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There is no objective other than to destroy the West and democracy and then rule with as much brutality as the conquered nations will bear. If they cannot achie

There is no objective other than to destroy the West and democracy and then rule with as much brutality as the conquered nations will bear. If they cannot achieve that objective they want to go down in flames with the rest of the world. If you want to know how the Russian peace looks like read up on the partitions of Poland (economic exploitation, violent anti-semitism, deportations to Siberia, confiscation of property and land, russification, etc.) or the history of countries in Eastern Europe who found themselves inside the borders of Soviet Union or the Warsaw Pact. Persecutions, mass deportations, mass murders, torture, economic exploitation. I really pity the African nations who got convinced to kick out Americans and the French. They will now get a taste of Russia and it will not be pretty.

ClumsyPilot 2y ago
> If they cannot achieve that objective they want to go down in flames with the rest of the world. I think this level of unserious analysis is deeply unhelpful. You know people in Russia have their lives and goals, they are not suicidal maniacs. At least read some Russian media with google translate
- immibis 2y ago
  They are talking about the Russian state, not people in Russia.
- surfingdino 2y ago
  People in Russia are indoctrinated and their thinking and worldview is heavily influenced by Russian propaganda. They have never enjoyed freedom of thought or legal protection from the intrusive, corrupt, and murderous state. Their lives belong to the state just like their goals. The concept of personal freedom or privacy doesn't exist in Russia. Even those who travel abroad don't seem to change their behaviour and thinking no matter how often and how long they visit other countries. They have become the scourge of the tourist resorts that will still take their money. Europeans don't want to go there anymore. It's all vodka, loud parties, and being absolute assholes to others. They are quickly becoming the Sentinelese of Europe. I will not read Russian media, I had enough of it in my early years when it was compulsory. Russians pillaged my country of birth and continue to be an existential threat. Russians also lied to everybody after 1989 and used the time, the trust, and the money to arm themselves and start invading and killing neighbours. There is zero truth in what Russians say. They can keep their ballet and Dostoyevsky.
- dvfjsdhgfv 2y ago
  > You know people in Russia have their lives and goals, they are not suicidal maniacs. There are many, many decent people in Russia who abhor this war. But people have zero influence on what is going on. If one day Putin decides to invade the Baltics, your statement about Russians not being suicidal maniacs will still hold true, but again with no relationship with the actual events.
throwaway290 2y ago
> I really pity the African nations who got convinced to kick out Americans and the French. They will now get a taste of Russia and it will not be pretty. As a Russian I was with you until this part. Russia doesn't seem to have enough money/influence for that. They get a taste of China instead. Like https://x.com/mirab_clothiers/status/1782115456045728135 https://x.com/mirab_clothiers/status/1782115456045728135
- neom 2y ago
  At least the west knew what they were getting into when they enabled the Chinese extraction system (no objections here, seemed like a fine quid pro quo for a while). I don't expect we would see benevolence from China towards the west, I do hope they show it to the emerging countries, as they were not so long ago emerging themselves.
  - throwaway290 2y ago
    Not sure I understand most of your comment, what extraction system?
    - jcranmer 2y ago
      China tends to be even more narrowly focused than Western powers on mineral extraction in its African investment, and they also have a reputation for relying very heavily on imported Chinese labor in their projects, which means the benefits percolate less than they would with Western projects (itself a pretty meager benefit usually!). Or it could be a reference to the Chinese tendency to invest in the form of giving countries loans that they are ill-equipped to pay back, and China playing very hardball on poorest country debt forgiveness.
    - neom 2y ago
      China emerged by building and selling. Part of the rise of china has been the extraction of wealth, resource, and knowledge. I don't say this with any shade, any emotion or feeling, just very literally. A large component of the ability for china to move forward so quickly was the creation of funnels that allowed for exchange. The west mostly extracted the labour and china extracted a bunch of other stuff. I can't think of a better word to describe what literally happened, and again, I'm not saying it with an opinion (that would be another discussion). Without any judgement, imo: China is good at creating extractive systems. (I'll add, if you've not read it, "Dealing with China An Insider Unmasks the New Economic Superpower By Henry Paulson" is a fantastic book)
insane_dreamer 2y ago
Russia’s influence in Africa / Asia is greatly diminished since the Cold War era. China is the primary threat to Western nations, not Russia. China savvily extended its influence in Africa in particular while the US was so caught up with its useless War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, totally squandering its post Cold War opportunities in Africa.
- Jach 2y ago
  I'm sure Chinese intelligence loves how easily people attribute things to Russia.
  - insane_dreamer 2y ago
    Yeah, it's a ridiculous Cold War era kneejerk reaction.
spywaregorilla 2y ago
The "nations" in Africa courting Russian influence are largely militant groups that have claimed dominion over lands. Those particular people in charge will probably selfishly benefit a great deal.

ClumsyPilot 2y ago

> If they cannot achieve that objective they want to go down in flames with the rest of the world. I think this level of unserious analysis is deeply unhelpful. You know people in Russia have their lives and goals, they are not suicidal maniacs. At least read some Russian media with google translate

immibis 2y ago
They are talking about the Russian state, not people in Russia.
surfingdino 2y ago
People in Russia are indoctrinated and their thinking and worldview is heavily influenced by Russian propaganda. They have never enjoyed freedom of thought or legal protection from the intrusive, corrupt, and murderous state. Their lives belong to the state just like their goals. The concept of personal freedom or privacy doesn't exist in Russia. Even those who travel abroad don't seem to change their behaviour and thinking no matter how often and how long they visit other countries. They have become the scourge of the tourist resorts that will still take their money. Europeans don't want to go there anymore. It's all vodka, loud parties, and being absolute assholes to others. They are quickly becoming the Sentinelese of Europe. I will not read Russian media, I had enough of it in my early years when it was compulsory. Russians pillaged my country of birth and continue to be an existential threat. Russians also lied to everybody after 1989 and used the time, the trust, and the money to arm themselves and start invading and killing neighbours. There is zero truth in what Russians say. They can keep their ballet and Dostoyevsky.
dvfjsdhgfv 2y ago
> You know people in Russia have their lives and goals, they are not suicidal maniacs. There are many, many decent people in Russia who abhor this war. But people have zero influence on what is going on. If one day Putin decides to invade the Baltics, your statement about Russians not being suicidal maniacs will still hold true, but again with no relationship with the actual events.

throwaway290 2y ago

> I really pity the African nations who got convinced to kick out Americans and the French. They will now get a taste of Russia and it will not be pretty. As a Russian I was with you until this part. Russia doesn't seem to have enough money/influence for that. They get a taste of China instead. Like https://x.com/mirab_clothiers/status/1782115456045728135 https://x.com/mirab_clothiers/status/1782115456045728135

neom 2y ago
At least the west knew what they were getting into when they enabled the Chinese extraction system (no objections here, seemed like a fine quid pro quo for a while). I don't expect we would see benevolence from China towards the west, I do hope they show it to the emerging countries, as they were not so long ago emerging themselves.
- throwaway290 2y ago
  Not sure I understand most of your comment, what extraction system?
  - jcranmer 2y ago
    China tends to be even more narrowly focused than Western powers on mineral extraction in its African investment, and they also have a reputation for relying very heavily on imported Chinese labor in their projects, which means the benefits percolate less than they would with Western projects (itself a pretty meager benefit usually!). Or it could be a reference to the Chinese tendency to invest in the form of giving countries loans that they are ill-equipped to pay back, and China playing very hardball on poorest country debt forgiveness.
  - neom 2y ago
    China emerged by building and selling. Part of the rise of china has been the extraction of wealth, resource, and knowledge. I don't say this with any shade, any emotion or feeling, just very literally. A large component of the ability for china to move forward so quickly was the creation of funnels that allowed for exchange. The west mostly extracted the labour and china extracted a bunch of other stuff. I can't think of a better word to describe what literally happened, and again, I'm not saying it with an opinion (that would be another discussion). Without any judgement, imo: China is good at creating extractive systems. (I'll add, if you've not read it, "Dealing with China An Insider Unmasks the New Economic Superpower By Henry Paulson" is a fantastic book)

insane_dreamer 2y ago

Russia’s influence in Africa / Asia is greatly diminished since the Cold War era. China is the primary threat to Western nations, not Russia. China savvily extended its influence in Africa in particular while the US was so caught up with its useless War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, totally squandering its post Cold War opportunities in Africa.

Jach 2y ago
I'm sure Chinese intelligence loves how easily people attribute things to Russia.
- insane_dreamer 2y ago
  Yeah, it's a ridiculous Cold War era kneejerk reaction.

spywaregorilla 2y ago

The "nations" in Africa courting Russian influence are largely militant groups that have claimed dominion over lands. Those particular people in charge will probably selfishly benefit a great deal.