[Meet the New Boss]

From Putin's speech:

What do I want to highlight? We must clearly understand that a new package of sanctions and restrictions against us would have followed in any eventuality. I want to emphasize this. For the West, our military operation in Ukraine is just a pretext for new sanctions. Yes, of course, they are now concentrated. But in the same way [the occasion] was for them, for Westerners, the referendum in Crimea, which, by the way, took place on March 16, 2014, exactly eight years ago, during which Crimeans and Sevastopol residents made their free choice - to be together with their historical homeland.

I repeat: it's just about reasons. But the policy of containment, weakening Russia, including through economic isolation, blockade, is a conscious, long-term strategy. The leaders of the West themselves no longer hide the fact that the sanctions are not directed against individuals or companies, their goal is to strike at our entire domestic economy, our social and humanitarian sphere, every family, every citizen of Russia.

In fact, such steps aimed at worsening the lives of millions of people have all the signs of aggression, war by economic, political, and informational means. It has a total, undisguised character, and, I repeat, the so-called Western political beau monde does not even hesitate to speak about it in plain text....

A massive attack has also been launched against Russia in cyberspace. An unprecedented information campaign has been unleashed, which involves global social networks and all Western media, the objectivity and independence of which turned out to be just a myth. Access to information is limited, people are stuffed with a huge number of fakes, propaganda forgeries, in other words, linden. It got to the point that one of the American social networks directly announced the possibility of publications calling for the murder of Russian citizens...

I want to be very frank: behind the hypocritical talk and today's actions of the so-called collective West, there are hostile geopolitical goals. They do not need, they simply do not need a strong and sovereign Russia, they will not forgive us either our independent course or the fact that we are defending our national interests.

What is interesting is that some days ago, a letter from a purported whistleblower within the Russian FSB revealed that the analysts were developing a strategy whereby Putin would make a speech claiming that the West's actions were tantamount to starting a war against Russia.

1st Stage: Most likely, Konashenkov (Major General, chief spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defence) will officially declare at a briefing that Europe and the “collective West” have declared war on Russia by intervening in the Ukrainian conflict with their weapons and mercenaries, while simultaneously attacking Russia in the economic plane (sanctions).

There will be an extended lecture that war is not contained to military operations on the battlefield, but it includes an array of aggressive actions aimed at causing direct damage to the opponent. That the West’s action de-facto unleashed a world war. That this war has not yet moved into the “hot stage” with missiles and tanks only because Putin, as the supreme commander in chief, did not give such an order. Nevertheless, Konashenkov will declare that the third world war has begun.

2nd Stage: Assessment of the reaction (by the West) – 1-2 days.

3rd Stage: Putin will make a speech. In this long lecture he will declare that the modern world is not as it was before, that war now includes cyber attacks, preparation of biological attacks, direct attacks, training of terrorist & saboteurs, and imposing of sanctions devastating to the economy. He [allegedly] does not want war, but the West has already started it (against Russia). As a result, (Russian) response need not be symmetrical and can respond to any act of aggression with any means available in a military confrontation. “I warned with Ukraine – but nobody listened” (Putin’s message). Russia has shown that its words (threats) are not empty. Putin will declare that he is ready to come to terms (forgive) with what the West has already done, but only if sanctions are lifted within 24 hours, all assistance to Ukraine is stopped, and that NATO will guarantee not to expand. (Still Putin’s upcoming speech) Otherwise, Russia will have no choice but to accept the war and respond with all available means.

4th Stage: A fierce negotiation process (between Russia and the West) – in the initial hours Putin will be conspicuously unavailable for communication (with the West). Other countries’ presidents will be obliged to discuss issues with Putin’s aides – “or not at all.”

[Williams]

A raving lying murderer.

[Paladin2]

If Russia can invade Ukraine, why can’t NATO?

[McGavin999]

Dear Vlad:

All we want is for you to leave Ukraine. If you do that yourcountry can go back to living happy and productive lives. Just leave. Call up your guys and tell them to go home.

[datura]

He’s nucking futs.

[SE Mom]

He’s lost it. The rumor that he has a brain tumor seems plausible at this point.

[icclearly]

The big bear has been poked. If we let the neocons continue to poke the big bear be advised he has a mighty strong arm. I’m not sure the working people of this country want to be hit on our own soil with such a blow. Especially considering our track record in Vietnam, Iraq and Afganastain.

MAD (mutually assured destruction).

[Seruzawa]

I can see a lot of people who need to suit up or shut up.

[McGruff]

He sounds like a cornered animal. With nukes.

[moehoward]

Ignoring the nonsensical headline and reading the speech, he sounds a helluva lot more grounded than our moron in chief. Which ain’t saying much.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Ukraine is the main character in the movie "Wag the Dog."

Coincidence?

[DocRock]

Bookmark

[tlozo]

Putin- 'we are fighting for our sovereignty and the future of our children'.

In Ukraine.

[wiseprince]

Seems to me that he has a very good grasp of the situation. That is how the deep state operates. The lines aren’t solely national but fundamentally between those who want to be free;sovereign, and those who would see them subjugated to their will. The fight against the sovereignty of nations is not unlike the fight against the people who just want freedom. You can have the debate on how Putin will wage this war but he certainly understands the enemy he’s up against.

[Dead Corpse]

Uh-huh... Vlad, you can’t even handle an area of land roughly the size of Texas.

Just be glad Ukraine isn’t actually full of TEXANS.

[SpaceBar]

This modern trend of world leaders trying to out-metaphor the other guy is pretty pathetic.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

Big talk from an assclown whose military is so incompetent that it needs to rely on foreign fighters

[Meet the New Boss]

Crazy arrests in Russia

No one would believe it if it wasn’t caught on video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9k1w_zC1eQ

[kelly4c]

Bkmk

[dennisw]

Rave on Pooty, you useless sack of shyte. He is the only man in Russia who thought invading Ukraine was a boffo idea. When Russia gets to sell oil and gas to China, India etc. Pooty Poot will find out that they will not pay the full price that Germany and Europeans did. And are still doing. Germany is still getting Russian natural gas, as far I know.

As of now the Russ-China gas pipeline is small and pathetic. China’s internal gas distribution systems must be minimal. So oil China up! Coal too I think.