Russia and Ukraine

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Even though it's clearly bluster on Putin's part, it's also just one more indication of what a bad time it is to have Trump in the picture (not that I can imagine a particularly good time) - where's a John Kennedy when you need one?

Boru

There's never a good time to have a quisling in power.

[...] (especially with the US chickening out)[...]

This isn't "the US chickening out", this is POTUS doing his master's bidding.

Also, Ukraine is not some feeble country that you can say "they couldn't even conquer Ukraine". Ukraine has the largest army in Europe if we discount Russia.

I was writing that in comparison to the body of NATO, in which case, yeah "even" is an apt modifier.

Also, numbers of troops are not a complete measure of national strength.

(Bold mine)

This is what I’m saying.

Boru

[Paraselene]

Putin signals no willingness to compromise on Ukraine despite Trump’s intensifying push for peace

https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/17/europe/pu...raine-intl

[Ivan Denisovich]

Now that Trump made it clear that he is Putin's bitch, the Russian dictator is amassing troops along the NATO borders, as if he's preparing to attack.

Putin 'masses 360,000 troops' on Europe's door as expert's WW3 fears turn 'critical'

Russia is building up 'over 360,000' troops along Europe's frontiers as Vladimir Putin prepares his next strategic manoeuvre, a former NATO official has cautioned.

German parliamentarian and former military officer Roderich Kiesewetter warned that 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most "critical" periods in contemporary European history, with Putin's forces steadily positioning growing numbers of personnel within Belarus, suggesting military ambitions that stretch well beyond Ukraine.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/214...s-critical

This anus mundi is barely functioning as it is:

For several months, Russians have been experiencing interruptions in gasoline and diesel fuel supplies, as approximately 50 percent of refineries have been damaged by Ukrainian drones. In September, there was a shortage of 400,000 tons of fuel, or one-fifth of monthly consumption, which is why 12-14% of gas stations were closed in the Rostov region, the Mari El Republic, and the Jewish Autonomous Region, and half of them in Crimea*.

If ruᛋᛋia will try to challenge NATO it will end badly for deluded kgb spook with delusions of grandeur.

*Link to entire article (in Polish) - https://krytykapolityczna.pl/swiat/rosja...-protesty/

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

From the article:

🔥 The war burns the Russian economy to the foundations - the arms industry is growing, but the civilian part of the country is crapsing:

(Bold mine)

I’m as sure as Canby that this is a translation error. However, I’m going to make an executive decision to treat it as a new word meaning ‘collapsing into crap’. Observe:

🔥 The war burns the Russian economy to the foundations - the arms industry is growing, but the civilian part of the country is collapsing into crap:

Works just fine. And - in context - it has the added virtue of being true!

Boru

[Ivan Denisovich]

From the article:

🔥 The war burns the Russian economy to the foundations - the arms industry is growing, but the civilian part of the country is crapsing:

(Bold mine)

I’m as sure as Canby that this is a translation error. However, I’m going to make an executive decision to treat it as a new word meaning ‘collapsing into crap’. Observe:

🔥 The war burns the Russian economy to the foundations - the arms industry is growing, but the civilian part of the country is collapsing into crap:

Works just fine. And - in context - it has the added virtue of being true!

Boru

It is a really strange error as "crashing" is a word that translator should have used and it's certainly not something that even free software should stumble on. It is funny though.

[Thumpalumpacus]

(Bold mine)

This is what I’m saying.

Boru

I figured as much. I just wanted to use that word with regard to Trump. I haven't seen it used yet in American political discussion, and I honestly think it needs to be injected into the conversation. Not that this is the New York Times here, but hey, a journey starting with single step etc etc.

You're absolutely right. He is a quisling.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

(Bold mine)

This is what I’m saying.

Boru

I figured as much. I just wanted to use that word with regard to Trump. I haven't seen it used yet in American political discussion, and I honestly think it needs to be injected into the conversation. Not that this is the New York Times here, but hey, a journey starting with single step etc etc.

You're absolutely right. He is a quisling.

Only in the broadest sense, but he’ll do til one comes along.

Boru

[Thumpalumpacus]

I figured as much. I just wanted to use that word with regard to Trump. I haven't seen it used yet in American political discussion, and I honestly think it needs to be injected into the conversation. Not that this is the New York Times here, but hey, a journey starting with single step etc etc.

You're absolutely right. He is a quisling.

Only in the broadest sense, but he’ll do til one comes along.

Boru

I believe that he is a Russian asset. If we look at his decisions over the years, almost every single one redounds to the deficit of our country. When you look at his persistent attacks on our democracy, when you look at his electoral collusion with Russian agents, when you look at his stooging with Putin -- supporting Russia in Ukraine, ignoring sanction-breaches, even trusting (in his own words) Putin before his own intelligence agencies -- I think he's gone far beyond useful dupe. He knows exactly what he's doing: consciously selling America by actively helping Russia.

That is a quisling, even in the narrow sense. The only real difference is that his last name is Trump and not Quisling. Assuming American democracy survives and returns to health and vigor, his name will be seen on a par with Benedict Arnold, I think.

[Fake Messiah]

The Russian federation's military leadership doesn't even hide the fact that they consider Putin a fool.

Belousov reported to Putin about the complete capture of Kupyansk. Again.

Putin and Belousov made a series of false statements regarding the situation in Kupyansk and the war in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin claimed that the Russian army captured over 300 settlements in 2025 and accused the West of starting the war. Andrei Belousov stated that Russia allegedly captured Kupyansk, while Ukraine denied this.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, stated that the Ukrainian Defense Forces control most of the city and continue to clear it of Russians. He added that Russian military officials - from Gerasimov, who was the first to lie about controlling the city, to Belousov - continue to lie even in front of Putin himself.

https://unn.ua/en/news/putin-and-belouso...in-ukraine