RugbyRebels

Zhivago wrote:

J Dory wrote:The Russian professor in this podcast doesn't buy into the Russian public is brainwashed angle. Rather he says Russians are pragmatists and supporting Putin is in their best interest.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0c6968n

They are not pragmatists. The Dutch are pragmatists, and Russia is not like that at all. Pragmatists don't cut up Chanel bags to show their patriotism.

They are an unhappy people and they need their strong leader/country to get their happiness via national pride. If they start criticising their government, they won't do so because of their sons dying, or seeing nasty crimes against Ukrainians, but because the West is showing they aren't afraid of them and they are losing. If they start to realise that their country and they themselves are not as powerful as they thought they were.

The easiest way to think about it is to think of the psychology of a bully. The bully craves to be feared. That is the Russian mentality. If you take that away from them, then they are nothing.

caveat: I'm mostly talking about those Russians at home in Russia, this general analysis might not hold true for expats abroad.

Zhivago wrote:A reminder of what the Russian army is like
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm ... story.html

Son of Mathonwy wrote:

Zhivago wrote:A reminder of what the Russian army is like
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm ... story.html

Grim. It's horrific to be on the receiving end of any invasion, but the wrong kind of leadership and culture can make things many times worse, from war crimes to genocide.

I know some Ukrainians - grandparents would tell of the horrors they experienced at the hands of the Russians in WW2.

Mellsblue wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:

Son of Mathonwy wrote:

Zhivago wrote:A reminder of what the Russian army is like
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm ... story.html

Grim. It's horrific to be on the receiving end of any invasion, but the wrong kind of leadership and culture can make things many times worse, from war crimes to genocide.

I know some Ukrainians - grandparents would tell of the horrors they experienced at the hands of the Russians in WW2.

Galfon wrote:'Why stop at Donbas ?' he must feel.

Mellsblue wrote:Wtf is Macron playing at?!?! Saying that Ukraine must give up territory to avoid humiliating Putin, and that EU membership will take years (it will but there’s no need to so blatantly announce it). Has he spent so long ‘negotiating’ whether Putin that he’s developed Stockholm Syndrome!?!

Zhivago wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Two good points in this article, https://www.ft.com/content/769ff234-ea5 ... 66693effe2:
a) The German govt are spineless
b) NATO needs a change of plan

Sandydragon wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Two good points in this article, https://www.ft.com/content/769ff234-ea5 ... 66693effe2:
a) The German govt are spineless
b) NATO needs a change of plan

I don't subscribe to the FT so can't read, but I get the general idea from the headline. Germany has been pathetic regarding Russia for years, and that's before you consider Schroeder. Sadly the level of support for continuing the conflict in many western European countries isn't high.

Mellsblue wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Two good points in this article, https://www.ft.com/content/769ff234-ea5 ... 66693effe2:
a) The German govt are spineless
b) NATO needs a change of plan

I don't subscribe to the FT so can't read, but I get the general idea from the headline. Germany has been pathetic regarding Russia for years, and that's before you consider Schroeder. Sadly the level of support for continuing the conflict in many western European countries isn't high.

Neither do I but must’ve got my free one for the week/month as I’ve just gone back to cut and paste and it won’t let me.