Russia - threadbanned users in OP

@greenpilot

I think the world has changed a bit and the "long arms" of states like Russia reach everywhere including deep into the West, in ways they did not before (well, not quite as much anyway), creating a chilling factor.

If you stick your head up publically (post a letter to the paper, post something online under own name, be front and centre at a protest or worse organise a protest!) it is very likely you will be id-ed.

The proportion of the loud and proud Z waving regime supporting scum, added to the quieter war/regime supporters in the Russian expat population could be similar (or greater) that proportion who support the war back at home. Then you have actual goons and spies who report back on your activities because they get paid for it/it is their job!

If you do something public enough/attract enough notice, it may not be great for any family you still have left in Russia (if the regime decides to make an example of them).

Most articles I have read on this sort of subject have been about the CCP/China (e.g.: https://www.dw.com/en/how-china-intimidates-uighurs-abroad-by-threatening-their-families/a-49554977) but I would wonder if Russia behaves any differently? I would doubt it, esp. post Feb last year.

Like a bad smell, it washes in with the tide every morning.

More Scutter.

‘Without fear of repercussion’ - I doubt very much. All it needs is a camera at the front gate and pick out a few for ‘SPECIAL ATTENTION and follow up with an intimidating phone call and the word spreads. So if that happened to you , would you continue on attending? You would want to be a very brave person knowing what the Russians are capable of

We (the collective West) overwhelmingly approve of what our governments are doing in our name, to support the democratic state of Ukraine which has been illegally invaded by a fascist aggressor state which not only wants to murder Ukraine out of existence but also seeks to assert malign influence over our democracies.

Well you're aping the vast majority of Ukrainians then too

I agree with your point in principal. BUT the problem is that one cannot ‘trust’ even ONE russian because all of them can be used By Putin ans his supporters AGAINST THEIR WILL. they can be , for example, just asked for information by the police and god only knows what might happen to them if they do not comply and they know the consequences.

Did you notice when someone is being interviewed on the street by a western reporter - they look around first to see who might be listening. some examples - look at the teacher that was reported to the police when she said something about the current mission or the elderly lady who was dragged off the bus for spouting something about the mission or the mother who lost a son on the submarine - the akirsh- incident. . The whole population is caught in a real dilemma. All Russians do not know who might report them re their actions or utterances, who they socialise with, what are they reading, etc, etc, etc. look at the way Putin ‘REELS’ in those oligarcs who he has fallen out with . He - his selected judiciary- come up with a list of trumped up charges and away we go

They don't need to 'act', in terms of actually doing anything. They just need to give their governments (who are the actors that matter, remember) political cover to keep doing what they are doing. And they are doing just that.

Not many believe that it's easy for the Russian people to overthrow Putin. It's not, and yes, many will die in doing so. But the Russian people, by choosing not to rise up and stay safe, are saying that they prefer the Ukrainians to die instead of them. In a war of the Russians making, not the Ukrainians. Morally, that position cannot be excused or defended.

The time to stop Putin was 15 years ago when it would have been much easier. But the Russian people chose not to do so then, instead entering a Faustian pact with Putin, trading democratic freedoms for economic benefits.

I understand the point of view that someone may fear for the safety of loved ones back in Russia. I have children and I want them to healthy and happy at all times.

But there is the possibility that by silence and inaction today, I could cause them unending pain and grief in the future.

This is the unenviable choice that Russians have to make. Personally, I think the majority of them have made the wrong choice.

Now, if their choices only affected them, I think they're perfectly at liberty to carry on. But when their choices affect others, others have the right to take steps.

It'll be one year to the day in a few short hours.

Maybe we should use this unfortunate anniversary to try and summarise what Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine has 'achieved':

• Near total unity of the Western powers behind Ukraine
• Russia reviled while Zelensky is the most admired man in the world
• The EU has turned into a superpower. 70 years of German military doctrine turned on its head.
• Finland and Sweden are in the process of joining NATO
• Russia frozen out of the world economy
• Russia's main export markets for its oil and gas completely shut off
• Russia's only declared allies are North Korea, Syria, Iran and Eritrea (judged by UN votes)
• Well north of 100,000 Russian soldiers killed
• The Russian army outfought and defeated by a far smaller foe
• The flagship of the Black Sea fleet sunk by a country that doesn't even have a navy
• Russia exposed as a fascist state (Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol and a hundred other towns bear witness)
• Increased repression and thought control at home
• No prospect of conventional victory

Not exactly the most well executed strategy of all time.

But yet we had people on blaming the Ukrainians for the Russian invasion and the slaughter of their population,if only the Ukrainans gave up on land to Putin,if only they got rid of their neo Nazi leader,

But wait he's Jewish....

Ehhhh ehhhh its NATOs fault,it's everyone elses but not the Russians.

BS

Mick Wallace is still banging the 'NATO warmonger' drum.

I wonder exactly how much he gets paid for pretending to be a Socialist anyway.

You clearly have some kind of imagined victim complex on behalf of the 'ordinary Russians'.

You may wish to examine who is actually being murdered, raped and tortured by Russians at this point in time. They're the real victims.

The Chinese have already proved their not afraid to protest and force policy change from atop.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-63855508.amp