GDP PPP makes perfect sense, but surely only on a per capita basis ?
Russia is well up the list in 74th place.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List...PP)_per_capita
Then we could speculate about how much of that is creamed off by the leadership.
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GDP PPP makes perfect sense, but surely only on a per capita basis ?
Russia is well up the list in 74th place.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List...PP)_per_capita
Then we could speculate about how much of that is creamed off by the leadership.
No. It is totally different index: GDP PPP per capita shows not power of country's economy but workforce productivity. I.e. amount of goods and services what is manufactured by one citizen.
look at your URL: anybody here count #1 Lichtenstein the most powerful economy in world? and China is #100? Seriously?
PPP is a smokescreen. It doesn't give you any more actual money to spend, it just means wages are lower. Cheap Big Macs won't help you in a drawn out conflict in eastern Europe.
I'm glad you're not pursuing the China as allies line, that too is a smokescreen.
History will record Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Empire as a tragedy. You could have taken any path but instead you elect a gangster who after 22 years of being mocked, ridiculed and reviled has finally gone into paranoia.
Since collapse of USSR Russia grew GDP many times and now is 6th economic in World, and Putin still has votes of majority of population. Isn't that you call democracy?
Speaking about paranoia and paranoids lets take a look in US: even Ukraine accuses US in paranoia and sowing panic now https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...panic-over-war
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/28/polit...sky/index.html
And the reason there were so many Russians in Crimea is because Stalin kicked all the Tartar's out and displaced them to Asia, then proceeded to move tons of Russians into Crimea.
Putin needs to learn to allow the Ukrainian people to choose their own future. This all started back in 1991 when the Soviet Union broke up, and since then Russia has been trying to get Ukraine back. For the first approx decade they tried diplomacy, and upon realizing that's not going to work, they decided a different tact was in order.
After some election rigging and poisoning of the opposition, Russia managed to get their guy Yanukovych in as Prime Minister. This only lasted a few years before Ukrainians decided they don't want a Russian puppet as Prime Minister, and the Orange Revolution happened. I'm sure we all remember those protests, as they were quite violent (eg. molotov cocktails being thrown on police). Yanukovych fled to Russia before the protesters got to him.
Putin decided, "fuck this, at the very least I need Crimea for my naval bases on the Black Sea and those sweet sweet natural resources". This was a pretty easy win since Stalin already laid the ground work by exiling all the Tartars from the region to central Asia and replacing them with Russian citizens.
Ukraine continued to drift more to the West sparking talks of joining the EU and NATO. Putin's like the jealous boyfriend who can't accept the break up,so now we have 127,000 Russiian troops in place and ready to invade. From Putin's perspective, tens of millions of Russian citizens were displaced and are now lost and struggling outside of their motherland. He's trying to put the family back together, kind of thing.
Unfortunately for Putin, tens of millions of Ukrainians starved to death under Stalin's rule due to his agriculture policies, so many of them aren't exactly overly enthusiastic to rejoin the mother land.
Putin needs to learn to let Ukraine do what they want, in the same vein that the US needs to immediately life all embargos against Cuba and let Cuba do what they want. The US can't possibly allow a liberal socialist nation to thrive and propser though giving people an alternative perspective, so that's not going to happen, but that's a whole different discussion.
Where you find information with so many mistakes??? Yanukovitch wasn't PM, he was legally elected president of Ukraine.
Let me show to you "orange revolution". Kiev capital of Ukraine now.
https://cont.ws/uploads/pic/2018/2/1...86676960_o.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dbds2JNW0AASwLl.jpg
https://www.politnavigator.net/wp-co...W1X4AEHI0N.jpg
https://cont.ws/uploads/posts2/326794.jpg
https://politrussia.com/upload/ibloc...1a3b6c563f.jpg
These people are in power now. They made disorders what you call "orange revolution". They call them self "Right sector" - do you see black-red flags? Nazi and nationalists. You can watch their fire lighted marches by Kiev yearly at January 1. Google "Bandera marches Kiev" and look in youtube.
Well, looks like attack on Capitol not far ago was also "orange revolution"? How did you say? "7 year in prison"???
======== decided they don't want a Russian puppet as Prime Minister==========
Right!
We even have proof of Russian manipulations: on the picture Russian official instructs Ukrainian ministers, senators and personally Ukrainian president what to do. Oh, sorry, it is Joe Bidden sits as a chairman on the chair of the leader of Ukrainian Parliament. And on right side like a student or manager sits Ukrainian president Petr Poroshenko (first from right).
Correct. No more puppet masters!!! Now it is totally independent country!
https://cont.ws/uploads/posts2/195192.jpg
US will fight with corruption in Ukraine! Right.
Oh, sorry, what we see here? Hunter Biden (right) as a director of 3rd largest Ukrainian gas company Burisma at time of meetings of directors? For sure it is defamation! Right? And fact what Burisma became 3rd largest after H.Biden become director has nothing with name of his father.
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/G4r0DWaCFnE/maxresdefault.jpg
Moses, Ukraine is quite obviously trying to distance itself from Russia. There's kind of no way you can misread that.
Don't worry, if the Ukrainian people don't like what's happening, they've quite clearly demonstrated they have no problem taking to the streets and letting their government know they're pissed off.
Not "Ukraine". But current nationalistic and corrupted Ukrainian government is trying to distance. They got support from US for to make coup d'état, ohhh, sorry, "orange revolution" at 2014 and now serve new owner.
Exactly that was in Crimea at 2014. And now you call that "Russian aggression".
Exactly that was in 2014 at the East of Ukraine in Donbas and now you call them separatists, but they just want have rights to speak Russian, to write Russian, to send their kids to schools with study in Russian, to watch Ukrainian TV in Russian language. Because they are Russians. There was "local language law" under Yanukovich that gave them warranty to save their identity, and now it is canceled.
Russia wants them within Ukraine. Russia does not recognize declared by them Donetsk People Republic and Lugansk People Republic. Ukrainian army kills them one by one. Russia supports them by humanitarian goods and weaponry. There is Minsk agreement signed by Ukraine in 2014 for to normalize situation. And Ukraine 7 years already does nothing to make steps what it took in obligation by this signed agreement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minsk_Protocol
Again, Crimea is a bit of a different beast. Stalin moved all the Tartars out, and moved Russian citizens in, hence wasn't exactly much resistance when Russian soldiers showed up to annex the place.
Whatever Stalin did - Crimea was to that time already few centuries as a part of Russia. Russia got Crimea from Turkey at time of Ekaterina II.
Stalin did his bad things, but Stalin never changed Russian status of Crimea. It "always" (at least few centuries) was Russian Crimea. Point. Fact what at time of Khruschev Crimea was send under Ukrainian control doesn't make Crimea and especially Sevastopol Ukrainian.
If you don't like Russia you may count "Russia gave, Russia took back", But if you want to understand situation then pay attention: Crimea voted to be independent and voted to join Russia in referendums. It is the same Autonomous Republic of Crimea since October 1921.
How do you feel Matt about the news that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko has reportedly signed a roadmap to regulate crypto operations in Russia? The news comes after Russia's central bank published a consultation paper that proposed a blanket ban on crypto-related activity in the country. Where now Bitcoin in Russia?
Governments can try to impose whatever laws and regulations against bitcoi they want, makes no difference to me. Trying to regulate bitcoin is outside of their jurisdiction and powers. They know this, which is why most governments around the world have done nothing against bitcoin except basically shrug their shoulders, and added a few lines to tax forms with hopes people will voluntarily submit their crypto holdings, because that's all they can really do.
There are a lot of money boys at time of high season (May-October), but you should find them via applications like Hornet or Grindr or Blued, for me it looks like about 1/3 of Ukrainian gay boys migrating to Crimea at that time... Most of them does not speak English because of poor Ukrainian education.
By the way: Crimea is a little bit more expensive than Turkey is and has lower hospitality standards.
Typical guys. Most of them will be tops, just small amount will be twinks :
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/75/30...686db785ae.jpg
You do know that sentence makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, right?
You took a few words from several totally different and unrelated situations, and mashed them together somehow with I guess of hopes of making some kind of point... somehow?
You must be suffering from aphasia, or something. I'm sure you meant to make some sort of valid point, for example, not sure why I would be sending out tweets on SGT. This isn't Twitter.
There are similar claims all the time by indigenous “spokesmen” with a chip on their shoulder about the “invasions” by Europeans they suffered/endured. My answer is that “we” have ALL endured them at one time or another - the Romans “invaded” much of Europe and Asia Minor. The Normans invaded, occupied and to a certain extent ethnically cleansed England from 1066 onwards. The indigenes are carrying out a form of cultural appropriation by claiming one of Rousseau’s main ideas as their own - “the Noble Savage”
"There are similar claims all the time by indigenous “spokesmen” with a chip on their shoulder about the “invasions” by Europeans they suffered/endured. My answer is that “we” have ALL endured them at one time or another - the Romans “invaded” much of Europe and Asia Minor. The Normans invaded, occupied and to a certain extent ethnically cleansed England from 1066 onwards. The indigenes are carrying out a form of cultural appropriation by claiming one of Rousseau’s main ideas as their own - “the Noble Savage”"
It seems we are a seamless garment on this issue. 'My ancestors came here 12000 years ago therefore I'm entitled to...Connecticut.' And for once I'm not criticising you but they've stopped using the word "indigenous' because of it's innacuracy and started calling themselves 'first nations'. Now if you'll excuse me I'm seeking reparations from the Vikings, the Normans and of course, the Romans.
Because you have been drinking big time..
Nothing confusing about this crap at all:
Putin's been creaming in his jeans to rebuild the Soviet Union since birth. This is all he thinks about...his perceived legacy.
There's only one direction to go, and that's West, unless he wants to attack penguins in Siberia.
Will he attack Ukraine in the near-future? No
Why? Because the U.S. and it's NATO allies don't want another Soviet Union. Been there - done that.
What's next? Putin agrees to remove some (not all) troops from Ukraine's border in exchange for a partial (with conditions) gas contract with Germany to save face and keep money flowing in the oligarchs pockets. He'll regroup somewhere down-the-road...develop another strategy for expanding into Europe...and round and round the wheel turns.
How did Putin blunder? A miscalculation: Predicting that NATO, which has been a bit fragmented lately, would not band together as tightly as they have to stop him in his tracks.
Hopefully, Ukraine will one day be approved for membership in NATO so they don't continue to be used as a pawn in a chess game between giants. I imagine the people there might be just a little more comfortable going to bed at night without having missiles aimed at their front doors. Just a guess.
On a personal note: I just wish all those Ukrainian and Russian boys would put those nasty weapons down and get together for some skinny-dipping in a local pond. There's some real dolls over there (on both sides) wasting there time and energy on all this war nonsense. They should get all those Hot Rockets they have pointed in the right direction, and straight up my welcoming ass would be a start.
Within Soviet Union you can't blame "Russians" for all what has been happened. That is "typical" for Ukrainian propaganda now.
Ukrainian and Russian languages has words distinguishing nationality and country of origin: "Russians" as a nationality and "Rossians" as a pointer to country of origin (artificial word just created by me for to explain how it works here, in Russian transcription: "Russkie" and "Rossiyane"). All citizens of Russia are "Rossiyane", but Ukrainian propaganda still blame "Russians" despite half of Bolsheviks were Jewish, Stalin was Georgian and so on.
At time of USSR here was construct "Soviet people", like "Americans" in US. You can blame communists and Communist Party as persons and organization that made this deportation, but blame "Russians" for that is unfair and racisms.
By the way: look on countries what recognize deportation of Crimean Tatars as a genocide:
- Ukraine. Do I need to comment what country does not allow federalism and insist what no nation may have autonomy within Ukraine, what only language for official use and for any communications with official, also on TV and newspapers must be Ukrainian? Language in schools must be Ukrainian. No local languages are allowed despite Ukraine has regions with huge population of Hungarians, Gagauz, Russians. There is "Language Police" that checks what language uses sellers in shops and on markets, what language uses bus drivers for to communicate with passengers. There left less than 1% of schools with teaching on Russian language, since 2014 most schools with Russian language were closed.
- Latvia. Country where exists segregation - 2 sorts of citizens: "Citizen" with passport of citizen who may vote on elections and with passport of "non-citizen" who can't vote on election. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-citizens_(Latvia). Country which expels more than half million of Russians from territory by declaring them "non-citizen". There were over 750000 Russian citizens of Latvia in 1991 and now there are less then 200000.
- Canada. Should we speak about destiny of indigenous people and their genocide? Matt, tell me please does Canada recognize tragedy of indigenous people as a genocide?
Do you have question why some regions rebel after "language law" and trying to run from Ukraine after nationalists got power in Ukraine?
Attachment 12224
I wonder which side he's on?
Would it matter?
Moses, your reference to Cuba is valid. Are we on a path to nuclear war again?
Ukraine in NATO destabilizes the "Mutual Assured Destruction" balance that has kept us safe for seventy years.
An alternative could be granting Cuba the same armament rights as Ukraine. Would that work?
I'm not Putin, you know...
But as per my opinion: if Ukraine wants to be within EU - great. This isn't Russia's business. But when Gorbachov had talks with EU there were said: Russia agrees with join of two Germanies in exchange of not moving warheads more close to Moscow. Do you remember? USSR/Russia had nuclear warheads in East Germany and had army's bases also. Warheads were removed by USSR, soviet army hasn't bases in East Germany anymore (while US still has), and Germanies are one country since that time.
But since that time NATO bases been moved more close to Moscow: Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. Ballistic rockets are based in Poland now. What next? Should Russia wait till last "security belt" will fail? There is only Ukraine and Belorussia btw NATO and Russia now.
It is clearly visible, what "orange revolutions" were inspired in Ukraine (one failed, next successful) and Belorussia (twice failed) from outside. Look at Nulland and Biden photos from Ukraine'2014.
So NATO's bases right near Russian borders are unacceptable for Russia. My opinion - Ukraine should be in EU if it wants, but should keep neutral status like Finland does for decades and nobody cares: nor Finland, nor Russia - there are no tensions on that border at all, and Finish tourists are next to Chinese in quantity in Sankt-Petersburg. Finland is smart enough for not to wake up sleeping bear.
By the way: these talks about "Russia must to keep to pump gas via Ukrainian pipeline" are also unbelievable pushy. That pipeline has been laid at time when main Russian gas source was located at the south of Ural region near the border with Kazakhstan. And that pipeline been used for decades for to pump gas from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan (both in Central Asia) and from the South Ural because Ukraine lays on direct line btw gas sources and gas customers.
Right now Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan sell gas to China. Gas sources on South Ural are almost empty. So Russia has nothing to pump via Ukrainian pipeline. But EU still insist what Russia should pump gas via this pipeline even when main gas sources are located on far North - Yamal and regions around. North stream is twice shorter. EU wants Russian gas to be pumped from North to South and only then to Europe. Are you sure what it is economically correct idea for Russia? I repeat: economically.
EU cries: "keep pumping !!!", because Ukraine will lose about US$ 3 bln yearly on gas transit if Russia will stop to sell gas via that pipeline. Why Russia should care? EU wants Ukraine to be with. Well. If you want Ukraine - feed them yourself then. Your satellite is your care now. Russian care is to sell gas and to have profit, and that includes to cut expenses on gas transit.
EU: you should cry on Norway then - they sell gas directly to Germany. Push them to transit gas via Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland at first and only then to Germany. Anyway you are sponsoring these countries - let Norway to do it instead, they are rich. Why I hear "No"?
No, those are two totally different things. The EU and NATO don't want Russia starting a massive war in their backyard, hence the defensive posture they've taken. Whereas Russia installing missiles in Ciba again would be an aggressive posture.
While we're on the topic of Cuba though, now there's an absolutely amazing story. Cuba has better life expectency, infant mortality, literacy rates among many others than the US. And they managed to do it all under crushing sanctions. Just imagine what they could do if those embagos were lifted.
The US just can't bare to see a socialist country thrive though, so we can't have that. I remember a while back some anti-governemnt protesters popped up in Cuba again, most likely backed by the US govt. Cubans know this game all too well though, so immediately there were absolutely massive protests to tell the anti-government protesters to fuck off.
Even the mainstream media was scrambling to try and make a story out of it. To try and show how large the anti-government protests were, Fox News even got caught using footage from a May Day parade a couple years before that, haha.
Yes, yes. EU and NATO. They are peaceful and never attack other countries. Meanwhile Russia always do it!!!
I have proofs:
- Japan. Russians dropped 2 nuclear bombs to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945! It was totally barbarian act. Over 500 000 died. Sorry, it was US.
- Vietnam. Russia started war there in 1956. What? US did that? OK
- Lebanon. 1958 Russian occupation of the port and international airport of Beirut. Not? Again US? Well, you are picky too much.
- Cuba 1961. Bay of Pigs Invasion by Russians. Nooooo! Not Americans! Russians!!! Oh. Ok, Americans.
- 1964 Congo. Simba Rebellions were suppressed by Russians and democratic movement has been defeated. Don't tell me what there again were Americans
- 1965-1973 Russia has been defeated in Vietnam war! Well... I don't know why everywhere on photos are American flags, don't ask.
(here I will omit short incidents in Korea, Thailand, Dominican Rep, where Russians for sure were involved)
- 1966-1967 Bolivia Russian oppressing of Che Guevara's guerrilla forces. Che Guevara captured and executed. Really? It again was Americans? Sorry
(here I will omit short incidents in Libya, Lebanon, Zaire, Grenada, Iran (1981) where Russians for sure were involved)
- 1989-1990 Russian invasion to Panama with regime changes. No-no-no-no! It was Russians!!! How you may say what Sun of Democracy - US - may be involved into invasion and to change regime??? For sure Russians had installed here own puppet.
Ok. Next
- 1991–2003 intervention to Iraq. United States, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Belgium, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Italy. Do you see? No one member of NATO is involved. Only Russian barbars.
- 1992–1995 first Russian intervention to Somali. Participants: United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand. Again no one NATO member!!! Only Russians
- 1992–1995 Yugoslav war. Russians against will of Security Council destroyed country and now there are peaceful snakes nest. No one NATO member has been involved. See? - no one: United States, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom
- 1994–1995 Haiti. Russian re-installment of regime. Only Russians: United States, Poland, Argentine
- 1998–1999 Kosovo war. Snakes nest has been divided to few more. Participant are only outside of NATO: United States, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom
==== XXI century ====
- 20 years of Afghan war
- 2002 and still - Maghreb region
- 2002 and still now Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa
- 2003–2011 Iraq war. Do you remember Russian general Powell in UN with pity claims about mass-destroying weapons in small glass tube?
- 2011 Russian military intervention in Libya. Participants: United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Turkey, Sweden. Result legal president has been killed. And now already 10 years there is going peaceful and colorful civil war.
I again will omit series of small and not so small conflicts
Syria. Now seriously: Russia is only state army that has been officially invited there by Syrian government. What "defensive postures" does there US and other half of NATO???
And let me remind you: there is one annexations in Europe now . It is Cyprus, by 2 members of NATO: Turkey and UK.
And few worlds to Americans: why you vote for idiots on the Hill? Listen them: "Russia does nothing yet, but it may do, so we need to apply preventive sanctions". Seriously? Right, lets do sanctions and hope Russia will not answer. Who elected such idiots???
Whole past decade, step by step, US and NATO pushing Russia to East. China is waiting for to hug Russia and smiles widely. Do you really need union of second and third strongest armies in World and 6th and 1st economies? EU! You are at the same continent. You will be unavoidable involved.
I hate when people use that as their argument. "well, they did bad shit too, so it's totally fine if we do bad shit".
That's just really not a good argument.