Ask a Russian

[mrt144]

They did request it multiple times. Not sure what your question is about...

About what US could do to ease current tensions, we discussed this question recently in this thread. In short, some of US analysts and politicians have decent and realistic proposals on Russian policy. Read for example this post: http://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/ask-a-russian.189262/page-17#post-14446410

and also my reply to it:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/ask-a-russian.189262/page-17#post-14446656

So the US is doing some of what you want vis a vis Ukraine and you're scared of us?

 

[red_elk]

US is doing something we don't want in Ukraine - they facilitated regime change through another color revolution. And they are supporting current nationalistic government with clear anti-Russian agenda, in Russia's backyard. As for the "scared" part, I wouldn't say we are scared. Rather alarmed about incompetence and overconfidence of US decision makers, that they may make a mistake which will be fatal for both Russia and USA. But you may call it scared if you want.

 

[Verbose]

The rub of the matter is that Ukraine has actual agency, while Russia has conspiracy theories. (And the sign it is, mostly, conspiracy theories is that they latch on to minor aspects of what's going on, assigning them outsize importance.) Some of which involves the US. (That which is assigned outsized importance — if the US could do even HALF of what can be ascribed to it in Russia these days, the discussion about US relative decline would never have started).

In the end things won't compute because the "Russian" assumptions here don't stack up well to how the world actually works.

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

The rub of the matter is that Ukraine has actual agency,

Like what?

while Russia has conspiracy theories. (And the sign it is, mostly, conspiracy theories is that they latch on to minor aspects of what's going on, assigning them outsize importance.) Some of which involves the US. (That which is assigned outsized importance — if the US could do even HALF of what can be ascribed to it in Russia these days, the discussion about US relative decline would never have started).

US is very active even in a country like Czechia and they are trying to influence politics and gain more control here which from an "ally" is quite unacceptable. I have not much doubts Ukraine is much more important to US geopolitical jugglery.

In the end things won't compute because the "Russian" assumptions here don't stack up well to how the world actually works.

Judging by the recent development in Syria it doesnt seem to be Russia who has terribly wrong assumptions about "how the world actually works".


USA: Russian scientists are disappointed with the results from the search for intelligent life in Washington
http://russiatodaynews.ru/2016/10/1...ltatami-poiska-razumnoj-zhizni-v-vashingtone/

 

[plarq]

US is very active even in a country like Czechia and they are trying to influence politics and gain more control here which from an "ally" is quite unacceptable. I have not much doubts Ukraine is much more important to US geopolitical jugglery.

I highly doubt that. Same thing happened to Russian-Georgian war in 2008. Georgia and Ukraine are deemed "too close to Russia" for US to bet substantial resource on their regimes. That caused the downfall of Mikheil Saakashvili in Georgia. The same thing caused first color revolution in Ukraine to fail ultimately and let the pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovych gaining power.

International politics is not like the Game of Go (My enemy's priority is also my priority), but each piece has different value for different players. Ukraine and Georgia are more important to Russia than to US.

 

[red_elk]

Ukraine and Georgia are more important to Russia than to US.

They are, but proximity to Russia is also a factor for the US to consider these regions as important. The did put substantial resources in Saakashvili regime, including training his army and supplying weapons. They also were putting substantial resources to what they call "development of democratic institutions" in Ukraine.

 

[plarq]

They are, but proximity to Russia is also a factor for the US to consider these regions as important. The did put substantial resources in Saakashvili regime, including training his army and supplying weapons. They also were putting substantial resources to what they call "development of democratic institutions" in Ukraine.

If Ukraine and Georgia has any value to US, it is denial of Russian access. That is why US invested enough to cause trouble to Russia, but not too deep because it is risky, and US does not have much to gain here.

 

[red_elk]

Yes, exactly. Denial Russian access is by itself valuable enough to make Ukraine and Georgia more important for US influence than Czechia. Which is what Mechanical was talking about.

 

[plarq]

But Czech Republic is more important as it is inside the NATO and EU. Investment in Georgia and Ukraine may fall into the hands of Russia, but investment in Czech is safe.

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

But Czech Republic is more important as it is inside the NATO and EU. Investment in Georgia and Ukraine may fall into the hands of Russia, but investment in Czech is safe.

That really depends on what is your objective. Geopoliticaly Czechia is next to nothing but Russia is a first class adversary.

 

[plarq]

Anti-ballistic missile radar bases setup in Czech and Poland are good enough to deter Russia.

 

[Takhisis]

Encircling Russia? Pah, once Russia occupied Crimea then access for the Black Sea fleet is ensured.

Since we have to ask Russians something in this thread and I haven't watched Russian films for a few days now, what do Russians say about the invasion of Ukrain? I gather that there is more approval than disapproval, but do people actually ‘acknowledge’ that the troops there are from the Russian armed forces?

Well, you see, there's this aggressive dictatorship pretending to be a democracy called... Texico? uhm... Manada? United Kronstadt?.. nevermind. It is located somewhere in North Middle America. They are evil. And they have WMDs (confirmed!).

We should protect our exceptional nation by building peaceful military bases there to contain any possible aggression or terrorist acts. Look, there's a precise map made by our best cartographers:

Spoiler :

I mean, we're exceptionally vulnerable and sensitive compared to other nations, so we must build bases everywhere and secure everyone! You know, like in this game called... Vote & Democratize... uhm, I mean Command & Conquer, sorry. Like there, the whole world is either yellow or red zones, and only a few places are blue, good and civilized.

Is that the flag of a Former Yugoslav Republic that I see?

 

[red_elk]

what do Russians say about the invasion of Ukrain?

Since majority of Donetsk and Lugansk people are against current Kiev government, they have our support.

do people actually ‘acknowledge’ that the troops there are from the Russian armed forces?

From what I can see, DPR/LPR currently have compact professional army, consisting of about 90% locals (ethnic Russian Ukrainian citizens). If there are currently Russian regular troops, their presence is most likely restricted to military advisers, technical specialists, may be some special forces.

 

[mrt144]

How ya'll feel about Defcon 3?

 

[red_elk]

[googling] The hacking conference or the state of readiness?

Edit: Defcon 3 probably about the latter. Military readiness is usually reaction to something. Like a fever. If they raise it, I would think they feel threatened by somebody.

 

[red_elk]

"Kukushka" (2002).
War drama about two soldiers, Finnish and Soviet, who got stuck in remote area with Saami woman, at the end of WW2

 

[FriendlyFire]

Just saw this movie.
What can I say, another great Russian movie, compared with the empty Blockbusters from Hollywood that the US churns out every year I find Russia has some of the best film makers

 

[mrt144]

Hard times are a crucible of good art.

 

[red_elk]

What can I say, another great Russian movie, compared with the empty Blockbusters from Hollywood that the US churns out every year I find Russia has some of the best film makers

Thank you, appreciate that.

Hard times are a crucible of good art.

Not in our case. Hard times were in 90-s and though there were good movies made in that period, they were not particularly better or worse than now.

 

[Takhisis]

I think I should watch Kukushka.