a lengthy statement to the media shortly after that the information was wrong, and he resigned. The BBC had already lost two of its top managers in the crisis and Chairman of the board Gavyn Davies resigned the same day the Hutton report was released a few months after the death, Western journalists know that their jobs, livelihoods and even their lives could be at risk if they report on anything too important involving the government and intelligence services.

When you get a chance you might throw up one of my posts to show where I was carrying Putin's torch, be specific now.

President Zelenskyy speech at the Munich security conference he comes across quite well ,makes a change from previous Ukrainian leaders

https://youtu.be/IVAExDHaKcc

That's 93 pages ago...pity you didn't quote me and you went back...I assume you mean anti US imperialism as I'm certainly not anti US.