Putin

[pete376403]

Putin probably remains in power because of the backing of the oligarchs. Once his actions start to affect their income, they will probably turn on him and install a president more attuned to their needs. All the money in the world is no use if there is nowhere to spend it

[mashman]

Putin probably remains in power because of the backing of the oligarchs. Once his actions start to affect their income, they will probably turn on him and install a president more attuned to their needs. All the money in the world is no use if there is nowhere to spend it

Why would the oligarchs turn on Putin when he's been the only thing between them and the West that want everything that they have since forever? All the money in the world is no use if you get it taken off you.

[nerrrd]

How desperate would things have to get before the Ukrainians think about blowing up a few nuclear power stations themselves, I wonder?

[husaberg]

How desperate would things have to get before the Ukrainians think about blowing up a few nuclear power stations themselves, I wonder?

unfortunately, i doubt its would not worry the Russians. unless it was close to the border i think the closest one to Moscow is/was Chernobyl.

[pete376403]

Why would the oligarchs turn on Putin when he's been the only thing between them and the West that want everything that they have since forever? All the money in the world is no use if you get it taken off you.

The "west" has been perfectly happy to let the Olis have their money and spend it on football clubs, yachts, etc. Probably turning a blind eye as to how they got the money, but, as long as they want to keep it in "our"banks, its all good. And it's not like the Olis have had it forever, it's only since the Gorbachev and Yeltsin that the Russian state assets were privatized. A short enough time frame that they can remember what it was like not to be gazillionaires. and thus would prefer not to go back to that time.

[husaberg]

To stop Putin issue arrest warrants for those that support Putin, for war crimes, the oligarchs the diplomat's everyone let it be known that step foot off Russian soil and you will never see the light of day again.

[F5 Dave]

Jesus that post from mushheadman that I can't see if not quoted shows how stupid and out of touch with reality he is.. glad he isn't a politician (due to no one bar margin of error, voting for him when he tried. )

[MD]

Until now I quietly admired Putin sometimes for standing up to USA. But now I question his mental state of mind. Why would anyone risk WWIII when weapons have advanced so much since WWII. His reasoning for killing innocent people who live next door is non existent.

Here's a question for you all. How do you explain to your 23 child who hasn't lived through an era of major war and is scared and distressed by what she is seeing and can't process the cruelty of war. Our children unfortunately had pathetic schooling about history and WW1 & WWII and don't understand the seriousness of what is unfolding before us. But thanks Education NZ they can say Kia Ora.

[F5 Dave]

Ok here's a quote back, attributed to someone columnists Russian wife.

'Putin loves Russia. It's the Russian people he doesn't care for.'

So life is cheaper even for those he is less disposed to.

[mashman]

The "west" has been perfectly happy to let the Olis have their money and spend it on football clubs, yachts, etc. Probably turning a blind eye as to how they got the money, but, as long as they want to keep it in "our"banks, its all good. And it's not like the Olis have had it forever, it's only since the Gorbachev and Yeltsin that the Russian state assets were privatized. A short enough time frame that they can remember what it was like not to be gazillionaires. and thus would prefer not to go back to that time.

There have always been Oligarchs in Russia as the owners of the means of whatever production was/is hip at the time and whatever political shit was/is hitting the fan (they're the only people who have enough money to 'buy' the spoils of cold war). Wonder if BRICS would be of any use given the predicted, and unfolding to plan, fall of the economic West given the consistent capital flight East in terms of production over the last few decades?

[pritch]

The "west" has been perfectly happy to let the Olis have their money and spend it on football clubs, yachts, etc. Probably turning a blind eye as to how they got the money, but, as long as they want to keep it in "our"banks, its all good. And it's not like the Olis have had it forever, it's only since the Gorbachev and Yeltsin that the Russian state assets were privatized. A short enough time frame that they can remember what it was like not to be gazillionaires. and thus would prefer not to go back to that time.

The British government are reluctant to seize Russian assets because large amounts of Russian cash funded the Tory party and the Brexit campagn in recent times.
Boris even gave a Russian oligarch a seat in the House of Lords.

Similarly some Republican politicians in the US have received millions from oligarchs.

[husaberg]

The British government are reluctant to seize Russian assets because large amounts of Russian cash funded the Tory party and the Brexit campagn in recent times.
Boris even gave a Russian oligarch a seat in the House of Lords.

Similarly some Republican politicians in the US have received millions from oligarchs.

https://news.sky.com/story/russian-t...0-000-12555719

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-b2026678.html

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...funding-tories

https://www.ft.com/content/2ccd61c2-...a-03ad0bb6f85c

[F5 Dave]

Boris is about as convincing as the manboy love association. (Southpark creation).

[R650R]

Until now I quietly admired Putin sometimes for standing up to USA. But now I question his mental state of mind. Why would anyone risk WWIII when weapons have advanced so much since WWII. His reasoning for killing innocent people who live next door is non existent.

Here's a question for you all. How do you explain to your 23 child who hasn't lived through an era of major war and is scared and distressed by what she is seeing and can't process the cruelty of war. Our children unfortunately had pathetic schooling about history and WW1 & WWII and don't understand the seriousness of what is unfolding before us. But thanks Education NZ they can say Kia Ora.

Tell her to turn tv and social media off and you wouldn’t know. When covid restrictions broke out I was surprised the step daughter knew nothing about east Germany and boy is she a super bright nerd type that loves to study. But that’s the book burning you get when leftists infiltrate all depths of education system and “adjust” the syllabus...
Even my generation wasn’t taught the full horrors of communism. We got taught about WW2 etc but likes of pol pot were mentioned but glossed over a bit I guess.

[Berries]

I can't work why if he is so desperate to reunite Ukraine with mother Russia he is busy blowing up all the buildings and fucking the infrastructure.