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[King Zultan]

Prigozin is gaging on this Ukranian phallus of doom tactic

That's a mental image I wasn't ready for.

[Strongpoint]

Hey, fellow Europeans reading this thread, did you know that a deadly radioactive cloud is coming to Europe after a Russian missile strike destroyed a stockpile of depleted Uranium shells? Now you know.  Russians said so!


(Sad part is that there are not an insignificant number of people in Europe who'll belive that)

[scriver]

Are the Russian propagandists claiming a Russian missile did it? That still seems like blackmail propaganda, more "stop supporting Ukraine or we will cause you harm" than "Ukraine not stopping the war will cause you harm" it would be if it was Ukrainian missiles.

Anyway, there was a fun article in the news the other day my parents showed me today:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Loud Whispers]

But depleted uranium is... Depleted...? I imagine you would suffer the effects of heavy metal poisoning long before you succumbed to any radioactivity related diseases if you breathed in a cloud of U-238. Though I suppose the distinction doesn't matter much when it's just not something you should breath in

[jipehog]

Hey, fellow Europeans reading this thread, did you know that a deadly radioactive cloud is coming to Europe after a Russian missile strike destroyed a stockpile of depleted Uranium shells? Now you know.  Russians said so!

Sound like the usual Russian falsehood, part of an effort to distract from failures and reversal in Bakhmut with clickbait material.

Btw any thoughts on Russia lifting ban on direct flights to georgia and removal of visas ?

[scriver]

I forgot to actually write it but for clarification the pictures above is about companies that've pulled out of Russia and the  imitations of them that is put up in response. Apparently, according to interviewed customers, o\\ and Stars Coffee are OK but Swede House just can't compete with the IKEA original

(The article might be slightly biased on that last one 😉)

[Strongpoint]

Btw any thoughts on Russia lifting ban on direct flights to georgia and removal of visas ?

Rewarding the local pro-Russian government for help in circumventing sanctions.Not gonna end well. I have Ukraine 2010-2013 flashbacks with a declared course to the West and de-facto closeness with Russia. May end in a similar way.

[EuchreJack]

... should make it easier to flee Russia.

[Strongpoint]

... should make it easier to flee Russia.

This is another danger. Georgia was blessed with having only a small Russian diaspora during USSR time which went even lower when they fled the local economical disaster in the early 1990s. Now they let all those fleeing mobilization in, let them get employed, buy property, etc. It is just a recipe for getting annexed by Russia later. Allowing any Russian diaspora when you are a small country bordering Russia is not wise.

IIRC, we are talking about ~100K Russian citizens who stayed there and they keep incoming. It is a lot for a 4M country.

[Lord Shonus]

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/05/18/7402855/

Pentagon confirms that one Patriot system was lightly damaged in Ukrainian service and has been repaired.



I'm seeing sources elsewhere claiming the damage was self-inflicted - a rocket motor failed and a just-launched missile fell on the thing.

[jipehog]

Rewarding the local pro-Russian government for help in circumventing sanctions.Not gonna end well. I have Ukraine 2010-2013 flashbacks with a declared course to the West and de-facto closeness with Russia. May end in a similar way.

Lets hope so, certainly something to keep track of.

Otherwise some other though no directly related news: 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Macron's labeling of Russia as 'vassal state' goes viral in China
Russia agrees to extend Ukraine grain deal in a boost for global food security
Russia and Iran sign rail deal for corridor intended to rival Suez Canal

I find it interesting because #1 is true, Russia is becoming more dependent on China and Turkey, which has been acting as major import hub that allows some circumventing of sanction. This bring us to #2, of which China and Turkey are the main beneficiary and have been pressing Russia to extend the deal without Russia getting what it want. Which brings #3 the new corridor would allow Russia to reduce its dependence, its a corridor that India previously thought to counter China, so this +cheap oil will make india happy and push vs westren sanctions. But iirc the corridor was originally envisioned to connect the Caucuses as well but Russia have been loosing influence there and this corridor will introduce undue (from Russia PoV) influence there, opening them up and might lead to more color revolutions. 

Such wonderful mess on Russia's door step. On the other hand its pretty good for China.

[King Zultan]

It's starting to feel that this whole thing is gonna end with Russia turning into more China.

[Strongpoint]

It's starting to feel that this whole thing is gonna end with Russia turning into more China.

In the long run, China getting control (either directly or through very friendly new governments) over a huge chunk of Asian Russia is inevitable unless something really bad happens with China itself.

I also expect rapid and extensive Islamization in Russia. It is a matter of simple demographics. Not only local Muslims have higher birth rates, immigration from Central Asia will continue. Considering how malleable Russians are to even very basic propaganda, as soon as Islam will grow strong enough to get access to their state propaganda machine, we'll see millions of new converts.

[KittyTac]

A few years until I can leave without education problems. If there is a Russian collapse before I am leaving immediately, fuck the education I guess.

[Strongpoint]

According to my sources, the last remaining chunk of Bakhmut is lost but with the way how offensive on the flanks proceeds, it may be temporary and the battle for Bakhmut most definitely is not over.