Russia has lost a staggering 87 percent of the total number of active-duty ground troops it had prior to launching its invasion of Ukraine and two-thirds of its pre-invasion tanks, a source familiar with a declassified US intelligence assessment provided to Congress told CNN.
Still, despite heavy losses of men and equipment, Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to push forward as the war approaches its two-year anniversary early next year and US officials are warning that Ukraine remains deeply vulnerable. A highly anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive stagnated through the fall, and US officials believe that Kyiv is unlikely to make any major gains over the coming months.
The assessment, sent to Capitol Hill on Monday, comes as some Republicans have balked at the US providing additional funding for Ukraine and the Biden administration has launched a full-court press to try to get supplemental funding through Congress.
They did protest. And everyone was arrested. Then they protested the arrests. And everyone was arrested. Then people just silently stood in groups holding blank signs. And everyone was arrested.
So only another military coup could free Russia from Putin’s firm grasp.
But that’s why he kept his own military led by weak leadership. And the only paramilitary group he allowed to gain strength ended up attempting a coup against him.
And what a whimsical coup it was
Yeah, that was a wild couple of days. Not that Prigozhin and his merry bunch of neo-Nazis would have been that more tempting as leaders of Russia. So the prospects for Russians have usually been “and then it got worse” so it’s hard to blame them for not putting their necks on the line for the next despot.
Can’t imagine why a fucking Nazi mercenary marching on Moscow couldn’t gather grass roots support for the revolution.
They weren’t attempting a revolution, if anything, it was a coup. You don’t need grassroots support for that.
And yet, that was apparently his plan.
And it was actually a “coup” against the Minister of Defense which really cranks up the whimsy.
Only a very small minority did protest, that’s why it didn’t work.
That’s because Russian “law enforcement” is actually terror, they do everything for the large part of citizens to be too afraid to even speak up not to mention doing anything.
FTFY. ✌🏽
Maybe, but there are at least places where law is virtually non-existent, those places work on the power of customs and traditions not on terror. Not saying that I prefer unwritten laws, that seems too complicated to be realistically used by a large enough society. Also, I personally don’t equate police not held accountable and terror.
If you “don’t equate police not held accountable and terror”, you’re white AF.
Law and law enforcement are two entirely different things.
Could you elaborate on the first item?
The way I see it terror is always directed towards/against something. It’s not just the atrocities committed by someone it’s mainly instigation of fear to blackmail people to act according to someone’s will.
Uncomtrolled police force leads to it becoming the organized crime itself, to corruption, to overuse of power, and other bad things, but it doesn’t seem to be directed in itself. So this may be an instrument of terror but it doesn’t necessarily imply the terror itself is what I was trying to say.
Terror is not only an active verb. The more insidious and pervasive representation of this is systemic, violent racism by authority figures and the historical lack of justice against said bigotry.
In practice, police forces are organized crime with a badge. In theory, and I mean in the most fairy tale way possible, they’re shining paladins of virtue. If you’re still gargling that Kool-Aid, no one can help you, but if you want to put down the pitcher, just say the word.
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How many protesters got killed by law enforcement in Russia in the last decade? Compare that to the number killed in Ukraine.
In any other context I could maybe find myself empathetic. But when they invade the country that can write a book on how to protest…
I won’t instruct them how to deal with their government. But I won’t buy excuses either.