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submitted 9 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman informed Russians this week that the “special military operation” that Putin launched in Ukraine in February 2022 was set to go on much longer because it is now “a war against the collective West.”

That’s right: a war.

It was remarkable to hear that word from Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Journalists were explicitly banned from using it as the invasion began and thousands of Russians have been detained, fined and imprisoned for telling the truth about a war which has now been raging for almost two years.

“Moscow deputy Aleksey Gorinov was sentenced to seven years in prison for saying ‘war,’” Sergey Davidis, head of the Political Prisoners Support group, told The Daily Beast. He said over 20,000 Russians have now been detained and punished for protesting against the war. “That includes 131 Russians who have been sentenced to long prison terms in punishment for peaceful or for more radical anti-war actions,” he said. “I don’t think punishments against the war will now be milder after the Kremlin openly says ‘war.’ Putin will be next to declare it.”

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[-] DarylDutch@lemmy.world 101 points 9 months ago

In one week from today it will be 2 years into a "3 day special military operation". At some point even the most delusional people have to face the music. We can only hope that it eats at his psychological health and he soon drops dead.

[-] Resol@lemmy.world 26 points 9 months ago

It just goes to show that his "special military operation" has basically failed if it lasted 727 days longer than usual

[-] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 33 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

that's just how special it is ✨️🫠✨️

[-] Resol@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

Classic Russian Federation

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[-] avater@lemmy.world 97 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

no you stupid russian cunt you are not at war with the west, you are at war with ukraine and they are making your mighty army look like fucking clowns.

If you would be at war with the west, you would be pretty much done by the end of the week and now for the love of god do us a favor and skip to the chapter where you put a fucking gun to your mouth and pull the trigger.

[-] victorz@lemmy.world 12 points 9 months ago

Honestly how have there not been any successful assassination attempts on this mf yet, seriously. Let's get on with it, shall we. I'm over Putin already, since even before the war.

[-] debil@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

Unfortunately it won't prevent another one taking his place. Especially with the 2020's constitutional referendum that basically lets Russian war criminals get away unpunished. I think the whole country is fucked beyond repair at this point.

[-] victorz@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

Probably. It's quite uncomfortable having them this close to Europe, as a European.

[-] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

Risky take, but I'm glad the US hasn't done that. We have a terrible track record. It never seems to help, and this isn't ultimately a Putin problem so much as a larger tendency of this regime and its economic systems.

I just don't know if there's a version of Russia that can coexist with the status quo we've been trying to protect. It might be terminal, and god help us if I'm right.

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[-] stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub 59 points 9 months ago

How anyone over there still sucks this dude off is beyond me lmao

[-] PoastRotato@lemmy.world 59 points 9 months ago

I would imagine it's at gunpoint, figuratively or literally.

[-] deadcream@sopuli.xyz 48 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

There are a lot of people there that haven't experienced oppression personally and genuinely believe that "strong ruler" that "keeps people in line" is what's needed for their country to be "strong".

Also one of the key points of Russian propaganda that has been hammered into them for decades is that "democracy is a sham" and that any alternative to Putin's regime would be just as oppressive and simply less "competent" (and therefore lead to Russia's ruin).

Putin supporters do not believe that democracy can work and they don't want democracy, as simple as that.

[-] rammer@sopuli.xyz 8 points 9 months ago

There's a reason why Russians do not believe democracy can work. It is the fact that the only brief time there was democracy in Russia in the past few hundred years was a time of unmitigated chaos. The transition away from communism was un utter disaster. The west didn't help either. All the west did was try take a piece of the pie.

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[-] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 49 points 9 months ago

Do you have a few minutes to talk about our lord and savior donald trump?

[-] mods_are_assholes@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

Don't even fucking say that ironically.

[-] mods_are_assholes@lemmy.world 12 points 9 months ago

Oh its really simple and I'm kind of angry how many people keep making your statement.

Fact: about 1/3 of the world enjoys the suffering of others and wants a visible, high profile enemy to rail against. They are cultist regressives dreaming for a past that never existed, in Russia's case the fantasy of the old USSR at its peak.

They are angry at being poor and powerless and gladly accept any justification that allows them to hate someone else.

The same motivations behind trumpty dumpty's cult. Do you honestly think this is a coincidence?

Unfortunately I know nothing I type here will matter to you and the next time a thread exposing putin's brutality you will just likely post the same statement.

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[-] Gork@lemm.ee 9 points 9 months ago

The ones closest to him in his inner circle are very incentive to be loyal as many of them got rich, and their wealth depends, on Putin's blessing. Those who don't, like Prighozhin, get made an example of and have their private planes mysteriously fall from the sky.

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[-] nutsack@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

do not underestimate Russian conservatives

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[-] Plopp@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

Propaganda, fear and other things.

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[-] Flumpkin@slrpnk.net 17 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

They are not wrong, Russia is practically at war with the entire west. They are support Ukraine and pour weapons in there like no tomorrow.

If Russia can keep this up and "outlast" and then conquer East-Ukraine they get the valuable part of the country, the breadbasket and industry. And I doubt think the military will stop supporting Putin during this war.

It also weakens democracy Europe because of refugees, massive spending and increase of austerity. This is part of their geopolitcal strategy, the more fascism in Europe, the less unified the EU is.

And for US / NATO it creates an more streamlined front even with just West-Ukraine. Even if individual countries in the EU become more nationalist and leave the EU, they won't leave NATO with Russia looming. You can also read appreciation for a more militaristic and hawkish attitudes in European countries.

So for the future wars to come with climate change this is an acceptable outcome for those in power. Only the people in Ukraine, Russia and the taxpayers loose.

[-] AA5B@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

the valuable part of the country, the breadbasket and industry

I do wonder how there could be anything of value remaining in areas that have been shelled or mined

[-] Flumpkin@slrpnk.net 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Good question. Maybe it's easier to rebuild industry even if partially destroyed. But I think it's mostly about natural resources (search).

I think the original plan was to get all of Ukraine into the duty free zone of the EU which would have made trade mostly exclusive with EU instead of exclusive with Russia.

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[-] qooqie@lemmy.world 16 points 9 months ago

This is just western version of propaganda I assume. Most Russians still overwhelmingly support the clown

[-] S410@kbin.social 39 points 9 months ago

Overwhelming "support" is not that surprising, to be honest, when the question is "Do you support Putin or do you want to fall out of a window?"

[-] ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.world 15 points 9 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)
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[-] taanegl@lemmy.world 15 points 9 months ago

Good idea! Make Europe militarise again. That has never gone wrong in the history of anything. Europeans are definitely weak and not full of frustration and a want to legitimise their nationality again. Surely European nations won't make conscription mandatory and rev up their military supply lines again. Surely populism and fascism isn't on the rise, and even if they are, surely they'll side with Putin.

Surely. /s

I nominate Putin for the award "dumbest fucker of the 21st century" and Russians for "most performant slaves of 21st century".

[-] prole@sh.itjust.works 14 points 9 months ago

How can you not see that's what he wants? He's been working to destabilize the West for decades now. Everything you just said weakens Europe, even when they inevitably (mostly) side against him. The result is chaos in Europe, and as you said, the rise of nationalism and fascism among individual nations.

A bunch of nationalist countries fighting for their own interests rather than their collective interests, doesn't make for a great European Union.

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[-] mods_are_assholes@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

Putin isn't dumb, he's evil and in mental decline.

Don't pretend he's acting this way because he is stupid, he knows he doesn't have much time and wants to make a legacy of cruelty like his idol Stalin

Claiming he is incompetent just makes him more dangerous.

[-] taanegl@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

TL;DR he is no mental giant, as evident. Hindsight is 20:20.

First of all he, like a buffoons, he thought Ukraine would lay down flat. Problem? The Russian soldiers were sent by a bunch of nationalistic oligarchs. Ukrainian soldiers defend their right to exist as a culture, as a people. Who do you think is more motivated?

Secondly, I think Xi Jinpeng must be quietly facepalming him self. BRICS just got a kick in the balls, and that's because Putin was cocky and horny for being a centerpiece in the history books. Putin should really just sized up a new leader, groomed and installed them, retired and smiled as a footnote in the history books.

Instead, he wanted to be grand, and put BRICS in the cross hairs like 5-10 years before it would be smart to do so. Legitimising it now and surplanting the need for SWIFT is a tall order, especially since other nations, geo-political powers and non-governmental organizations have started to mobilize against it - policy wise. Uh oh, US NATO imperialism intensifies, to the detriment of BRICS adoption.

So yeah, he might not be "dumb" dumb, but he is no master chess player, that's for sure. In fact, I'll wager he pulls off a stupid enough move up trigger war throughout Europe, a no-win scenario where Russia loses land in the end. Some because they have been neglected for decades, and others because of shared history with other nation states. Certain parts of Eurasia is looking like a fat ol' peach to Xi right about now, I'll tell you that much.

Remember: nobody really wants war, not even Putin. That's not productive, really. If the war turns inwards, the whole political house of cards may fall down. That's why he postured to begin with, and why China doesn't "take land", but assimilates like a fine oiled machine. They're both trying for "reunification" with other states, but one struggles a bit more than the other.

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[-] Wanderer@lemm.ee 13 points 9 months ago

“Every time we hit the bottom harder and fall through it and now we are at war with the entire world, it seems. What else could be worse? Next will be nuclear, nobody doubts. What depresses me most is the helpless situation we have: the majority will still vote for Putin simply because they feel lost without him, despite tiny salaries, awful medical service, men dying on the front, despite the growing feeling of instability.”

Bloody Russians, at least they could not vote for fucking Putin.

[-] DdCno1@kbin.social 11 points 9 months ago

I don't think this would change anything about the election results. At most the real numbers, which are a closely guarded state secret, would inform Putin that there is growing discontent.

[-] Wanderer@lemm.ee 5 points 9 months ago

Yes but that must be taken into account when Putin makes decisions.

If he gets 5% of the vote he must be thinking "shit I need to do something different"

[-] MeaanBeaan@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

MORE GULAG!

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[-] LordCirais@pawb.social 7 points 9 months ago

Voting in a Presidential election there actually does even less than it does in the US. It's all just a fun show for the people that Putin puts on sometimes.

[-] mindlight@lemm.ee 10 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Remember, this is nothing but a sign that the Russian economy is booming!

There have been so many signs of the Russian economy booming the last 2-3 months it's hard to keep up....

But rest assured, I'm here to help you remember the wise words of the great and courageous leader Vladimir Putin who is guarding the insides his pala....eh...I mean part of Russia from those pesky Nazis!

[-] PlutoniumAcid@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

Russian something goes boom but it's not their economy... unless that's also what an implosion sounds like.

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this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2024
424 points (94.5% liked)

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