IGX

Fat Cat wrote:

BBC wrote:Thousands of people have marched in Moscow to protest against Russia's involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

People carrying Russian and Ukrainian flags chanted "No to war!" and "Stop lying!" Similar rallies took place in St Petersburg and other Russian cities.

BBC wrote:Vladimir Varfolomeyev, a journalist from Russia's Ekho Moskvy radio station, on the anti-war march turnout: "50,000, in my view, is a conservative estimate. Most likely it was slightly bigger."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29300213

Russian people with the backbone Smet wishes he had.

Do I need a backbone to be tricked into a political rally in favor of politicians opposing Putin? Or do you sincerely believe it was a spontaneous gesture of protest that happened simultaneously in several Russian cities? And, of course,

Kristina Potupchik, a pro-Kremlin blogger, wrote: "The organisers preferred to forget the fact that there is currently a ceasefire in Ukraine, which was achieved partly due to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin personally."

Road was cleansed after them :)


All liberals are gays :)

BTW in Russia they easily marchin with Ukrainian flags.
But in free democratic Ukraine Russian flag is case for hard beating :)

A weaker Ruble is actually beneficial for the Russian economy, as it is a resource based economy. On the other hand, Ukraine is considerably hurt by a weak Hryvnia, which also fell quite dramatically during the course of the conflict. I wonder if this side-effect is not part of the plan as well. Ukrainian economy is apparently on the brink of collapse, which gives pretty much everybody the leverage to push it to their side.

The Russian Central Bank's 'Weak Ruble' Policy Is Actually A Great Idea

Russia Looks to Weaker Ruble for Revival

Weak Ruble Could Push Russian Budget Into Surplus – Report

And one not terribly encouraging for Ukraine:

Ukraine on the brink

Ukraine

Ruble crashing

yes :(
but prices still almost the same as before, only usual inflation near New Year.
although "experts" already said that after New Year prices on food will increase on 10-15 % :(
10-15% not too much, if bread now costs 35 rubles, i will not notice 15% increase.
but may be they just soothing, who knows.

Americans (at least one) who travelled to Russia were happy on FB :)

Wild Bill wrote:yes :(
but prices still almost the same as before, only usual inflation near New Year.
although "experts" already said that after New Year prices on food will increase on 10-15 % :(
10-15% not too much, if bread now costs 35 rubles, i will not notice 15% increase.
but may be they just soothing, who knows.

It probably depends on the location. My mom in Novgorod says prices went up tremendously in the last few months. For example, from the conversation last Saturday: eggs used to be 45 bucks, now it's about 65.

Smet wrote:

Wild Bill wrote:It probably depends on the location.

And certain shop i think.

And do not forget that befor New Year prices always go up.

looked, and with surprise discovered that in my town eggs also cost 60-62.
http://greifrut.ru/index.php?route=prod ... 1%86%D0%BE

but i don't remember how much they costed before :)

It seems that someone decided to dust off the Ronald Reagan cold war strategy; convince the Saudis to open the oil spigot. Don't believe for a moment that this is about killing fracking. It may delay, shelve or set back fracking in the USA for brief time, but it will be back. This is about making the right turds hurt and hurt in all the right ways.

Venezuela and Iran are also hurting because of this. I couldn't be happier.

We'll see if my earlier predictions are correct. Putin has 450 billion dollars in hard currency reserves and access to other funds via China; something the USSR didn't have in the 1980s. I foresee a Russian push further into eastern Ukraine and then a negotiation. President Obama may kinda sorta earn that Nobel peace prize yet, when he helps negotiate the partition of the Ukraine.

This was my whole slant on this thread: Putin is bad for Russians.

No, i not too much liked him before, but now i thin he deserved his place in Russian history :)
I still think Russia just had no other choise, it was reaction.

[added]
but it s just my imho, i am sure Smet's mom thinks other way.

Wild Bill wrote:No, i not too much liked him before, but now i thin he deserved his place in Russian history :)
I still think Russia just had no other choise, it was reaction.

If by history you mean "in the past tense" then I agree.

Wild Bill wrote: [added]
but it s just my imho, i am sure Smet's mom thinks other way.

but again, it is much easier now for Smet to help his mother :)

On a side note, I just ordered a SPOSN GORKA S mountain suit and SPOSN Lazutchik AK chest rig. The exchange rate has been awesome of late for buying Russian gear.

No shit, it's now 68 Rubles for one US. It was around 30 in July.

Smet wrote:No shit, it's now 68 Rubles for one US. It was around 30 in July.

Keep it coming, I have more Russian military swag to buy. When I'm done they can cry uncle and negotiate.

I see that Russians voted Putin "man of the year" for the 15th consecutive year. I actually did laugh out loud.

You can't understand:)
Not to start arguing againg, just to clarify.

Crimea is Russian. Thats all. Several centuries already.

And even after Khruschev "gave" it to "Ukraine", it remained Russian. They always consider themselves as Russians.
After USSR crashed, they all found themselves in other country. They several times during those 23 years tried to join Russia, but Ukraine threatened with war, and Russia was disabled by the drunkard as a leader.
I may post you Ukrainin papers of 2009 year where they complained that if you speak Ukrainin languige in Sevastopol it may cause problems to you, and something must be done with that :)

So... accepting Crimea it is just thing wich should be done. It may cost problems to to simple people as myself, but it is dose not matter, really.
"Do what you must and let be what was destined" or " Vault City prevails citizen!" :)

Wild Bill wrote:You can't understand:)
Not to start arguing againg, just to clarify.

Crimea is Russian. Thats all. Several centuries already.

Just to clarify, Russia annexed it by force earlier this year. Before that it was Ukrainian. Before that it was Soviet. Before that it was Tatar.

Wild Bill wrote:And even after Khruschev "gave" it to "Ukraine", it remained Russian. They always consider themselves as Russians.
After USSR crashed, they all found themselves in other country. They several times during those 23 years tried to join Russia, but Ukraine threatened with war, and Russia was disabled by the drunkard as a leader.

Just to clarify, that's not how international law works. Russia doesn't get to claim all ethnic Russians any more than England can claim all anglophones. Also, just to clarify, Yeltsin was a Russian drunk, elected by Russian drunks, and that's your problem nobody else.

Wild Bill wrote:I may post you Ukrainin papers of 2009 year where they complained that if you speak Ukrainin languige in Sevastopol it may cause problems to you, and something must be done with that :)

Just to clarify, tanking the Russian economy might do the trick.

Wild Bill wrote:So... accepting Crimea it is just thing wich should be done. It may cost problems to to simple people as myself, but it is dose not matter, really.
"Do what you must and let be what was destined" or " Vault City prevails citizen!" :)

Just to clarify, that's an inane point of view. Russia didn't have to do anything, and instead has taken a giant bite of this shit sandwich. Pretending you like it now just makes you look dumb.