By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Politics - If you have questions about Russia - come here! (Poll added!)

 

Di you like Russia?

Yes, I love it! 218 35.68%
 
No, I hate it. 144 23.57%
 
Russia is strange... 130 21.28%
 
Don't know yet, curious ... 67 10.97%
 
Don't know and don't care. 45 7.36%
 
Total:604
Captain_Tom on 08 March 2014
Sharu said:
Captain_Tom said:

But now it just seems like Putin has surrounded himself with "Yes-men" and has made a big mistake.  I get the Russian point of view here and I honestly think that Russia wasn't totally in the wrong when it sent troops to Crimia.  Having said that I think this will end very badly for Russia if they fully invade the Ukraine.  This will happen:

1) Russia will become locked in a costly war with a real modern military.  Yes, Russia will totally when, but it isn't like you are fighting insurgents hiding in caves anymore.  They have tanks, jets, milions of soldiers, and modern weapons.

2) America will fund the Ukrainian military and cause a prolonged war.

3) The Tartars will start an Anti-Russian insurgency

4) The Chechens will heat up their insurgency in Russia's time of weakness.

5) Some (not all) western powers will partially cripple Russia's economy.

So I guess my question is: What do you think of all this?

I study international law, and I really think Russia is in trouble this time...

1. You need military power to stay independant.
2. Amerika funding 'Ukrain independance' last 25 years at least. Nuland said you spend 5 billion dollars on it last 15 years, so nothing really changes.
3. Krimean Tatars - its not much of them. And Russian muslims  of Chechnia and Tatarstan already send its people to Crimea and as I understand some agreements between muslims have been made.
4. Currently - no. Not Chechens. Also all this Caucasian terrorism was a thing only because of a huge financial support of it from USA and Arab countires (Quatar first here).
5. Currently any sanctions against Russia will strike back to who makes this sanctions. The world became small and interconnected. Even if West will stop buying our gas and oil (which will be a suicide for EU) - we can sell it to China and don't care.


All the world is in trouble, at least last 5-6 years its obvious. We'll see what will happen when the things will happen, both you and I are small enough to influence big things like a world war.


I don't think anyone wants a world war.  What do you want out of this situation?

In my opinion Ukraine should just give up Crimia and accept that it should probably belong to Russia.



Around the Network
Putin on 08 March 2014
justinian said:
Great thread. I have visited Russia twice. Once as a tourist in 2005 for a week and for a football match at Zenit about two or so years ago.

It's history is wonderfully strange and is a hobby of mine. I also have friends from Russia so I have a ready source for any questions I may have have. One is a historical researcher, a job I envy.

However one thing puzzles me. I saw a Neo-Nazi march (or some gathering of Nazis, they were quite a few hundred of them, maybe thousands but i had had a bit to drink so maybe I was seeing double). I think it was in Moscow.

How is it this happens when the very regime they support considered Slavs to be sub-human? Isn't that like black people in the US having a KKK rally or Jews walking around with a placard of Hitler? I know there is a strong "white front" but why bring the Nazi element into it?

Isn't such things outlawed by the government considering it's bloody and personal past?

Talking of extremities I can see the neo far right gaining power in Ukraine. The guy that pretty much started the "revolution" is muslim and can possibly be considered. I can see Obama supporting him, even if just to piss off Putin.

Umm, that's what you call democracy.



dahuman on 08 March 2014
Kasz216 said:
dahuman said:

So, I had an interesting discussion with a friend a few days ago and I concluded that Europe is too small and not cut off to Asia to be an actual continent and it's actually Asia so that entire land mass should be Asia, would the Russians here agree with that? I'm just asking cause you guys are in Asia and Europe but more on the Asia side lol. I'm starting to think Europe is nothing but the tiny area's ego at this point and makes no sense on a geological sense.


If your talking pure Geology, it isn't it's own continent.

A sceintific geological model generally looks like this.

 

The only reason Europe is a continent really is because Europeons have dominated world history and affairs.

That would make sense.



Sharu on 10 March 2014
PDF said:

Can you really get vodka in your coffee at McDonalds?

Is it weird to have some of your population European and some Asian? or do you use the 5 continent structure?

Why do all bad guys have Russian accents - stolen from the daily show.

Do you believe you live in a democracy?

Edit: serious question here, I am writing a paper about detente during the cold war.  Why do you think detente of the 1970s started despite tense relationships and more importantly why did it end in the 80's.

1. No. MacDonalds is alco free. Burger King/KFC - beer only.
2. Its ok, we don't divide people on 'Asian'/'European'/'Black', we divide 'em on 'good people' and 'bad people', evrth else isn't important really.
3. You've made a small mistake in a word 'cool' in your question. ;)
4. We live in a real world. Democracy can be bad for a country and people and Tyrrany can be good for them and vece versa. We don't care about names much, mostly about the real meaning of them.

5. Detente for me was just moving war from weapons into idealogy and propaganda side. On which West sadly wins.



Sharu on 10 March 2014
SlayerRondo said:
What role did the mongol empire have in the birth of modern Russia?

A big role. For me its put together its European and Asian basis, which is good from my point of view.



Around the Network
Sharu on 10 March 2014
Muffin31190 said:

Can you give me a description of what Law's were put into place that now prevent certain right's of Homosexual's?
Why is their so much interest in the Ukraine from Russia?
As to why does Russia find it their obligation to go into a country (Ukraine) that is having a major political reform, and to go into the country with it's own Military and not diplomat's?
Also what its the average temperature there and what are your seasons like?

1. We don't have a law preventing any rights of homosexual. We have a law which prohibits gay/lesbian propaganda between children, thats all. And the penalty - is money fine. Also since the law was in place it was almost none cases of really using it. 
2. Just imagine Texas became independant. And then in 15 years somebody tells to Americans: 'Hey, why is it so much interest to Texas from USA?'. A lot of us (on both sides of a border) still feel we are the same country and same people. 
3. Ukraine currently don't have a 'political reform', it have a 'criminal rebellion'. And, aside from the bases in Crimea Russia didn't have its troops in Ukraine yet. 
4. We have a lot of different climates in Russia. I was birn in Murmansk and we have a 8 months of winter (october to may) and 1 week of summer there. So its hard, if you add polar nights and polar days, I think something close to Alaska. Now I'm in Spb - and the climate is much better here, with normal spring/summer/autemn/winter cycle.



Sharu on 10 March 2014
Figgycal said:
Why the hate for the gay people? I thought most of Russia was atheist.

Dumb question. No hate to gay. Not so atheist. 



Zarkho on 10 March 2014
Kasz216 said:
dahuman said:

So, I had an interesting discussion with a friend a few days ago and I concluded that Europe is too small and not cut off to Asia to be an actual continent and it's actually Asia so that entire land mass should be Asia, would the Russians here agree with that? I'm just asking cause you guys are in Asia and Europe but more on the Asia side lol. I'm starting to think Europe is nothing but the tiny area's ego at this point and makes no sense on a geological sense.


If your talking pure Geology, it isn't it's own continent.

A sceintific geological model generally looks like this.

 

The only reason Europe is a continent really is because Europeons have dominated world history and affairs.


It is so funny to see someone posting a "scientific geological model" and then watching Papua divided between Indonesia and Australia... Yeah, pretty "scientific". Also, if this was "scientific" Greenland would not seem to be like 1/3 of Africa.



Sharu on 10 March 2014
Nkh3 said:
Do Russians learn English in their schools or not?
Do young people know how to speek (English) or are you one of the "few"?

Yes, Russians learn English in schools, starting from the 1st year. In a lot of schools also a second foreign language is educated starting from 7-8 year of study. (I was learning Norwegean, since I was living in the North).
In fact most Russians around 30-40 years and younger more or less can write/read or speak English, but usually are to shy doing it ))
Also a sad fact...

Before the Napoleon war the most popular language in Russia was french. Then it was a huge war and Russia beat France in the end. 
Then in 30-s of 20 century the most popular foreign language in USSR was German. We all know how is it turned out.
So the fact that now English is incredibly popular in Russia makes me a bit sad now, if you continue the analogy...



Sharu on 10 March 2014

Also - you know in Russia 8th of March is a holiday, and the next day is a hangover day. So today I'm back (still have a holiday) and ready to continue the discussions! ))