To ask how the situation will evolve re Putin and Russia?

[Chocolatefrogs]

The war in Ukraine has been going for 2 years now and Putin’s main political opponent (Alexei Navalny) has been killed by the Russian government. Russia also still has international allies who will give their support to Putin (e.g. China, India, North Korea, Syria - and the USA, if Trump wins the election later this year). Not to forget that the Russian presidential elections are coming up next month and Putin will certainly win by a landslide.

I think this all gives Putin a big opportunity to win even more power and influence - as I’m sure we’re all aware.

Having said all of this, Putin is also getting old (he’s now 71), so he obviously doesn’t have much time left in power. If Putin gets ill or dies whilst in power, I’m sure one of his many allies will take over after being primed to do so for many years. And if Putin lives for a few more years, this obviously gives him a chance to get even more powerful and perhaps more reckless.

My question is - what is Putin capable of doing over the next few months and years and what is his ultimate plan?

On the back of this, I’d also be interested to find out if anyone has any recommendations of books/podcasts/documentaries I can watch to find out more about what Putin is actually trying to achieve. I regularly listen to Radio 4 and political podcasts, but haven’t read many books yet about Russian history and politics. I do want to know more about this as my knowledge is quite limited in this so far.

From my limited understanding so far, I’ve understood that he is hellbent on expanding Russian territory and therefore its power and influence, but I realise that this expansionism is very likely only a small part of what he wants to do.

some of these predictions are so bleak. But it feels like any path forwards for the world is bleak at the moment and I just can’t see how it gets better

I think Russia will sort itself out ‘in house’ in the not too distant future.
The problem on the table right now is Israel as the lines of allies are much less clear and people have strong feelings not just on both sides but within partisan groups.
With Russia and Ukraine there are at least cohesive lines of support, Israel and Gaza are something else. it’s like the difference between a bullet and a nail bomb. Russia and western allies are engaged in conflict beyond Ukraine.

OP. There's a decent documentary on iplayer called Putin and the West

Something like 5 episodes over two series

It makes me so angry that he has got away with invading and murdering with impunity

I used to admire Russia. Now I feel nothing but disgust

‘Go back’? ! Ukraine has never been / will never be part of Russia.

Putin is awful but so is Zelensky. The US are backing a man with grim fascist tendencies. The corruption in Ukraine is huge and widespread. I expect this is the reason why many European countries are loth to throw their good money after bad, despite enormous pressure from the US. Arms sent to Ukraine are being sold on for personal profit. Zelensky among others has made a fortune. He has taken the notorious fascist Azov brigade into the Ukrainian army. He pushed through a National holiday to honour the fascist, WW2 ethnic cleanser Bandera. He gave a standing ovation to a member of the Waffen SS on his visit to Canada. His supporters in Ukraine organised pogroms against the Roma, broke up meetings to support International Women's Day, banned opposition political parties, banned trade unions and confiscated their assets, burnt to death 30 trade unionists and their families sheltering in a church in Odessa etc etc. I'm sure many European Countries who were occupied by fascists in WW2 are loth to give support to their heirs. Just because Zelenski is Jewish it does not mean he is not supporting fascists. His grandfather who fought them in WW2 must be turning in his grave. We are given very little information about what is really happening in Ukraine which is a vicious civil war each side supported by bigger players with their own agenda. A tragedy for the people of Ukraine.

It's all so depressing. In a more connected and transparent world how can this still be happening? How are Russians so blind to Putin's aims and the Navalny murder? It's it basically like NK where information is controlled by the state?
Same everywhere really- surely Gazans can see 7/10 wasn't a war against soldiers it was just young people dancing- who were probably the most sympathetic Israelis to Gaza? Yes they still support Hamas and go round shouting death to everyone whilst being bombed by their enemies and locked out by their neighbours.
Is it a case of good people doing nothing so awful people can prosper?

Sorry - I mean "Is it" and "Yet they still support Hamas..."

One can spot a Russian shrill several miles away.

Welcome to @ElizaMulvil with their spin and bending, lack of citation and distortions.
This is how fuckwits like Trump get elected.

🤣🤣🤣

You forgot nato expansion which is a shame. And biolabs. Do better

It's "loath" by the way

Oh please…..I can just smell the desperation in this post 😂😂

The quality of troll farm employees is appalling these days.

Anyone who thinks the death of Putin would bring an end to all this madness is very short sighted.

Putin is in power because he is allowed to be in power, faciliated to be in power, protected in power by the elite and very rich. He is prepared to do their bidding/his idealologies align with theirs or further their interests.

Make no mistake, if Putin suddenly cosied up to NATO he would be out of power as quick as his opponents are sent to prison.

There will be a thousand Putins in the wings ready to take his place.

As to where it all ends?

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

Failing to even do a Google search is how fuckwits get elected...

Results of a 5 minute search:

Democracy: https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-sure-doesnt-look-like-democracy-anymore-opinion-1844799

Azov: https://www.thenation.com/article/world/azov-battalion-neo-nazi/

Applause for the Waffen: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/canadian-parliament-ovation-nazi/

Corruption: https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eca/special-reports/ukraine-23-2021/en/

Yep. We'll be getting Grayzone quotes next
So transparent

Oh good, CoatRack has come to join as well, with their own brand of anti-Ukraine sentiment 😑

The West has been sending what they found in the back of the sofa to Ukraine. No long-range weapons. No aviation. No support from the sea.
If the support does not increase, Ukraine will, of course, fail (resulting in a mass genocide probably, but who cares). It will definitely not subdue Putin's ego or dissuade him from progressing further - quite the opposite.

I watched this yeaterday. Fascinating, interesting, informative
Ukraine's War: The Other Side. Sean Langan
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.itv.com/watch/ukraines-war-the-other-side/10a4423/10a4423a0001%23:~:text%3DFilmmaker%2520Sean%2520Langan%27s%2520groundbreaking%2520documentary,the%2520anniversary%2520of%2520the%2520conflict.&ved=2ahUKEwjpjJn3tsGEAxWIQEEAHZGbAhwQFnoECB4QBQ&usg=AOvVaw2kjv6dZRrWqX3CdWM3ow7V

It is happening on almost all platforms at the moment, the usual wave.

So much effort to find some opinion pieces

I do wonder if the russians were so keen on eradicating azov why they exchanged so many of them, including their leaders, for putins pal that he had pencilled in to be puppet ruler
Anyway, that post is a load of shite

Dictators/tyrants need shoe-lifts and to be constantly reassured that their willy is not that tiny, and that just because you are short, doesn't mean you have to wave your todger it at all and sundry.

This is so beautiful!!! On a serious note, so many resources have been listed in this thread, look forward to delving in.

https://www.politico.eu/article/failure-in-ukraine-will-remake-the-world-uk-and-poland-warn-deadlocked-us/

Seems like a country that was first to help Ukraine and a country that back that decision without stalling and as a result Ukraine survived the first weeks of full scale invasion are still clear about the situation.

@CatStoleMyChocolate - just to mention I’ve started to listen to Mark Galeotti’s podcasts and they are fantastic - so in-depth and informative and very accessible as well. Thank you for the recommendation!