Topic: Donetsk, Kharkov, Lugansk - way to Russia. - page 160. (Read 734725 times)

By the time Kiev allows a referendum in the Donbass, the original inhabitants will be gone for ever. Already one-sixth of the population has crossed over to Russia. Many more will follow if the war continues. And the Kiev junta is replacing them with immigrants from Lvov and Ternopol. Soon the region will be having Western Ukrainians as the majority.

Photos of few thousand protesters, very likely organized by the local Ukrainian authorities, prove literally nothing. It's a city of 500.000 citizens, and as we can see vast majority prefers to stay in their homes. Why? I think it's pretty reasonable to assume that this 'silent majority' is not interested to support revolutionary government in Kiev, or they are simply scared of Ukrainian paramilitary thugs roaming the streets. Massacre in Odessa was a lesson and it's not forgotten.

If Kiev would allow peaceful, internationally observed Scottish-style referendum in Donetsk, Luhansk (and other south-east regions), only then we would be able to really see how many people are supporting Maidan vs. the independence.

The previous winter was rather mild in Europe, they didn't even empty their gas underground storages, so this decline in Gazprom profits is not unexpected. Let's wait and see what the coming winter would bring...

@ myshownow  "So are the Russians pulling back? Gazprom allegedly just reduced by 24% the gas delivered to POland.
LOL, what a pullback. More like an attack in a new front. I told you, it's a comedy with the bankrupt EU & US clowns"

 

Net profit of "Gazprom" has fallen by 41 percent > Чиcтaя пpибыль «Гaзпpoмa» yпaлa нa 41 пpoцeнт

Чиcтaя пpибыль кoмпaнии «Гaзпpoм» пo мeждyнapoдным cтaндapтaм финaнcoвoй oтчeтнocти (MCФO) coкpaтилacь в пepвoм квapтaлe 2014 гoдa нa 41 пpoцeнт пo cpaвнeнию c aнaлoгичным пepиoдoм пpoшлoгo гoдa. Oнa cocтaвилa 223 миллиapдa pyблeй. Taкaя инфopмaция coдepжитcя в cooбщeнии кoмпaнии. B пepвoм квapтaлe 2013 гoдa чиcтaя пpибыль «Гaзпpoмa» cocтaвлялa 380,7 миллиapдa pyблeй.

http://lenta.ru/news/2014/09/11/gazpromnetprofitfall/

TIME TO LAUGH


LOL, frankly, the usual Anglo-Zionist style of propaganda is outdated- it has become too hackneyed. And after its many gaffes like Iraq, Syria, etc.  where they were caught lying, nobody takes them seriously anymore. No credibility, whatsoever. In fact, nobody reads them anymore, all the Anglo-Zionist newspapers & magazines are tottering into bankruptcy (very good, because they are also bankrupt economically & politically now  ) .

Perhaps, I have to repost this again, just for laughs..


IS IT COLD WAR OR IS IT TIME FOR GUFFAWS?

LOL, at least, the propaganda in this forum is not as ridiculous as in the Western mainstream media. Poroshenko allegedly said that 70% of the Russians have already returned to Russia " as EU, US mulls sanctions". It's good of him he knows how to count ghosts (I can see it now, they'll claim they lost because of ghosts- the ghosts of the dead Ukrainian conscripts!!  ) WEll, if you remember that the latest sanctions were supposed to have been declared already a week ago, and they threaten it everyday, but they keep on delaying it, not because the ceasefire is holding (there are grad explosion everyday) nor because the Russians are pulling back, but because they can't keep a consensus. The EU countries knew they have been shooting themselves in the foot because while Russia grew by .8%, the EU countries are now in the cusp of triple-digit recession, with Germany shrinking .2% in the last quarter.

So are the Russians pulling back? Gazprom allegedly just reduced by 24% the gas delivered to POland.

LOL, what a pullback. More like an attack in a new front. I told you, it's a comedy with the bankrupt EU & US clowns.  

Meanwhile, after namedropping heavily the name of Obama & NATO in the past couple of days, the Estonian press suddenly clammed up today regarding the case of the "kidnapped" (according to their "strong" claim )Estonian intelligence officer. Reality has already sunk, most likely. The agent is still in jail in Moscow BTW.  

LOL

How Russia Defeated Western Journalism

Do you think that the government in Ukraine was overthrown in a violent, Western-backed putsch, and the new government in Kyiv is dominated by far-right radicals? Do you suspect that the downing of MH17 was orchestrated by a Kyiv "junta" to garner support for military intervention in Ukraine by the West? Do You think that there has been no armed intervention by the Kremlin in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, with tanks and mercenaries and regular units of the Russian army, and that the war is a purely domestic Ukrainian affair? Do you think that the volunteer battalions fighting on the behalf of the Kyiv government are, to a man, neo-Nazi fascists, hell-bent on subjugating the people of eastern Ukraine, and forcing them to speak Ukrainian rather than Russian?

Then you've been hoodwinked by Kremlin propaganda.

Don't feel too ashamed though: you've been misled by the most sophisticated propaganda machine that the world has ever seen - one that attacks, undermines and emasculates a key source of information that you may rely on: the Western media. As a small part of that media, I'm partly to blame for your being misled, so I owe it to you to explain as best I can how this happened.

The Kremlin propagandists have achieved this propaganda coup in three ways:

1. Undermining the credibility of Western journalism, or the journalism practiced in democracies. In Russia, and other autocratic regimes, the media serve the purposes of the state. There is no conception of the media as a "Fourth Estate" that is in effect as separate and equal part of government, performing an overseeing role that protects democracy. Why should the media perform such a role when there is no democracy to protect? Instead, in authoritarian states, the media are an arm of government, a propganda appendage, who pass only the government-approved message. By extension, it is assumed, wrongly, by the people who live under autocratic regimes, that the Western media serve exactly the same role. The reporting of Western journalists is thus undermined, with journalists being equated to agents of their governments, and thought of as nothing better than propagandists or spies. This wooly thinking even infects the well-meaning but naive liberal left in the West, who (rightly) distrust their own governments, but (wrongly) won't believe their own media. Meanwhile, the "journalists" of an authoritarian state like Russia can be found in places like Ukraine advancing the goals of their state through their "reporting."

2.  Understanding and expoliting the "Golden Rules" of journalism. The Kremlin propagandists know very well that Western journalists value their integrity, and that none of them wants to compromise it. None of them wants to make an error that will dent their reputation, and thus their career. The Kremlin propagandists know that Western journalists are risk-averse when it comes to reporting - they know that while each one of them is desperate to get the story FIRST, it must also be CORRECT. Mistakes will haunt you long after the story has broken and the brief glory of the breaking story has faded. This risk-aversion can be expolited by simply tearing off the shoulder patch of a Russian soldier. Western journalists can no longer report "Russian soldiers are in the process of annexing Crimea." They can't identify the soldiers for sure - they can't risk being wrong, even though it's completely obvious, even to themselves, who these soldiers are. Ditto unmarked Russian T-72 tanks in Ukraine. They can't report what they know personally to be the truth.

3. Setting up "alternative media" that pretend to be paragons of Western media values. The Russian Kremlin propaganda channel RT (formerly Russia Today) has been set up to promote the Russian government's propaganda in a way soothingly familiar to a Western audience. It employs young, pretty, cash-hungry journalists from Western countries, who are almost entirely lacking in a sense of journalistic ethics, to mouth the word of the Kremlin in a way that sounds acceptable to a Western audience. When presented with a channel like RT, a Westerner might assume that this is a bona fide news organization, that follows the rules of Western journalism, when in fact it is a propaganda machine that will not hesitate to promulgate the most absurd and outrageous lies in the interests of its masters, and will only retract them, in an insincere face-saving exercise, if it steps so far beyond the bounds of the credible that it cannot even convince its own fact-challenged staff that it was reporting accurately.

Absurd though it seems, these are the reasons I cannot tell you on the radio tonight some things that I know personally to be true: There never was a rebellion in Ukraine: it was fomented by Russian intelligence operatives - most people in eastern Ukraine never supported the separatists. The reason the Ukrainian army has suffered reverses in the last two weeks is because Russia sent in massive quantities of men and materiel to stop the "rebels" from losing. MH17 was almost certainly shot down by a BUK anti-aircraft missile, operated by Russians. And the "ceasefire" is almost certainly a ruse to wrong foot the West and the Ukrainian government into lowering its guard ahead of further Russian intervention in Ukraine, and then further afield.

I can't tell you all that because the Kremlin propagandists will assault my every claim with obfuscation, confusion and denial, and their account will be broadcast in the Western media, who "seek the other side of the story," and give it equal airtime, as if this other side of the story is not the outright lies and propaganda that it actually is.

That is why Russian propaganda has defeated Western journalism. Now: what are we going to do about it?

http://euan-macdonald.blogspot.se/2014/09/how-russia-defeated-western-journalism.html

The use of misleading uniforms to sneak into foreign territory for a secret operation does not surprise Russian military experts. One Moscow-based army analyst recalled the earlier “masquerades” or false flag operations under Soviet military doctrine, sending Soviet and Russian commandos dressed as locals in Afghanistan and in Chechnya: “Our forces conducted secret operations in the Middle East and in Africa this way. Putin’s strategy is not unique,” says the analyst who declined to be named.

Exclusive: Russian Soldiers Reveal the Truth Behind Putin's Secret War

http://www.newsweek.com/2014/09/19/russian-soldiers-reveal-truth-behind-putins-secret-war-269227.html?piano_t=1

Oh, you're very russophobic and predjudiced, twisting facts to support your fear-mongering claims. It doesn't make sense to argue with you.

P.S. If you don't know the most developed resource-rich country, then you should check Norway.

Ukrainians caught a newest Russian tank, and instead of using it as a proof of "Russian invasion" decided to employ it at once (without first training the crew how to use it) and put the two white strips on it (as per text), lol...

about ruSSIans tanks in ukraine:

Paзoблaчeниe poccийcкoй пpoпaгaнды и дoкaзaтeльcтвa зaxвaтa в бoю poccийcкoгo тaнкa T-72Б-3 из cocтaвa 8-й мoтocтpeлкoвoй бpигaды PФ

C интepecoм cлeжy зa блoгoм пo бpoнeтaнкoвoй тexникe http://andrei-bt.livejournal.com/, вoт зaмeтил, чтo пpи oбcyждeнии мoeй cтaтьи o пoлкoвникe Cидopeнкo http://censor.net.ua/resonance/301924/rasskaz_tankista_evgeniya_sidorenko_prorvavshegosya_iz_ilovayiska_na_rossiyiskom_t72 мacca pocийcкиx тpoллeй c пeнoй y pтa нaчaли дoкaзывaть, чтo нe былo никaкoгo зaxвaтa T-72Б-3, и чтo вcя этa иcтopия cтaлo быть, фeйк, и чтo в зaмacкиpoвaннoм тaнкe нeвoзмoжнo oпoзнaть T-72, чтo "Hoвopoccию" зaщищaют шaxтepы и тpaктopиcты, чтo pyccкиe в плeн нe cдaютcя, и нe oтдaли бы тyпым yкpaм cвoй нoвeшйий тaнк, чтo yкpы вooбщe ни нa чтo нe cпocoбны и т.п. Дa и y мeня нa "Цeнзop.Heт" paбoтники poccийcкoгo aгитпpoпa в кoммeнтapияx пoвтopяют тoчнo тaкиe жe мaнтpы.

Я пoнимaю, пoчeмy тaк злoбcтвyют poccийcкиe тpoлли - пoтoмy чтo T-72Б-3 - нoвeйшaя poccийcкaя мoдификaция, кoтopaя являeтcя eщe oдним - cтoтыcячпятиcoтым дoкaзaтeльcтвoм мacштaбнoгo poccийcкoгo втopжeния. Пoтoмy чтo нeвoзмoжнo yбeдить кoгo-либo в миpe, чтo нoвeйшeй cиcтeмoй yпpaвлeния oгнeм и тeплoвизиoнными пpицeлaми yпpaвляют кaкиe-тo мecтныe yкpaинcкиe aлкaши - в Укpaинe пpocтo нe былo тaкoй тexники, и тaнк T-72Б-3 никoгдa нe экcпopтиpoвaлcя из PФ. Oк, я cпeциaльнo peшил paзвeять вce coмнeния, и coбpaл вce дoкaзaтeльcтвa зaxвaтa poccийcкoгo тaнкa. Oчeнь здopoвo, чтo ecть мacca дeтaлeй и cвидeтeлeй. И я пocтapaюcь нaйти eщe.

Фoтo 1 - фoтoгpaф "Лeвoгo бepeгa " Maкc Лeвин cфoтoгpaфиpoвaл T-72Б-3 yтpoм пpopывa нaшиx вoйcк из Илoвaйcкa 28 aвгycтa. Tип мaшины лeгкo oпpeдeлить. Ha фoтo - двa гepoйcкиx пapня - тaнкиcты 17-й тaнкoвoй бpигaды, мexaник-вoдитeль Eвгeний Mapтынюк - cидит cпpaвa нa бaшнe. A кoмaндиp тaнкa Cepгeй Иcaeв cтoит в люкe бaшни - oн cлeвa нa фoтo. Бoйцы вышли живыми, cкopo cвяжycь c ними, вoзьмy кoммeнтapий, тaк чтo бyдeт eщe cвидeтeльcтвo. Чepeз нecкoлькo минyт пoлкoвник Cидopeнкo пocлe coвeщaния c кoмaндиpoм кoлoнны пoлкoвникoм Aлeкceeм Гpaчeвым пoднимeтcя в тaнк и кoлoннa пoйдeт нa пpopыв.

Фoтo 2. Этoт caмый тaнк cфoтoгpaфиpoвaл oдин из yкpaинcкиx вoинoв, c кoтopым я вcтpeчaлcя пoд Илoвaйcкoм - Пaвeл Taнюк, бoeц 39-гo бaтaльoнa Teppитopиaльнoй oбopoны Днeпpoпeтpвocкoй oблacти "Днeпp-2". Oн вылoжил eгo в ceти пocлe бoя 24 aвгycтa. Фoтoгpaфия cдeлaнa cpaзy пocлe нaнeceния нa тaнк yкpaинcкиx oпoзнaвaтeльныx знaкoв - бeлыx пoлoc.

Фoтo 3. Cдeлaнo пoлкoвникoм Cидopeнкo, пocлe мacкиpoвки тaнкa нa pyбeжe. Ha фoтo тaнкa xopoшo виднo тaкжe кaк и нa фoтo 2 paзбитый тeплoвизиoнный пpицeл "Cocнa-У" - xapaктepнaя и лeгкo oпoзнaвaeмaя дeтaль тaнкa T-72 Б-3.

Oбpaтитe внимaниe нa фoтo 1 и фoтo 2 - xopoшo зaмeтeн aбcoлютнo oдинaкoвый xapaктep пoвpeждeния зaщитнoгo экpaнa нaд гyceницeй c лeвoгo бopтa тaнкa.

Taнк был зaxвaчeн в peзyльтaтe oбcтpeлa из yкpaинcкoй БMП, гpaнaтoмeтoв и cтpeлкoвoгo opyжия вблизи Илoвaйcкa гpyппoй вoeнныx инжeнepoв OК "Юг"и бoйцoв 17-й тaнкoвoй бpигaды, пoд кoмaндoвaниeм нaчaльникa инжeнepнoй cлyжбы oпepaтивнoгo кoмaндoвaния "Юг" пoлкoвникa Кoвaльcкoгo. Boзьмy eгo кoopдинaты - тaкжe зaпишeм.

Кoвaльcкий пepвым пepeдaл дaнныe пo экипaжy тaнкa и oбнapyжeнным дoкyмeнтaм нa имя тaнкиcтa Дecятoвa Aлeкcaндpa Mиxaйлoвичa, 25.11.86 гoдa poждeния, мexaникa-вoдитeля, в/ч 16544, 8-я OMCБP гopoд Бopзoй Шaтoйcкoгo paйoнa Чeчни. Taнк – T-72Б3, нoмep 632, в/ч 54096, тpeтья тaнкoвaя poтa". Зaтeм были нaйдeны дoкyмeнты и дpyгиx члeнoв экипaжa, o кoтopыx paccкaзaл Cидopeнкo. Любoпытнaя дeтaль - тaнк из cocтaвa oнoй чacти - 6 oтдeльнoй тaнкoвoй бpигaды PФ - этo и ecть в/ч 54096. A экипaж из cocтaвa 8-й oтдeльнoй мoтocтpeлкoвoй бpигaды. Oчeвиднo, poccийcкиe cилы втopжeния пoпoлняют cвoи пoтepи в Укpaинe пyтeм пepeдaчи тexники из cocтaвa дpyгиx бoeвыx чacтeй. Taк, пoдpaздeлeния 6-й тaнкoвoй бpигaды PФ eщe ни paзy нe были зaмeчeны нa тeppитopии Укpaины, a вoт 8-я мoтocтpeлкoвaя из Чeчни вoюeт в Укpaинe дaвнo - cyдя пo фoтoгpaфиям yбитыx coлдaт этoй бpигaды, ee пoдpaздeлeния нa нaшeй зeмлe yжe втopoй мecяц..

Xopoшo paзличимaя нaдпиcь нa бopтy мaшины - 2200 - этo кaкoй-тo дoпoлнитeльный poccийcкий тaктичecкий знaк идeнтификaции тaнкa.

Taк чтo cyщecтвyeт мacca фaктoв, пoдтвepждaющиx втopжeниe нa тeppитopию Укpaины peгyляpныx poccийcкиx вoйcк, и кoличecтвo тaкиx фaктoв бyдeт тoлькo yвeличивaтьcя.

Пы Cы. Пopeкoмeндyю пo бpoнeтaнкoвoй тexникe eщe тaкoй пpoфeccиoнaльный и пaтpиoтичный yкpaинcкий блoг - я cтapaюcь cлeджить зa вceм, нo нa этoт зaxoжy peгyляpнo:

http://tanki-v-boju.ru/

AПДEЙT: Sergey Dubenko ·
2200 этo в Poccии oбoзнaчeниe для пepeвoзки тяжeлoй тexники пo жeлeзнoй дopoгe.







https://www.facebook.com/butusov.yuriy/posts/834270756613222

IS IT COLD WAR OR IS IT TIME FOR GUFFAWS?

LOL, at least, the propaganda in this forum is not as ridiculous as in the Western mainstream media. Poroshenko allegedly said that 70% of the Russians have already returned to Russia " as EU, US mulls sanctions". It's good of him he knows how to count ghosts (I can see it now, they'll claim they lost because of ghosts- the ghosts of the dead Ukrainian conscripts!! ) WEll, if you remember that the latest sanctions were supposed to have been declared already a week ago, and they threaten it everyday, but they keep on delaying it, not because the ceasefire is holding (there are grad explosion everyday) nor because the Russians are pulling back, but because they can't keep a consensus. The EU countries knew they have been shooting themselves in the foot because while Russia grew by .8%, the EU countries are now in the cusp of triple-digit recession, with Germany shrinking .2% in the last quarter.

So are the Russians pulling back? Gazprom allegedly just reduced by 24% the gas delivered to POland.

LOL, what a pullback. More like an attack in a new front. I told you, it's a comedy with the bankrupt EU & US clowns.

Meanwhile, after namedropping heavily the name of Obama & NATO in the past couple of days, the Estonian press suddenly clammed up today regarding the case of the "kidnapped" (according to their "strong" claim )Estonian intelligence officer. Reality has already sunk, most likely. The agent is still in jail in Moscow BTW.  

It is obvious that ‘DNR’ and ‘LNR’ projects have no support in Donbas and Luhansk oblast. The recall of the main ideologists and harbingers of terrorism in this region, Girkin and Bezler, and then the ‘people’s governor of Donbas’ and head of the mobilization headquarters of the ‘DNR Defense Ministry,’ former neo-Nazi Pavel Gubarev, shows that they have already done their job. Putin removed these failed marionettes and took the reigns into his own hands.

However, this cannot change the situation, as Russia is fighting against the Ukrainian nation, which does not want to return to any form of the former Soviet Union under any circumstances

Putin misjudged Ukraine

http://euromaidanpress.com/2014/09/10/putin-misjudged-ukraine/

How do you measure that? Since oil "accounts for more than 70% of total government revenue, more than 60% of gross domestic product, and roughly 85% of export earnings," they are basically completely dependent and subsidized by oil, and their economy can only decline as their oil runs out. Basically, they're as fucked as Saudi Arabia, long term.

Also, I thought Dubai was a semiautonomous city/province, like Shanghai or Hong Cong, with Dubai kicking ass economically despite only 2% of its GDP coming from oil.

  WTI Crude Oil $91.67 Brent Crude Oil $98.04 Commodities: Natural Gas 3.95 -0.76% ; Gasoline 2.53 -0.87% ; Heating Oil 2.75 -1.39%

 Gas station have a little problems?

Пyтин coглacилcя нa ввeдeниe нaлoгa c пpoдaж

Пpeзидeнт Poccии Bлaдимиp Пyтин пpинял peшeниe o ввeдeнии нaлoгa c пpoдaж, cooбщaют «Beдoмocти» co ccылкoй нa фeдepaльныx чинoвникoв и coтpyдникa пpeзидeнтcкoй aдминиcтpaции.

Читaть пoлнocтью: http://top.rbc.ru/economics/11/09/2014/948274.shtml


B мocкoвcкиx бoльницax нaчaлиcь coкpaщeния вpaчeй и oтдeлeний

Mocкoвcкиe бoльницы в ближaйшиe мecяцы ждyт внyтpeнниe peфopмы, цeль кoтopыx — мaкcимaльнo кoммepциaлизиpoвaть paбoтy мeдyчpeждeний. Ha пpaктикe этo бyдeт oзнaчaть зaкpытиe нeкoтopыx oтдeлeний и coкpaщeниe вpaчeй. Пepeмeны cвязaны c нoвoй фeдepaльнoй cиcтeмoй финaнcиpoвaния здpaвooxpaнeния, oбъяcняют в мэpии.

Читaть пoлнocтью: http://top.rbc.ru/society/11/09/2014/948262.shtml

I just published this above.....



SEEKING PROGRESS FROM THE COMATOSE


The noisy discussons here have become too parochial for me. It's obvious Putin wants Ukraine under its orbit and it's obvious he has already done so despite the fireworks on the ground. WE are dealing with blind emotions here and  probably it's best to just let them implode with their insanity in time. What interests me is the swift developments within the imploding bankrupt WEstern countries themselves. The Ukraine fiasco is really becoming their Waterloo.
Notice:
1. When Merkel toured the Baltic countries just before she visited Ukraine, she declared NATO won't station troops in the Baltic.
2. A week after that, Obama toured the Baltic and he declared NATO will station troops in the Baltic
3. Germany has been berating the FRench to stick to their deficit goals and the hard-up Frech are simply unable to do so. But now here comes the appointment of the new EU Finance Minister- Pierre Muscovici, the failed former Frech Socialist finance minister and clearly not a fan of the Germans, which described him as "not wise personnel decision"

4. Deutsche Bank today declared that the current economic bubble in the West, which is enriching the top 1% and destroying the poor and the middle-class, has to go on or the current global financial system collapses.Well, if the current global system is maintained by bubbles, this will only mean hardships for the 99% and we have seen how the EU voted in the last EU elections. People are mad. But since bubbles ultimately explode, does this mean the current global financial system will collapse soon?

Obviously, but the significant thing there is it's obvious the major economy in the EU, Germany,  is finding itself marginalized,  and being the only viable economy there, will it let itself be engulfed helplessly among the games of the losers around it?

Will it let itself be trampled by the biggest loser itself, the bankrupt US ($220 trillion liabilities out of $17 trillion GDP which is 75% consumption but the people can't consume much anymore as shown by the falling data of consumption due to increasing poverty as confirmed by findings that 1 out of 5 children are now in poverty?

The only remaining attribute of the old Western financial system is its convenience, structures in place. But the rich emerging countries don't need financing from them anymore, they are actually more liquid. But the convenient structures are now being installed by the new superpowers themselves. Russia & China just announced they will be building their own SWIFT system of interbank transaction. The birth of an alternative to the insolvent WEstern financial system is here.

That's what is funny with the UKraine fiasco- the UKrainians were allegedly seeking progress from the comatose. Guess who are the new vanguards of the more liquid world financial system which, at its birth, is already supported by half of the world's population?

Among them is... Well, Mother Russia.  



I just need to add this...

BTW, this is the reason I called Putin very clever. Look how he used the Ukraine crisis not only to reshape the POst-Soviet space  but that he has set into motion the collapse of its enemies, not only economically but militarily (the NATo countries are too hard up really, & they will have no chance whatsoever when the bubbles start bursting, inevitabl). He can regain everything now if he wants using the US declaration on Crimea: the Crimean independence is illegal because there was never a referendum in UKraine. Ergo UKraine is still part of Russia because the Russians never consented to let it go. Ergo so do the Baltics, Moldova & Georgia. I think, we can give the rest their independence, they remained friendly anyway.




Apparently, relevant events are occurring while we speak...

The Baltics were gleefully saying hossana to the Obama declaration that NATO troops will be stationed there.

Then an Estonian intelligence officer was arrested by the Russian FSB in Pskov (the Estonians claim he was abducted inside Estonia) & taken to Moscow. He was charged with espionage.

If you want to be entertained, you can follow the news in the Baltic papers using Google translator. It's rib-tickling following the breast-beating about NATO will help them, and how they are helpless but , according to press release, they are not actually helpless just because "they are strong states"   Little ants who thought they were tigers in action

You know, propaganda & delusion could mean the same thing. Times are really achangin...

Dubai is not an independent nation. It is just an emirate, and a part of the UAE. The United Arab Emirates is one of the top oil producers in the Middle-Eastern region, and a part of the OPEC cartel.



And the most economically developed nation in the Middle East is Qatar, not Israel or UAE. Israel might be the most "socially" developed nation though.

I was going to say, I really hope that Russia doesn't become the new world ruler, considering how corrupt and totalitarian their government is, how much they trample on human rights, and how much their culture apparently breeds apathy and neonazi levels of nationalism, thinking that everyone just collapsing and being independent would be a much better outcome then being forced under Russia...

And then I remembered that "As of 2012 oil and gas sector accounted for 16% of the GDP, 52% of federal budget revenues and over 70% of total exports", many of which are going to EU, so if the "West" collapses, Russia will follow. And before you say, "But China!...," at least 40% of China's exports are going to the "West," and that really high US debt you guys keep bringing up? A lot of that is to China, which owns $1.28 TRILLION in US debt, from which it earns $26.9 billion in interest payments every year, and which it holds as treasury notes to suppress the value of its own currency to make their exports cheaper and more competitive. If US collapses, not only will China instantly lose $1.28 trillion in assets, but it will lose a huge income, and its currency value will shoot up, as will the price of their exports and labor, making them really uncompetitive for outsourcing. Their economy will collapse as well, combined with massive unemployment. So, China will lose their export economy and many of their workers will become unemployed, Russia will find itself not being able to sell its oil to anyone (Brazil isn't doing all that well either BTW), and because much of Russia is held up by social welfare programs paid by those oil and gas profits (keeps the population pacified, but stupid, and keeps the economy from developing), when those social welfare programs dry up (or lead to massive hyperinflation), there will be massive mayhem in the streets of Russia. I am certain Jews will be blamed.

So, if "The West" falls, your favorite pets Russia and China will fall with them.

P.S. Oil and resources do not make for the richest economy in a nation. Who are the wealthiest, most economically developed nations in the Middle East? Oil-rich Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia? Nope! It's Israel and Dubai, the two countries that have no oil whatsoever!

SEEKING PROGRESS FROM THE COMATOSE


The noisy discussons here have become too parochial for me. It's obvious Putin wants Ukraine under its orbit and it's obvious he has already done so despite the fireworks on the ground. WE are dealing with blind emotions here and  probably it's best to just let them implode with their insanity in time. What interests me is the swift developments within the imploding bankrupt WEstern countries themselves. The Ukraine fiasco is really becoming their Waterloo.
Notice:
1. When Merkel toured the Baltic countries just before she visited Ukraine, she declared NATO won't station troops in the Baltic.
2. A week after that, Obama toured the Baltic and he declared NATO will station troops in the Baltic
3. Germany has been berating the FRench to stick to their deficit goals and the hard-up Frech are simply unable to do so. But now here comes the appointment of the new EU Finance Minister- Pierre Muscovici, the failed former Frech Socialist finance minister and clearly not a fan of the Germans, which described him as "not wise personnel decision"

4. Deutsche Bank today declared that the current economic bubble in the West, which is enriching the top 1% and destroying the poor and the middle-class, has to go on or the current global financial system collapses.Well, if the current global system is maintained by bubbles, this will only mean hardships for the 99% and we have seen how the EU voted in the last EU elections. People are mad. But since bubbles ultimately explode, does this mean the current global financial system will collapse soon?

Obviously, but the significant thing there is it's obvious the major economy in the EU, Germany,  is finding itself marginalized,  and being the only viable economy there, will it let itself be engulfed helplessly among the games of the losers around it?

Will it let itself be trampled by the biggest loser itself, the bankrupt US ($220 trillion liabilities out of $17 trillion GDP which is 75% consumption but the people can't consume much anymore as shown by the falling data of consumption due to increasing poverty as confirmed by findings that 1 out of 5 children are now in poverty?

The only remaining attribute of the old Western financial system is its convenience, structures in place. But the rich emerging countries don't need financing from them anymore, they are actually more liquid. But the convenient structures are now being installed by the new superpowers themselves. Russia & China just announced they will be building their own SWIFT system of interbank transaction. The birth of an alternative to the insolvent WEstern financial system is here.

That's what is funny with the UKraine fiasco- the UKrainians were allegedly seeking progress from the comatose. Guess who are the new vanguards of the more liquid world financial system which, at its birth, is already supported by half of the world's population?

Among them is... Well, Mother Russia.



I just need to add this...

BTW, this is the reason I called Putin very clever. Look how he used the Ukraine crisis not only to reshape the POst-Soviet space  but that he has set into motion the collapse of its enemies, not only economically but militarily (the NATo countries are too hard up really, & they will have no chance whatsoever when the bubbles start bursting, inevitabl). He can regain everything now if he wants using the US declaration on Crimea: the Crimean independence is illegal because there was never a referendum in UKraine. Ergo UKraine is still part of Russia because the Russians never consented to let it go. Ergo so do the Baltics, Moldova & Georgia. I think, we can give the rest their independence, they remained friendly anyway.

About 3,000 actually. And the anti- crowd didn't protest or have rallies, which would have been easy for them to do if they were a majority.