this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2024
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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 96 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

that's just how special it is ✨️🫠✨️

[–] Resol@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Classic Russian Federation

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[–] avater@lemmy.world 94 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

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 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago (1 children)

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

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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.

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I guess it is inevitable that Russia will ultimately have to be destroyed by external force. Whether it happens sooner or later. One day the full West will be at war with them. Here's me hoping it will be a couple of lifetimes away. I have young children. 😓

[–] stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub 59 points 1 year ago (8 children)

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

[–] PoastRotato@lemmy.world 57 points 1 year ago (2 children)

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

[–] deadcream@sopuli.xyz 48 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

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 1 year 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.

[–] stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub 2 points 1 year ago (6 children)

What’s to stop someone from leaving? Are they North Korea like that?

[–] Beardwin@lemmy.world 43 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Emigration is really hard, both emotionally and financially, regardless of where you live.

That’s a really good point I hadn’t considered in passing, moving to a whole new country, and as a Russian? Probably pretty tough

[–] Tremble@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 year ago

Usually illegal to work unless you have money to pay to get the permission to work.

[–] deadcream@sopuli.xyz 14 points 1 year ago

No, but there are many obstacles. Besides usual ones common to migration in general, due to sanctions people who want to emigrate won't be able to easily access their money left in Russia. Also if they speak up against Putin everything they left in Russia will be confiscated and returning back (for any reason including possible deportation) will be dangerous (Russia is smart enough to not charge dissenters living abroad so that they won't be able to claim asylum, but when they return they can be arrested. This strategy was used since USSR times). This makes emigration a risky proposition unless you already have a high-paying job lined up for you, and can receive foreign citizenship in a short time.

[–] lepinkainen@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They don’t let valuable people live. Also they don’t let people convert roubles to western currency. The current exchange rate for roubles is a complete sham as it’s not a free market

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Based in the news I've read, the Russian government, and also the ones of many neighboring countries

[–] RadicalCandour@startrek.website 7 points 1 year ago (3 children)
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[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 year ago

You have to have a country to go to. The hard part of emigrating is often immigrating. Countries don't generally just let people in.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 48 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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

[–] mods_are_assholes@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Don't even fucking say that ironically.

[–] mods_are_assholes@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago (3 children)

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 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

do not underestimate Russian conservatives

[–] mods_are_assholes@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

They're just like our conservatives but go to jail less for murdering gay and trans people.

edit: Oh and they can legally beat their wives too.

Honestly it makes a lot of sense why modern American regressives idolize such a brutal and backwards culture.

[–] Plopp@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Propaganda, fear and other things.

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[–] qooqie@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

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

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[–] Flumpkin@slrpnk.net 15 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

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 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

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 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year 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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[–] Wanderer@lemm.ee 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

“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.

[–] LordCirais@pawb.social 7 points 1 year 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 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

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 1 year ago

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

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