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[brewer bob]

I'm not saying the Western media is perfect, but it's a totally different flavour.

I recently tried watching clips of some Russian TV show and the first thing that came into my mind was the game show from the dystopian 80's movie The Running Man.

[Jopax]

Posting this here because it's not strictly 'news', more a series of well researched and presented essays/presentations of a number very relevant topics relating to the war.

Especially important (IMO at least) videos are two latest ones on the actual economics of the ongoing conflict and just how potentially fucked Russia is if it doesn't end this quickly enough (and even if they do, the damage is done, if not immediately apparent and obvious) and the question of the leadership possibly understanding this and being driven to some potentially desperate actions.

[martinuzz]

The Russian satanist demonfuckers declared that the missile strikes at Kyiv during the visit of UN chief Gutteres (which hit civilian buildings and killed another journalist) were 'precise and accurate'.
Guterres and the rest of the world are not amused, not to say, outraged.

Let's hope this will lead to the UN disbanding the UN security council to open the way to a global UN peacekeeping mission against Russia without veto from Russia or China.

[Strongpoint]

The Russian public is fed (or kept from being fed) a very select diet of news.

I'm not sure you can blame them, there's been a mass Pavlovian indoctrination imposed upon them since the Glorious Days Of Soviet Empire, and any let up has been slammed back in their faces as part of the attempt to reconstitute the "Good Old Days".

I'm not saying the Western media is perfect, but it's a totally different flavour.

I don't think that what they see in the news is the key to this. It should change how they react to the war not explain the lack of reaction.

For example, on Russian youtube trends, you can see a very usual set of videos. The first war-related video is #32.

[MaxTheFox]

The Russian public is fed (or kept from being fed) a very select diet of news.

I'm not sure you can blame them, there's been a mass Pavlovian indoctrination imposed upon them since the Glorious Days Of Soviet Empire, and any let up has been slammed back in their faces as part of the attempt to reconstitute the "Good Old Days".

I'm not saying the Western media is perfect, but it's a totally different flavour.

I don't think that what they see in the news is the key to this. It should change how they react to the war not explain the lack of reaction.

For example, on Russian youtube trends, you can see a very usual set of videos. The first war-related video is #32.

Much of the brainwashing is downplaying or denying the effects of the war.

[lemon10]

The World Bank has forecast Russia's 2022 GDP output will fall by 11.2% due to Western sanctions imposed on Russia's banks, state-owned enterprises and other institutions.

I've seen some people say here that if Ukraine loses, this proves the toothlessness of the west and that it means that other aggressive countries with nukes and a big army (aka, only China) will take it to mean they can invade their neighbors (aka, Taiwan) with impunity.

With regards to China specifically, I think its the exact opposite. The response of the West has proven that unless China is willing to risk 15% of its GDP and its political and social place in the modern world invading Taiwan is not a risk they can take.

Now, obviously, the situations are different. China's place in the world economy is FAR larger than Russia's, Taiwan would go down in like a day if there was an actual invasion (and thus wouldn't be there to lobby the west for sanctions, or be able to stay in the news cycle), and their economic/political sphere of control means that many nations would side with them.

I can't see the west dropping the same level of sanctions they did against Russia against China. But even if the sanctions are only a fraction of the strength and they "just" result in China's economy not growing that year (an effective loss of ~5%) that would still have the potential to cause massive problems in China, and is very much not a risk I could see their leadership ever accepting barring some really extreme circumstances.

Even the risk of the US declaring a major trade war (eg. no companies are allowed to import from China or make anything there) with the rest of the West just watching and doing nothing would be a major enough loss that I can't see the Chinese government taking such a risk.

[Strongpoint]

Taiwan would go down in like a day if there was an actual invasion

You underestimate how hard amphibious landings are. Also, I doubt that China wants to capture many piles of rubble (something Russians are willing to do) and this means an actual, honest, urban, door-to-door fighting.

Also, unlike Ukraine, Taiwan has modern airforce and SAMs

If Taiwan is willing to resist, this won't be a quick war.

[Loud Whispers]

Hot damn, loads of Oligarchs and oil technicians are getting suicided with their families in Russia

They all have the hallmarks of suspicious deaths; a murder weapon with no finger prints, no motive to commit murder suicide, signs of struggle before death, all happening in a short time frame with people whose one common link is they deal with money that has Putin's prints on them

[lemon10]

Taiwan would go down in like a day if there was an actual invasion

You underestimate how hard amphibious landings are. Also, I doubt that China wants to capture many piles of rubble (something Russians are willing to do) and this means an actual, honest, urban, door-to-door fighting.

Also, unlike Ukraine, Taiwan has modern airforce and SAMs

If Taiwan is willing to resist, this won't be a quick war.

Fair enough, I didn't do my research on how powerful the Taiwainese military actually was.

But it doesn't really change my core point about how even if China wins the conflict fairly trivially it would probably still come with economic costs they wouldn't be willing to stomach, and thus they won't directly invade now or at any point in the foreseeable future.

[MaxTheFox]

Yeah I was going to say.

Taiwan is an urban, mountainous island nation with a strong military. Even the military giant of China couldn't take it in a day. Taiwan would have enough time to seek international help, and Chinese war crimes that would undoubtedly happen would surface far more easily. It has a good potential to be China's Ukraine, and Xi is smart and cautious so he won't invade.

[Strongpoint]

Someone leaked a worrying Transnistrian newspaper dated May 2 2022 with an article about Ukrainian terrorist attacks on May 1. Of course, it can be a total fake but...

Spoiler: the newspaper (in Russian) (click to show/hide)

[Cathar]

Hot damn, loads of Oligarchs and oil technicians are getting suicided with their families in Russia

That's some true evil shit, holy hell. Now I want to know what these guys did to deserve that.

[Lord Shonus]

Taiwan would go down in like a day if there was an actual invasion

You underestimate how hard amphibious landings are. Also, I doubt that China wants to capture many piles of rubble (something Russians are willing to do) and this means an actual, honest, urban, door-to-door fighting.

Also, unlike Ukraine, Taiwan has modern airforce and SAMs

If Taiwan is willing to resist, this won't be a quick war.

Taiwan, unlike Ukraine, also usually has US military in-country who are there specifically to get killed in any Chinese attack. Because killing US troops is a really good way to get the US to intervene directly, and thus tripwire forces of that nature are a potent deterrent.

[Strongpoint]

Spoiler: Moscow, The Victory Day Parade Rehearsal (click to show/hide)

No, it isn't photoshopped

[Il Palazzo]

There's something wrong with their swastikas.