Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Russian inflation already at 20% and currently rising at about 2% a week. Egypt, a big Russian wheat importer, also at 10%

CNN Op-ed from Moscow on where things are, from a couple of days back.

Excellent op-ed piece and really interesting perspective on the sanctions…

That is bloody terrifying and a true act of war…

I guess the pro-Gremlin apologists will dismiss it all as a conspiracy. The Motherland could never do something wrong. It must be the bad West

I disagree that normal Russians shouldn't be associated with this Regime, they are the ones with the power to overthrow the government. If all Russians came to the streets and caused trouble and riots then this war would take a different stance. The majority of their population is for this war and because of that, I will never again like Russians. I genuinely hope they suffer,because its their own fault for not having the balls to overthrow their corrupt government and Putin. They deserve everything bad that goes their way.

The US under Biden would wash their hands of involvement mark my words. They would want nothing to do with it. Biden is one terrible president and looks like he's a step always behind Putin.

I make the difference between the regimen and the ordinary person. The regimen has taken every bit of power away from the ordinary person. The Gremlin have made sure to put all their cheerleaders in positions of authority. There is a culture of fear and suspicion. Nobody can trust anybody. All the wealth is in the hands of a few.

Even if the ordinary person marches, they will be suppressed…

The West to figure out ways to minimise money getting into Russia, while facilitating money leaving Russia. The less money in Russia, the less money for the Gremlin to stick their hands into.

Finally, the one point that makes me worry a bit, and has for some while is the risk of driving the ordinary Russian into the hands of the Gremlin. After Germany was disproportionately affected by the reparation costs, post-WWI, the average quality of life of a German person dramatically decline. This embittered them and led to the ultimate rise of the National Socialist party. If we compromise the quality of life of the average Russian too much, then we feed into the narrative of them versus us and the West is out to get us. They then may paradoxically support the war, because they will have nothing to lose.

I don’t really know the answer on the sanctions. My opinion has not been set. But I thought that the article provides a very interesting perspective

This is the kind of crap that Russia has been doing for years and getting away with. It's because of this behavior that we are where we are now.

To be fair, this war is on Europe's doorstep. Europe needs to be standing up and taking the lead on this, not relying on the US.

There are many posters here who suspect if Russia gets away with taking over Ukraine, then they will move on to another country, like Moldova. So Europe needs to get its act together, and quick.

But Europe seems to be intending to act defensively rather than offensively. If Europe is hit first by Russia, it will be a rather easier decision for other countries, when deciding if they should support Europe’s war efforts

I mean, while I would like to avoid getting annihilated in a nuclear holocaust, they should have thrown every sanction available at him when he threatened the nukes in the first place. And I mean everything, oil, gas, the whole lot.

Cos regardless of what happens now, that genie is out of the bottle and we all live in the spectre of some jackass threatening nukes when they can't get their own way.

Wonder are these WP or just incendiary bombs.

“Now, I know it's hard for you, my love, to ever understand

The love I bear for these brave men, my love for this dear land

But when Padraig called me to his side down in the G.P.O.

I had to leave my own sick bed, to him I had to go”