Russia appears to have an arson problem. When Putin said he was going to burn everything to the ground, people assumed he meant Ukraine, not Russia. Huge blaze sweeps through Russia’s biggest chemical plant on same day seven people are killed in fire at weapon research facility Plumes of smoke seen at the huge Dmitrievsky Chemical Plant outside Moscow Cause of latest fire unknown, just hours after weapons facility blaze killed seven Scientists seen jumping out of windows at research hub in Tver, also near capital Defence Ministry site is where Iskander missiles were built before use in Ukraine https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-plant-hours-7-killed-weapon-centre-fire.html A blaze broke out at Russia's largest chemical plant just hours after a huge fire at a military facility killed seven people. Huge plumes of smoke were seen enveloping the Dmitrievsky Chemical Plant late this afternoon. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Almost 150 plant workers were reportedly evacuated. (More at above url)
I am becoming more convinced by age/illness and his apparent long standing desire for a historical legacy being very major factors.
Looks like the Russians no longer want to put up with Putin's deranged aggression... they are starting to take matters in their own hands via arson. Russian man set fire to military enlistment office to destroy files of conspricts in Moscow region.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/08/yulia-tymoshenko-on-war-in-ukraine-russia-putin Ukraine's former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko has described Vladimir Putin as "absolutely rational, cold, cruel, black evil" and claimed he is determined to go down in Russian history alongside Stalin and Peter the Great.
Putin fesses up -- states that the war is all about seizing land to establish his legacy and be like Peter the Great. Makes it clear he does not plan to stop with Ukraine. Vladimir Putin FINALLY admits Ukraine war is about returning land to Russia Vladimir Putin compared himself to the early 18th-century Russian czar Peter the Great, who he celebrates for boldly seizing territory and power for Russia, saying he laid the groundwork for what would become a geopolitical powerhouse https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/vladimir-putin-finally-admits-ukraine-27193427 Russia's President Vladimir Putin has boldly claimed that it has become his responsibility to take back and strengthen Ukraine as he appeared to finally admit the invasion was about returning land to Russia. The Russian warmonger attended a meeting with young entrepreneurs and specialists ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in the capital Moscow, in which he compared himself to Peter the Great, the 18th-century Russian monarch, who waged war on Sweden. Putin said: "Peter the Great led the Northern War for 21 years. It would seem that he fought with Sweden, and captured land… but he didn't conquer it, he returned it. "Well, it seems it has also now fallen to us to take back and strengthen land and if we take these basic values as fundamental to our existence, we will prevail in solving the issues we are facing." Up until this point, Putin and his propagandists have cited everything from a supposed "threat" posed by NATO to the "neo-Nazis" he spuriously claimed have overrun Ukraine, as reasons for his unprovoked and bloody invasion of Russia's neighbours. But today, after more than 100 days of war, Putin has openly claimed that he is "returning" land to Russia. Peter the Great was the early 18th-century Russian czar and many think his expansionist policies and military reforms helped Russia become the powerful country it is today. Putin often celebrates Peter for boldly seizing territory and power for Russia, saying he laid the groundwork for what would become a geopolitical powerhouse. He went on to say the European Union is a "colony" of the United States and that no nation could both be sovereign and a colony. The brute then said that even an organisation as historical as the EU "has no chance of surviving in such a tough geopolitical struggle." In a shocking new statement, the Kremlin leader seemed to express sympathy for the war but still blamed Ukrainians for it: "What can I say, everything now happening there in Ukraine is a nightmare and is horrific. And we should blame not only the Ukrainians, but all civilians and, of course, the United States." Mr Putin added: "When Peter the Great laid the new capital in St Petersburg, none of the European countries recognised this territory as Russian, everyone recognised it as Swedish." Again referencing Peter's crusades, he spoke about Peter's second attempt to seize Narva from the Swedish Empire, saying he "returned and strengthened — that's what he did." Putin seemingly hopes to mirror that strengthening. Putin claimed that Russian companies will not block off their oil wells despite the West's easing their dependence on energy supplies from Moscow.
How's are economy doing? How about >>>>"For the first time in 4 decades". You gotta admit, Biden is weak. Look at his body language. It speaks volumes. Putin knows that. Afghanistan... I mean that was a disgrace. And there's a dozen other things. And before you answer, lets see if you are capable of providing an answer that doesn't mention Trump. This has absolutely nothing to do with Trump. Biden is a weak confused old man and Putin knows it. That's why Putin moved when he did. And I'll go one step further, just to prove my comments above have absolutely nothing to do with political party and everything to do with, the original post of this thread... Putin wouldn't have pulled this sh*t if Hillary Clinton was president either, and I dare say things would be a lot better (than they are now at least) if she had been elected the 46th President of the US. And for me to write that! >>> Case closed.
The billions that Putin has stashed away around the globe appears to also be driving Putin. Fortunately due to email dumps from hacks in recent months the extent of his holdings are becoming publicly known. Russian emails appear to show ‘network’ holding $4.5bn assets linked to Putin Exclusive: Questions over palaces, vineyards and yachts run by entities that appear to be part of a cooperative https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/20/russian-emails-vladimir-putin-llcinvest
I still have not got an answer to the question of how would Trump have deterred Putin from moving into Ukraine? The best answer I have gotten on this has been “Trump’s personality.” To me, yes, Biden’s election meant a restrengthening of NATO which weakened under Trump so Putin moved to take Ukraine while NATO was still shaking off the Trump disruption. What I will also say is that Putin’s intelligence failed him. Ukraine has been no walk in the park thanks to NATO. I doubt NATO would be as unified or the US as supportive of Ukraine had Trump been president. I also disagree that Hillary would have made as much of a difference as the right wing talking points are trying to make her out to be. There’s really not much difference between Hillary and Biden on foreign policy or military that I know of. This is more of a political narrative Fox and Friends viewers are spreading than a serious comparison.