In defence of Russia

The BBQ Pit
1361

Indeed. It turns out that decades of Soviet corruption followed by the looting of the kleptocrats is bad for sound governance. But Ukraine’s corruption issue has been slowly improving since the Maidan Revolution:

And of course you know this, but in large part the Maidan Revolution was due to the people being fed up with the Russian-backed oligarchs continuing to loot the Ukrainian economy, and in large part the Russian invasion in 2014 and 2022 is down to Putin trying to maintain the kleptocratic status quo.

1362

Not sure what happened, here is the link

1363

Technically, FoxNews is western mainstream media.

1364

I had already read that one as well as a NYT one in similar vein. Ukraine needs more weapons. Ones that are suited to back up an offensive. As well as defensive ones too.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/07/world/europe/ukraine-marines-counteroffensive.html

1365

I saw a video last month where a Ukrainian commander commented that he preferred Leopard I tanks. They’re lighter weight and easier to maintain compared to Leopard II. That’s just one battlefield officer’s opinion.

Link Germany arranges supply of 30 Leopard 1 tanks for Ukraine | Germany | The Guardian

1366

I’m amused that Kedikat’s “Take-Profit” link is driving my security software nuts because the web site has an embedded Trojan. I’m not even clicking on it, just the link here throws up red flags every time I visit this thread.

That’s taking “shitty sources” to a whole new level.

1367

There was a small company I worked for a while back where a virus got loose in the lab and we lost a lot of data. It turned out that the source of the virus was from the CEO who had a habit of surfing Russian porn sites at work.

1368

That’s my link, just one of the top hits when I googled for Ukraine corruption index. Various web malware sites don’t seem to have a problem with it, no idea what’s going on.

1369

Well then that’s my sloppiness and I owe @Kedikat an apology.

1370

No worries.

1371

"Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger list of a plane which crashed in Russia, killing all 10 on board.

He was believed to be on board the plane.

Earlier, a Wagner-linked Telegram channel Grey Zone reported that the jet was shot down by air defences in Tver region, north of Moscow."

1372

So was this Putin’s revenge?

1373

Well, it’s nice to see Russia killing the right people for a change.

1374

Yeah, no question. So many people that anger him have “accidents”.

1375

That’s a change. The window was moving when they tossed him out of it

1376

Sucks for the other 9 guys on the plane. Although they may have been similarly culpable.

On the other hand, from the article

Another news agency, Ria, said eight bodies had been recovered.

Now if this was a TV show, then one would have to conclude that Prigozhin made a miraculous escape and is still alive plotting his revenge. :hushed:

1377

Of course - no doubt it was the Bane gambit :slight_smile:. Now he is making his way across the countryside to Moscow Jason Bourne-style. It will all end with a final date with destiny with Putin, mano a mano.

1378

I’d say that’s a pretty safe bet. You don’t get close enough to a guy like Prig that you fly on his private plane without knowing exactly what he’s like.

Even the guys like the pilots who were “just doing their jobs” knew who they were working for. Flying Prig all over the world made it easier for him to be as big a bastard as he was, so they don’t get a pass on knowing he was a shitbag.

1379

It’s just too bad the flight didn’t have Putin on board.

NO, I don’t know how that would have happened. I’m just saying it would have been nice if it had.

1380

I’d prefer gun-to-hand: Pistola en mano.