Ukraine and Russia event discussion

[Kalahari Inkantation]

http://www.theweek.co.uk/europe/61498/russia-funds-french-national-front-is-moscow-sowing-european-unrest

what a non-surprise

[Socks]

I was shocked to see that RT has apparently paid its way into public broadcasting into the U.S.! I have to pay to get CCN on television, but RT has a slot in public broadcasting! With Western and independent media virtually nonexistent in Russia, and multiple Russian news channels and organizations opening up in Germany and other European countries, it is not hard to see what the KGB colonel is up to. An information propaganda war. Simply fooling the Russian people is not enough, opinion must be swayed in Europe and abroad, and public and political discourse manipulated, channeled and influenced in favor of Russia. Look at how many Russian sympathizers infest all levels of German, French, Italian and British politics and business. These people only care about money and power, and would sell their own mother for a few more bucks or private orgies at presidential palaces.

[Kalahari Inkantation]

http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/USDRUB:CUR

oh my goodness

now at 49/usd

hoping for 50 by monday

[Socks]

I laughed when same people said a falling ruble means more money for Russian budget when converted from state dollars. Maybe immediately, but there is a thing called inflation and purchasing power. So unless wages increase to keep up with prices, more rubles for dollars means nothing, other than bread lines and 100 ruble sandwiches.

[Kalahari Inkantation]

http://uk.businessinsider.com/russia-asks-eu-to-lift-sanctions-2014-11

Keep begging.

[Kalahari Inkantation]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business/rouble-suffers-biggest-one-day-fall-since-1998

It actually went beyond 50/USD to 51.5.

keep dropping those oil prices, saudi arabia

in other news,

http://online.wsj.com/articles/putin-says-russia-will-abandon-south-stream-pipeline-1417461666

i'm suspicious

erdoganistan is nato's weakest link, and for this news to come after a meeting between it and putin has me worried about what they might have up their sleeves

i would be so happy to boot erdogan's turkey from nato if only it weren't for the fact that it would immediately fall wholly into russia's orbit

[Socks]

I can help explain. The whole South Stream was a way to bypass Ukraine and make a play for Europe and especially the Balkans. But this proved impossible, so now Turkey, which already has pipelines plans for Europe wants to team up with Russia. 1 because Russia needs to sell gas, and 2 because Turkey and the sultan have Ottoman ambitions and both sides want to make a push for the Balkans arguably the EUs/NATOs weakest link in Europe. For some years now the Turks and Qataris have been pumping money into the Balkans funding so called "cultural" projects to gain influence through their supposedly Muslim brethren living there now. A remnant of forced conversions during the Ottoman days, I am quite familiar with this plan. I have seen their brand of Islam (see extremism) making some headway into the Balkans, from the long beards to tunics, etc... all a way to increase influence into the region. Russia seeks to join up on this plan for their own ambitions and reasons. See the Serbia angle of it too.

[Kalahari Inkantation]

i find it bemusing that russia seems not only undisturbed by turkey's fostering of islamic extremism in europe, but actually actively encouraging it by partnering with its dickbag leader, especially since russia itself still struggles with the very same type of extremism domestically and this could very easily exacerbate issues in the caucuses

but anything that divides and weakens europe and nato relative to russia is beneficial to the kremlin i suppose

anyway, the rubble's down to 54/usd today lol

at this rate, i wonder if we could see it fall to 60 before the end of the year

[Kalahari Inkantation]

also, speaking of serbia

http://inserbia.info/today/2014/12/serbia-57-percent-of-citizens-in-favor-of-eu-membership-poll/

lol

soon we'll see the sudden materialization of some """pro-russians""" in vojvodina

[Socks]

Apparently the joke in Moscow is that Putin, Oil and the Ruble are all headed for 60. At least the Russians have humor. But their defiant reaction can't last years of them wearing the same clothes and eating the same thing everyday, working paycheck to paycheck and never leaving their town or city. Soon their cars, computers, and houses will be as outdated as they were in the communist days. All thanks to Putin.

Also, Turkey and Russia have no chance in the Balkans unless their engineer some trouble or find very corrupt people to strong arm. Both actors are thoroughly known and hated in the region, especially when they show ulterior motives. The people of the region are firmly looking and hoping toward the EU and NATO, to live in peace, freedom and prosperity. It is inevitable.

[Kalahari Inkantation]

i find it bemusing that russia seems not only undisturbed by turkey's fostering of islamic extremism in europe, but actually actively encouraging it by partnering with its dickbag leader, especially since russia itself still struggles with the very same type of extremism domestically and this could very easily exacerbate issues in the caucuses

well whaddaya know

http://www.news.com.au/world/russian-military-on-alert-in-moscow-grozny-amid-new-crisis/story-fndir2ev-1227144589099

[Kalahari Inkantation]

Apparently the joke in Moscow is that Putin, Oil and the Ruble are all headed for 60. At least the Russians have humor. But their defiant reaction can't last years of them wearing the same clothes and eating the same thing everyday, working paycheck to paycheck and never leaving their town or city. Soon their cars, computers, and houses will be as outdated as they were in the communist days. All thanks to Putin.

speaking of jokes

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/putin-signs-russian-budget-for-next-year-based-on-100-oil-price/512521.html

[Kalahari Inkantation]

and last but most certainly not least, belarus defies expectations by openly criticizing the kremlin once again

http://itar-tass.com/en/economy/764854

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/belarus-demands-cancellation-of-indecent-russian-import-restrictions/512546.html

[Kalahari Inkantation]

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/512303.html

The Prosecutor General's Office is looking into the Central Bank's operations after a ruling party lawmaker accused it being an "enemy of the country" by supposedly driving down the ruble and plotting "evil" against Russia.

"The Central Bank is an institutional enemy of the country," Fyodorov told Russian News Service radio on Monday. "Its bosses are officially abroad. I am assuming that it will do the maximum evil. The Central Bank will do everything to have the ruble rate fall."

delicious infighting

[silvertone]

now time for Russka to start, the total war.