Posted on 11/20/2023 10:50:26 AM PST by marcusmaximus
The Kremlin said on Monday it deeply regretted Finland's decision to shut crossings on its border with Russia, a move it said reflected Helsinki's adoption of an anti-Russian stance.
Finland, a member of the European Union and - starting this year - also of the NATO military alliance, closed four crossings on its border with Russia on Saturday as it seeks to halt a flow of asylum seekers it says was instigated by Moscow.
The border crossings it closed were by far the busiest crossing points.
-snip-
Russia's foreign ministry said later on Monday it had lodged a formal protest with the Finnish ambassador to Moscow, saying the closure of the four border crossings violated "the rights and interests of tens of thousands of people" in both countries.
"The decision was made hastily, without any consultations with the Russian side," it said in a statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
"The decision was made hastily, without any consultations with the Russian side," it said in a statement.
Finland Finland Finland…
Finland has it all.
Something I heard in junior high—
On the way to the rest room
you’re Russian
while there
European
and finally
Finnish.
Interesting how NATO can close Finland’s border to Russia
But leaves America’s borders wide open
Yeah, borders are such a tricky thing? /s
Russia’s ruble is worth less than a Mexican peso, too.
Richard Nathan Haas is an American diplomat. He was president of the Council on Foreign Relations from July 2003 to June 2023, prior to which he was director of policy planning for the United States Department of State and a close advisor to Secretary of State Colin Powell in the George W. Bush administration.
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Despite Ukraine’s much-heralded counteroffensive, Russia has actually gained more territory over the course of 2023 than Ukraine has.
The problem is that Ukraine’s military shows no signs of being able to break through Russia’s formidable defenses, no matter how long and hard it fights. Defense tends to have the advantage over offense, and Russian forces are dug in behind miles of mine fields, trenches, traps, and fortifications. The West can send more tanks, long-range missiles, and eventually F-16 fighter jets. But there is no silver bullet capable of turning the tide on the battlefield.
Time will not be on Ukraine’s side if a high-intensity war drags on indefinitely. Russia’s economy and its defense industrial base are on a war footing. Moscow is also importing arms from North Korea and Iran and has access to consumer items that contain technology that it can repurpose for military uses. Should Russia need to reinforce its military presence in Ukraine, it has a large pool of manpower on which to draw. Russia has also found new markets for its energy, while sanctions have had only a modest effect on the Russian economy. Putin appears politically secure and in control of the levers of power, from the military and security services to the media and public narrative.
Russia does a great job of alienating itself from other nationms. But, it has great common agreement with the likes of Iran, NKorea and China.
Trends are telling.
No, England.
CC
It’s quite amusing to see Putinist’s take umbrage with Finland having a sovereign border. Pot. Meet Kettle.
It’s quite amusing to see Putinist’s take umbrage with Finland having a sovereign border. Pot. Meet Kettle.
I agree. Real conservatives support sovereign borders, whether it's the US building a border wall or Ukraine defending herself from Russian invaders. Mewling milksops think both countries should just roll over in defeat.
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