General Russian foreign entanglements thread

[T.Lex]

Another list, from the Sun (so make of this what you will) presents countries who they think will boycott the World Cup to be held in Russia this year.

They are: Poland, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Australia and Japan.

Interestingly, England hasn't actually said whether they will boycott.

Prophetically, the American players started boycotting the World Cup last year.

ETA:
Wait. I misunderstood. The governments are boycotting. That is, they aren't sending emissaries. The team are still scheduled to compete.

Unlike the US team.

And the joke in the original version of the post still works.

 

[SheepDog4Life]

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/03/clinton-russia-collusion-evidence/

Private interests that closed deals with Vladimir Putin and his agents — thanks to then–secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s public favors — gave the Clinton Foundation between $152 million and $173 million.

Business as usual... ignore the 800-lb gorilla in the room while looking for "Russian collusion".

 

[T.Lex]

Putting this here because I think it is a direct response to Russia's efforts for an Eastern Europe sphere of influence.
Poland signs $4.75bn deal to buy US Patriot missiles - BBC News

Yep. That's right. Trump is selling Poland almost $5B in Patriot missile tech.

I absolutely love this move.

Now, there's a real chance this turns into the tragedy of sending F-14s to Iran. That would suck for years to come.

But, if it doesn't, it is a solidification of one relationship right on their doorstep. And, there's a trickle down in that part of the world, where other former Warsaw Pact countries will be hopeful of our role in helping them.

In terms of foreign policy, Trump is FAR exceeding Obama IMHO. Sure, there have been some stumbles. And, that isn't a very high hurdle. But, it is progress in the right direction.

 

[T.Lex]

Reports that the nerve agent was spread on the front door.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/29/ex-russian-spy-skripal-poisoned-by-nerve-agent-on-door-of-home.html

"We believe the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door," said Dean Haydon, Britain's' senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing.
"Specialists have identified the highest concentration of the nerve agent, to date, as being on the front door of the address," Scotland Yard said in a statement.

 

[T.Lex]

Russian spy: Yulia Skripal 'improving rapidly' - BBC News

Yulia Skripal improving and no longer in "critical" condition. That's good news.

 

[T.Lex]

Russia is now expelling 60 of our diplomats and closing our St. Petersburg consulate.

 

[T.Lex]

Is Russia arming the Afghan Taliban? - BBC News

US accusing Russia of helping Taliban.

Couple things:
- If true, this shows Russia is more involved in a multi-front proxy war on us that previously reported.
- We're doing the same thing to them.

Oh, and the western media is milking the test of the new Satan 2 missile.

Oceania, Eurasia, Eastasia.

 

[T.Lex]

Russia threatens sanctions over Latvian language in schools - BBC News

Looks like Latvia could get... Ukrained? Crimea'd? Georgia'd? Ossetia'd and Abkhazia'd?

Annexed.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

Russia threatens sanctions over Latvian language in schools - BBC News

Looks like Latvia could get... Ukrained? Crimea'd? Georgia'd? Ossetia'd and Abkhazia'd?

Annexed.

With Latvia being a NATO member, that would be a new level of boldness from the Russians. If the Russians make the same moves, I could see things getting sporty.

 

[T.Lex]

Looks like Britain's politicians were a bit fast and loose with what the scientists were saying about where the agent originated from. Well, the scientists can say the category of agents known as "novichok" originated in Russia. They likely then said something about how there's no way to know what specific lab the specific substance used in the Skripal attack came from, but Russia developed these agents and has tested them.

Upon listening to a report like that, a politician like Boris Johnson hears, "We can unequivocally say that Russia did this." So that's what he said publicly.

Most people familiar with how this stuff works knows that it isn't strictly true. The science is just one part of the overall intelligence picture. They probably have other sources and means that link it to Russia, but they can't come out and say what those are.

Which leaves room for Russia to deny and point to the mischaracterizations of what the scientists said to discredit Britain.

This is going to keep getting bumpy.

 

[Trigger Time]

War with Russia... I'm ok with this

 

[T.Lex]

War with Russia... I'm ok with this

Wait. Whut?

Like, cyber war? Proxy war? SpecOps like Delta Force v. Spetsnaz?

Now you have me curious where you think such a war would be fought.

 

[SheepDog4Life]

Maybe we need to try the "reset button" again. That was so well thought out and worked so well the last time.

 

[T.Lex]

If Trump knows one thing well, it is how to overcharge for something.

 

[T.Lex]

BBC reporting that Russian news has released a recorded phone call with Yulia Skripal in which she says everything is fine and that there's no irreparable damage. She's talking to her cousin, who has figured prominently in reporting (especially Russian) recently.

Russian TV airs 'Yulia Skripal phone call' - BBC News

Alleged Yulia: Everything is ok. He is resting now, having a sleep. Everyone's health is fine, there are no irreparable things. I will be discharged soon. Everything is ok.

 

[jbombelli]

I once colluded with a Russian girl. Her name was Mila. We also got entangled for a bit.

Wait, is that not what this thread is about?

 

[Kutnupe14]

I once colluded with a Russian girl. Her name was Mila. We also got entangled for a bit.

Wait, is that not what this thread is about?

Meh, I bet she was Romanian, and she just tricked you because you looked like you had a lot of bread.... and I'm talking actual bread. I hope you checked your cabinets afterwards. Actually, now that I think about it, you might want to see if you still have two kidneys.

 

[jbombelli]

Meh, I bet she was Romanian, and she just tricked you because you looked like you had a lot of bread.... and I'm talking actual bread. I hope you checked your cabinets afterwards. Actually, now that I think about it, you might want to see if you still have two kidneys.

No, she was actually Russian. She grew up in Moscow and came here shortly after the wall came down. I met her when I put an alternator in her El Camino. She later gave me a haircut and recognized me, so thats how we hooked up.
I've not seen her in a long time now, but back in the early 90s she loved it here. She worked hard, learned English, and was working toward citizenship. I'm sure she earned it.

 

[T.Lex]

So, some sad news: Skripal's cat and guinea pigs appear to have died.

Which is a bit awkward, because UK authorities had previously said that they were ok and being cared for. Turns out, the guinea pigs may have starved to death, although the cat was euthanized because it was in a "distressed state."

Russia had been making a big deal out of the pets, saying that if the nerve agent had been at their home, then the pets would've been affected. Putin will make a big deal out of the UK basically killing these pets, probably with the implicit accusation that the Brits tried to kill the Skripals.

 

[T.Lex]

Russian spy poisoning: Sergei Skripal 'improving rapidly' - BBC News

Sergei Skripal improving, no longer in "critical" condition.