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Hades

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Few thousands, even tens of thousands, in a population of 67 million (France), 83 million (Germany) and 59 million (Italy) is a drop in a bucket. For comparison yellow vest protests few years ago in France had millions of protestors. Seeing Russian flags, it's quite clear who is behind these.
Still even have that many people in the country who could be described as vaguely treasonous is still rather unnerving. Who are these thousands of idiots who look at Putin pillaging his way through all his neighbors and conclude he's their hero?

Freedom of speech is fine and all, but people who go to protests cheering on or otherwise wanting to enable a man who'd happily burn every European country to the ground have shown us where their loyalties lies.
 

Ag3ma

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They had been for decades and still the threat to Russia grew rather than receded.
Depends what we mean by "threat to Russia", because I don't think Russian territorial integrity was threatened at all... except in its own mind.

The "threat" to Russia is more realistically that it can't have what it wants. What it wants is to recreate its old power similar to ~1700-2000 where it dominates its immediate neighbours (the ex-Soviet states) and has a major say in anything that occurs east of the Oder as well. But modern Russia is a pale shadow of that old Russia/USSR, and like many faded imperial powers it's having great trouble adjusting to its reduced circumstances. Russia is a country that had an unrealistic dream, and now its dream is shattered, it's throwing a tantrum.
 

Ag3ma

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Still even have that many people in the country who could be described as vaguely treasonous is still rather unnerving. Who are these thousands of idiots who look at Putin pillaging his way through all his neighbors and conclude he's their hero?
We might surmise that the three major EU nations (and the UK) are likely to have up to hundreds of thousands of Russian ex-pats. Even 10% of them who think Putin is ace is enough to make a significant march, without any homegrown neo-fascists and tankies turning up to join in.
 
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Seanchaidh

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Depends what we mean by "threat to Russia", because I don't think Russian territorial integrity was threatened at all... except in its own mind.
Dismissing concerns over security as hallucination is asking for a war.
 

Silvanus

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Dismissing concerns over security as hallucination is asking for a war.
Russia was never invaded or even attacked. Its actual sovereign territory, intenternationally recognised, was never infringed-- and its current fear mongering drivel was baseless racist shit, predicated on the idea that one European imperial successor (the Russian Empire) has inexplicable rights that all the others don't.

If you believe that Russia is owed these powers of self-determination, then that's absolutely fine, but you have to simultaneously concede that Ukraine is too. Because its rights are legally equivalent -- or more so, since a Ukrainian kingdom predates a Russian empire on the same land. If you want to argue that it bizarrely has deterministic rights exceeding all other European powers, then there better be a damn good reason-- because the Russian imperialist justification tended to be even worse, where that was possible, than th Western European norm of the 16th Century.
 
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RhombusHatesYou

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Russia was never invaded or even attacked. Its actual sovereign territory, intenternationally recognised, was never infringed-- and its current fear mongering drivel was baseless racist shit, predicated on the idea that one European imperial successor (the Russian Empire) has inexplicable rights that all the others don't.
So the UK won't be launching a military campaign to 'reclaim' Normandy?
 

Ag3ma

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Dismissing concerns over security as hallucination is asking for a war.
"Security concerns" is not an adequate reason to demand control over neighbouring countries' foreign policy.

We don't accept that shit as an excuse for the USA to launch coups and invasions of Latin American states, and we shouldn't accept it as an excuse for Russia to do to ex-Soviet states either.
 

The Rogue Wolf

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Putin-related, but not necessarily war related.

She added: “Thank you for not forgetting me.”
"Oh, yes, thank you for the reminder. Artov, prep assassination team four."
 
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CM156

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Russia was never invaded or even attacked. Its actual sovereign territory, intenternationally recognised, was never infringed-- and its current fear mongering drivel was baseless racist shit, predicated on the idea that one European imperial successor (the Russian Empire) has inexplicable rights that all the others don't.

If you believe that Russia is owed these powers of self-determination, then that's absolutely fine, but you have to simultaneously concede that Ukraine is too. Because its rights are legally equivalent -- or more so, since a Ukrainian kingdom predates a Russian empire on the same land. If you want to argue that it bizarrely has deterministic rights exceeding all other European powers, then there better be a damn good reason-- because the Russian imperialist justification tended to be even worse, where that was possible, than th Western European norm of the 16th Century.
Applying the same rules consistently is... something bad. I don't know, I left my buzzword dictionary at home. Imperialism, maybe? Something something Imperialism something whatabouttheUSA something something NATO something.
Obviously you're allowed to invade a country if you owned it once, even if you since recognized its independence.

So the UK won't be launching a military campaign to 'reclaim' Normandy?
Not just Normandy. A big chunk of the world. Honestly, when are they going to invade to protect the English-speaking population of the United States from repression by their government?
 

Dalisclock

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No no no. You're allowed to invade a country if by doing so you will bring about a communist utopia where we eat the rich. (Or if you can delude yourself into believing that.)
Particularly amusing since Russia harkens back to the Soviet "Glory Days" and has been coasting off the Soviet Reputation for a better part of 3 decades but also has moved away from Communist trappings. They do allow one communist party to remain so Putin's government can run (and win handily) againest them every election.

Modern Russia is basically a Plutocracy.
 

Thaluikhain

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Particularly amusing since Russia harkens back to the Soviet "Glory Days" and has been coasting off the Soviet Reputation for a better part of 3 decades but also has moved away from Communist trappings. They do allow one communist party to remain so Putin's government can run (and win handily) againest them every election.

Modern Russia is basically a Plutocracy.
I think we are supposed to call them an oligarchy, because it sounds more evil, or perhaps Olig is still a planet.
 
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Kwak

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Make it happen. Get them all in one location that can be contained from the rest of the planet.

"Think your country is going too “woke”? Can’t stand all the rights and freedoms being granted to LGBTQ+ people? Want to find a safe space from all the “woke” liberals around you? You’re going to LOVE Russia, a place where “Don’t Say Gay” is enforced at gunpoint and where “woke” liberals are sent to die a violent death on the front lines."
 

Thaluikhain

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Yeah but the UK isn't in the best of form at the moment so it's best to start moderate instead of taking a bite you can't even chew.
They might want to start with the Republic of Ireland, they've already got a land border (though, there is the channel tunnel, I guess).

Give it a few more years and they'll be thinking about retaking Northern Ireland and Scotland.
 

Dalisclock

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They might want to start with the Republic of Ireland, they've already got a land border (though, there is the channel tunnel, I guess).

Give it a few more years and they'll be thinking about retaking Northern Ireland and Scotland.
At this point it feels like it's more likely the UK would end up Surrendering to Ireland or something.

Or Scotland would switch sides and join forces with Ireland, with Wales declaring independence or something( I don't know what Wales does).
 
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