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American B-52 bombers circle Russian enclave Kaliningrad
- Havoc 2y ago> That the aircraft was tracked online during its sortie proves they wanted to be seen. B52s are many things but stealthy and subtle is not among them
- rootusrootus 2y agoI gather that the point was they didn't require someone with radar to see them, they turned on ADS-B so it would show up on all the usual flight tracker sites.
- more_corn 2y agoThis will not end well
- talldayo 2y agoMore often than not, it ends well. FONOPS are a pretty common occurrence and usually end (at worst) with a friendly interception and escort out of the contested airspace. Usually even that doesn't happen.
- lykahb 2y agoLet's remember that the historical name of the city is Königsberg. After the occupation the Soviets executed an ethnic purge of the locals and annexed the land.
- defrost 2y agoLet's remember that after occupation by Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades they renamed Twangste to Königsberg in 1255 .
- squigz 2y agoOne happened in 1255, the other happened in 1946. Do you think they're the same?
- throw-the-towel 2y agoIn a sense they are, because whatever European territorial changes happened after WW2 were supposed to be the last ever and to stand for all eternity, as stated in the Helsinki Accord of 1975. Of course, this agreement has since been violated, notably by Russia.
- protomolecule 2y ago>Of course, this agreement has since been violated, notably by Russia. What does Russia have to do with Kosovo?
- throw-the-towel 2y agoWell I didn't claim Russia was the only country that violated existing borders, just a notable example.
- protomolecule 2y agoWhat's notable about that? The Pandora's box was opened with Kosovo.
- defrost 2y agoSame location, different dates, different invaders .. did you think these were identical events? They are both part of the history of human occupation at that geographic site, let's remember that.
- squigz 2y agoNo, I didn't, I was just trying to determine what your point is.
- throw-the-towel 2y agoSo, do you support a wholesale reversal of WW2-related border changes? Because in that case, your country would have to surrender Lwów and Munkács. (And Croatia would have to give up Rijeka to Italy. And the whole Alsace-Lorraine stuff would return. And I'm not even talking about Germans returning to Czechia or Romania.)
- protomolecule 2y agoYou don't understand! It's different!
- racional 2y agoAfter the occupation the Soviets executed an ethnic purge of the locals and annexed the land. As fully agreed to by the Western powers via the Potsdam Agreement. Let's all dance in remembrance of that, also.
- VK538FY 2y agoI don't know what the criteria were to avoid the purge but I know personally a Russian of German parents from Kaliningrad/Königsberg. A certain of ethnic Germans were allowed to stay.
- rootusrootus 2y agoIt's actually an exclave, right? Pretty sure I learned that the last time Kaliningrad was in an HN discussion.