General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIn the meantime, in St. Petersburg
Someone here the other day had the gall to say the Russian protests are "teeny". They are not and have not been since this began and many of these people are paying a price for it, such as Americans can't even begin to fathom.
Link to tweet
jmbar2
(4,890 posts)Torchlight
(3,341 posts)The mood in Russia is one of the primary barometers we can use to gauge how far Putin can push this crap before he loses the will of the people. But it's also difficult to even guess at the sizes, locations, etc. of them. The three protest videos I've seen out of St Petersburg, Moscow and Volgograd is an indication that Putin is pushing too far too fast, and potentially losing the people for good.
Once that happens (if that happens), it's game over for him.
gab13by13
(21,359 posts)The Jungle 1
(4,552 posts)He completely misjudged our world order!
moondust
(19,991 posts)lastlib
(23,244 posts)I don't doubt Vladdy's capacity to fill it, or at least try before the people/army take him down. I hope they rope the dope soon!
Botany
(70,516 posts)n/t
Wednesdays
(17,380 posts)Which translates to, "No to war!"
nuxvomica
(12,429 posts)So these are all the soldiers heading to the front. That should work out well.
SallyHemmings
(1,822 posts)"Hell no, We won't go" in Russian?
I salute these brave souls.
XacerbatedDem
(511 posts)Farmer-Rick
(10,185 posts)Send the people saying no to war to .....well the war. Think they might not make the best soldiers?
They already have a 12 month mandate to serve in the military for most Russians. I'm sure there's an exception for the Russian oligarchs and their family.
US judges use to give people the choice of joining the military or going to jail. These soldiers were terrible. They stole from other soldiers, they started fights with leadership, they lied and cheated others. They spent most of their time in the brig before they were discharged.
It is now against the law to offer military service in exchange for jail. But some judges still do it. If caught, the judge can be kicked off the bench.
Yes, some of the people who were offered military service instead of jail did work out well and were successful. But they were few and far between.
relayerbob
(6,544 posts)hippywife
(22,767 posts)They've been out in many Russian cities and, as far as I can tell, haven't stopped yet, even while being arrested in the thousands.
relayerbob
(6,544 posts)I am totally behind the Russian people toppling Putin, but truth is truth.
hippywife
(22,767 posts)where the fuck did I lie? I linked to where and when it was, I'm not covering things up. Watch your mouth and who you accuse.
relayerbob
(6,544 posts)That post is misinformation at best, and is not truth. It's labelled as March 3, it is not. Unless you are the source of that video, which you are not, then you are simply sending out obsolete information. I was merely pointing that out. There are numerous responses in that thread pointing out when it occurred. As far as watching my mouth, you are one one getting angry, foul-mouthed and out of control.
Response to relayerbob (Reply #23)
Post removed
relayerbob
(6,544 posts)What is your problem?
XacerbatedDem
(511 posts)niyad
(113,336 posts)If you want accuracy. . .
uponit7771
(90,347 posts)onecaliberal
(32,863 posts)Martin68
(22,813 posts)BobTheSubgenius
(11,564 posts)...and feel no compunction about using it to house prisoners, as well all know. They'll ring plots of various sizes to create compounds. To keep the wolves out, obviously. They're not monsters.
BobTheSubgenius
(11,564 posts)Not monsters???
smb
(3,471 posts)HUAJIAO
(2,386 posts)Only been there a few times but....it just has a vibe I really like.. and so much culture. The former Leningrad. It was still Leningrad when I was first there in the winter of 1985. I have good friends there as well...
AngryOldDem
(14,061 posts)From what I understand, a lot of these protests arent organized (for good reason) beforehand. Rather, a code phrase among Russians is, going for a walk.
I like this a lot, and hope to see it catch on worldwide.
c-rational
(2,593 posts)58Sunliner
(4,386 posts)Cha
(297,292 posts)Rhiannon12866
(205,467 posts)There are statues ad plaques all over commemorating their war dead, they have good reason to say "never again!"
lastlib
(23,244 posts)...to go into Kyiv, fighting building to building in urban warfare. All I could think about was the Battle of Stalingrad in WW2. If ANYBODY knew urban warfare, it was the Russian Army--they had perhaps the most brutal first-hand experience in it of any army in history. Not that that makes it any easier (Stalingrad was eighty years ago), but they know what they're up against. And Leningrad was possibly worse than Stalingrad (nearly 900 days, if I remember my history correctly). I have little doubt that the Russian Army can apply the lessons of WW2 to inflict maximum pain on Ukraine. It makes me ill to contemplate what is coming for those poor folks in Kyiv. I wish our country could do more to stop this tragedy, but I understand the limits of engaging nuclear powers. It is my fervent dream that NATO could establish no-combat zones around the nuclear power plants, but I realize it's only a dream, and it scares me sh*tless.
Rhiannon12866
(205,467 posts)And I have been to what was then-Leningrad, went to the USSR in the late '80s with my grandmother who joined a peace group. Her town had a "sister town" in the Caucasus Mountains and this was the initial visit there. But we visited all over, meeting with Russia peace groups and seeing major sights and Leningrad was the last stop.
It's a beautiful port city, but we were well aware of the history. The Siege of Leningrad was the worst of the war, they were cut off - for 900 days as you say - and thousands suffered, starved ad died. There are statues and plaques all over commemorating the horrors of that war and those who were lost - they are all over Russia, actually.
So those we met had no wish to ever experience war again, "never again" seemed to be the prevailing mentality. Since our visit occurred shortly before Gorbachev's meeting with Reagan in Reykjavík, people were hopeful, but anxious, since Reagan was so tough that he caused the Russian hard liners to clamp down on Gorbachev's more progressive polices.
And I still remember one older lady who had served as a nurse during WWII who said "Please, when you go back, tell your president that we want peace." So I truly believe that the Russian people have no wish for another war.
leighbythesea2
(1,200 posts)Thread, people described what can happen to them doing this. They can lose everything. Jobs, expelled from colleges, of course, jail.
So many said they were appalled, embarrassed and utterly bereft about what was going on. A college kid said he and his roommate were going to protest anyway.
So that's the sacrifice, in protesting.
BlackSkimmer
(51,308 posts)Those certainly arent teeny.
Is teeny a word?
IronLionZion
(45,450 posts)hoping these folks don't get discouraged