Essentially the Russian Foreign ministry is making a not very veiled threat to blow up civilian aircraft under the guise of terrorism. Theyāve actually done this before so this this canāt be treated as an empty threat.
Oh fuck off.
10 minutes?!
Are the major news outlets missing an important distinction with regards to Visa and Mastercard? Both companies are not going to allow Visa and Mastercard transactions of Russian cards outside of Russia, or non-Russian cards in Russia. But that still allows Visa and Mastercard transactions issued from Russian banks within Russia right?
EDIT:. So I see that these two companies already had severed ties with Russian banks last week so this latest news will basically close any loopholes that would allow Russian people using the Visa and Mastercard networks through other means.
If I was Moldova, I would be a little fucking nervous now and trying desperately to find a way to join NATO.
Youād need to be naive to see this as anything less than Putin trying to recreate some form of Soviet Union, especially with the news that heās cutting off communications to the West in seized Ukrainian cities and installing state media only.
The Stan countries would be in trouble as they are isolated with no hope of being included in NATO. China might also be sitting tight ready to be part of a new Molotov-Ribbentrop style pact for that region depending on how much Russia (and China) values that territory.
The future over the next few years really does look bleak. The only tiny positive is that finally the West looks united and wise to Russiaās bullshittery.
If I remember correctly isnāt the president of Moldova keen on closer ties with Putiin?
The previous one, Igor Dodon was; Maia Sandu who succeeded him is pro-European as is the vast majority of the population.
Didnāt know that Dodon was gone. That would then chance things, and yes, I bet they would be sweating like catholic preist at a playground at the moment
Ew!
It was quite a thoughtful piece , and lots in there that you canāt really argue with. For me though , this āboth sidesā argument is bogus , and for one simple reason. Those who believe that NATO poses an actual security threat to Russia are simply buying into Kremlin propaganda. There is simply no way on earth that Russia is going to experience an act of aggression from NATO.
In the piece it is suggested that the talk of Putin wanting to restore a Soviet style sphere of influence is somehow propagandist. Really ? Isnāt that precisely what heās doing with this opening gambit ?
Where I think the author is spot on is when he references Putinās speech which presaged the war. In that speech , which I caught most of , the real target of Putinās ire wasnāt NATO per se , but rather it was the US and his own loathing of it. Sure America is no angel , and it shouldnāt be free from recriminations , but letās call a spade a spade here. The whole NATO thing is a pretext , Putinās real problem is his own pathological hatred of the US and the real (totally misguided) aim of this war was the removal of American missiles and bases from European soil. This isnāt about security itās about vengeance.
Agree itās not about security, itās about one manās insecurity. This inferiority complex that cannot accept that the only thing left about Russia that is of Superpower status is nuclear weapons. Itās why heās so predisposed to referencing them; in all other respects Russia is diminished.
This is the most important message right now