lowenz on 10/3/2022 at 01:10
Years? For the "shameless daughter" of Mother Russia?
Putin is not that man. 1 or 2 months or *destruction* and I mean tabula rasa
baeuchlein on 10/3/2022 at 03:40
Quote Posted by faetal
Even if Putin himself is insane enough to press the button, can he even do that unilaterally?
If not, I'd say there's a good chance he'll get Theon Greyjoy'd by his own generals.
A few days ago I read an article saying that the code to use nuclear weapons in Russia is distributed in parts among three people, one of them being the President. If one of them does not agree, the weapons cannot be used. And some more people are actually required to set things in motion. About 10 people, the article said, are really required to start a nuclear strike from Russia. Hopefully, this is right (or there are even more people required to do it, further reducing the chance of the worst happening).
demagogue on 10/3/2022 at 05:51
I'm not so worried about them actually being used so much as things getting dysfunctional colored by the nominal threat that they could be used ... Like you're already talking about, bureaucrats and generals conspiring on ways to marginalize Putin if he gets extreme ideas in his head & the chaos that that could unleash. The story that's leaking out is that he's backing himself into a corner, and if he has any talent at all it's a ruthless survival instinct.
Edit: Oh another footnote on this I've been reading about... The 1994 Budapest Memorandum was the agreement where all signatories, including Russia, agreed to respect the territorial integrity of states giving up their nuclear weapons stockpile (Ukraine, Kazakhstan & Belarus) in return. A sad fact to realize is that there's no way in hell Russia would have invaded Ukraine if it still had its nuclear stockpile. Agreements & obligations evidently mean nothing; nukes mean you don't get colonized. Who's going to agree to give up nuclear weapons after something like this?
nemyax on 10/3/2022 at 10:29
Quote Posted by Nicker
I don't think that the oligarchs who Putin shills for want to sail their mega yachts around a smoldering cinder, fighting mutant pirates. They won't let him nuke.
They have no say in this. You have it backwards — they are the pets not the puppet masters. Yours is a very common misconception about how things work (for want of a better word) in Russia.
Briareos H on 10/3/2022 at 11:34
Quote Posted by demagogue
I'm not so worried about them actually being used so much as things getting dysfunctional colored by the nominal threat that they could be used ...
I'm genuinely worried about them, I see a non-zero chance that with enough internal support and backed into a corner, Putin could use the time-tested technique of planting a nonexistent menace such as NATO chemical/bioweapon labs or militias ready to detonate a dirty bomb on Ukrainian territory to justify a reaction so disproportionate and terrifying that western support and intervention would instantly freeze.
I truly hope I'm exaggerating the threat.
lowenz on 10/3/2022 at 12:13
Well, someone realizes it's the same situation of the Romanov family and old russian nobility.
Someone in those "patriotic" (the fastists are the others!!!111) circle like Izborskii simply wants the shameless daughter (Ukraine) back. She has a NAZI lover! And american JUNKIES friends!
NATO (real) "provocations" are the perfectly "West-like" excuses.
Lavrov today: "european patriot missiles are very dangerous, they can take down european aircrafts too if misused at the end of the war" .............................what END? There's NO END other than Russia choking and nuclear answer.
lowenz on 10/3/2022 at 12:18
Quote Posted by Briareos H
to detonate a dirty bomb on Ukrainian territory to justify a reaction so disproportionate and terrifying that western support and intervention would instantly freeze.
That's possible in the next weeks or months. Or something like the plane (Malaysia Airlines 17) in 2014.
More and more weeks and months pass and sanctions destroy russian next 100 years the "solution" is not a dirty nuclear bomb as a trick, it's the something more and NOT as a trick.
lowenz on 10/3/2022 at 12:40
That's a real hero of Russia, not today imperialist "patriots".....parrots.
And like real heroes let dying poor and alone.
Quote Posted by demagogue
Who's going to agree to give up nuclear weapons after something like this?
Who's going to agree to *NOT*
use them if they're the *only real* deterrent.....it's self-contradictory. It's an elegant lie.
rachel on 10/3/2022 at 14:03
Goddammit, merge your fucking posts, dude.
