Vladimir Putin Gets to Stay in Power for (At Least) Another Sixteen Years

[Sir Mohamed]

I never believed for a minute this dude would be gone in 2024. I thought he may return as PM, though, and install some powerless placeholder as prez again.

If we can legally drone Solemani, we can legally drone Putin right?

Yup, would just cause WWIII. I'm not sure what would happen if a plat against Putin was successful. I'm not convinced everything would change for the better overnight. Maybe some military hardliner would take over and make things worse. Or Lavrov, who isn't any better than Putin. Now I'd wish Putin and his corrupt mob would get removed from power peacefully and face trials, but a change like this can only happen from within Russia. The West is in a difficult spot here, especially Europe with dependence on Russian gas and defense issues. That said, Putin needs to be confronted much more aggressively for his ongoing efforts to divide the Western world and stoking divisions within the US.

[Sir Mohamed]

Now that I think about it, Ukrainians should be grateful for the Soviet Union, the Soviets gave them Polish territories (Including Lwow), Bessarabia, and Crimea.

Dude, what are you talking about? Ukrainians should be grateful for the Soviet Union? You are aware of the fact Stalin killed millions of Ukrainians through oppression and many more through his failed economic policies that caused millions to die from starvation?

[Sir Mohamed]

He’ll be 83 in 16 years wtf

Just old enough to go and become a candidate in the US!

https://twitter.com/IntelCrab/status/1279428405084241920

Russia will not invade Ukraine.

The only reason they annexed Crimea is that it was easy, the people there overwhelmingly identify as Russians, so even if the annexation was not right in any sense, the people didn't exactly rebel, so it was just a case of going in and handling the international community response later.

The 2 self-proclaimed "nations" in the East are politically radioactive as well, and Russia cannot afford officially annexing them.

My sense is Russia will de facto rule the eastern parts of Ukraine with a significant Russian population for years to come. Doesn't take an actual invasion through official combat forces. The Kremlin will keep this as a so called "frozen conflict" similar to Transnistria and the West has little cards to play other than imposing sanctions. The Ukrainian govt has de facto lost control over that region years ago and they made a number of serious blunders by blocking reforms for a new federal structure and prohibiting the Russian language.