Bemused Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel confronted by topless Femen protester

[obdigore]

Oh no, not respected? Whatever shall I do?

Either way, they still desecrated a holodomor memorial for no reason beyond their deluded agenda.

Well if you are trying to make people see your viewpoint and agree with you, attempting to ridicule the way someone looks isn't a good way to go about it. Unless you are just throwing shit to see what sticks because you don't have any actual issues you can bring up bout them.

[Cybran]

Any sources for that? Apart useless western propaganda?

http://rumafia.com/news.php?id=254

According to Erindzher, Sotrama was part of oil trade network set up all across Europe by the Russian leader and his confidants. The aim of this network’s existence was to assist in money laundering of funds embezzled from the federal budged through investments in real estate in Europe.
According to a Spanish lawyer, Pablo Sebastian, Skigin knew Vladimir Putin who, being chairman of the St. Petersburg City Hall Committee on External Relations, registered a number of companies owned by Skigin. According to Erindzher, Putin was linked not only to Sotrama but also to a network of similar companies in Europe. The police documents also mention the name of Gennady Timchenko, a good friend of Vladimir Putin and co-owner of Gunvor, a company dealing in export of Russian oil.

It's common knowledge. He is a dictator, but he stands up to western pressure. Russia is far better off than in the 90s, but he is still a criminal.

[Deleted]

It's common knowledge. He is a dictator, but he stands up to western pressure. Russia is far better off than in the 90s, but he is still a criminal.

On the other hand, it would be difficult to be worse off than Russia was in the 90s without the country actually descending into a civil war. The fact that Russia exists at all nowadays kinda implies they are better off than in the 90s.

[Deleted]

I think the best pictures are from here:

http://www.euronews.com/2013/04/08/f...hanover-messe/

Everyone's faces are priceless! It's a perfect "WTF!" moment from our esteemed leaders. And the only reason I didn't post the images directly is because the last thing I want to do is be accidentally banned for even a hint of nudity.

FEMEN are definitely making waves at the moment...

[Deleted]

http://rumafia.com/news.php?id=254


It's common knowledge. He is a dictator, but he stands up to western pressure. Russia is far better off than in the 90s, but he is still a criminal.

No it's not "common knowledge". It's "common knowledge" for who reads stuff without applying the oh-so-important critical thinking.
There is no easy way to pick up, and run a country in the state russia was in the early 90's. the only fact that russia has a spot in the economical talks nowadays is a proof of good leadership.
Look at the way the european union is led. it might even go as far as disappear on the next few years, and it surely didnt have half of the issues russia had.
You cannot judge someone else with the standards we have in the west.

[Sky High]

ah ha, goes to show even if she hates you and is insulting you (rightfully so)......BOOOBS

[Deleted]

No it's not "common knowledge". It's "common knowledge" for who reads stuff without applying the oh-so-important critical thinking.
There is no easy way to pick up, and run a country in the state russia was in the early 90's. the only fact that russia has a spot in the economical talks nowadays is a proof of good leadership.
Look at the way the european union is led. it might even go as far as disappear on the next few years, and it surely didnt have half of the issues russia had.
You cannot judge someone else with the standards we have in the west.

Great critical thinking there.
So there is no easy way to pick up a country in that situation... but that's exactly what Putin did: the easy way. Get the allegiance of the army and run the country in an authoritarian way, by stroking the hurt nationalistic pride of the Russians after the loss of the Soviet empire.

I am quite certain that if Russia had split into several states, as the EU has a very minuscle chance of doing, the citizens would overall have benefitted, instead of running along with Putin's imperialistic madness.

"The standads we have in the west"... that sounds so much like "democracy Russian style". I see where you are taking your notes from.

[Cybran]

You cannot judge someone else with the standards we have in the west.

I am not from the west. I am judging him on first hand experience with "Perestroika". He is a typical "transitional period criminal" which means he made his millions with KGB connections, protection of criminals and robbing his country blind.

[Mithfin]

http://rumafia.com/news.php?id=254


It's common knowledge. He is a dictator, but he stands up to western pressure. Russia is far better off than in the 90s, but he is still a criminal.

Mate. Any source you provide will be discarded as "western propaganda". Don't you know these people?

Also, etymology of his name most likely is *pǫto -> пѫто -> пута/путы -> Путин. This slavic word stem means "hobble" or "shackle". Quite funny, then you come to think of it.

[Sky High]

Great critical thinking there.
So there is no easy way to pick up a country in that situation... but that's exactly what Putin did: the easy way. Get the allegiance of the army and run the country in an authoritarian way, by stroking the hurt nationalistic pride of the Russians after the loss of the Soviet empire.

I am quite certain that if Russia had split into several states, as the EU has a very minuscle chance of doing, the citizens would overall have benefitted, instead of running along with Putin's imperialistic madness.

that, really does sum up how Putin runs things. he has made himself inches away from the supreme lord of russia thanks to recent legislation that allows him to personally pick lower level office members, like those at the local and state level. and indeed he really has gotten away with it by churning up old fashioned nationalistic bullshit.

[Mithfin]

No it's not "common knowledge". It's "common knowledge" for who reads stuff without applying the oh-so-important critical thinking.
There is no easy way to pick up, and run a country in the state russia was in the early 90's. the only fact that russia has a spot in the economical talks nowadays is a proof of good leadership.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...svg?uselang=ru

Behold, the source of "good leadership".

[Arlon]

If i ever thought of the worst way to protest, it would probably be sending naked crazy girls infront a somewhat authoritarian leader. That said, Putin might be a crook, but hes the best crook there to run Russia in a beneficial way. There ain´t exactly any other attractive choices there.

[zorkuus]

Is he giving a thumbs up or is he trying to grap her nipples?

[Ravenblade]

I am not from the west. I am judging him on first hand experience with "Perestroika". He is a typical "transitional period criminal" which means he made his millions with KGB connections, protection of criminals and robbing his country blind.

I remember those times. But for me perestroika is connected with Gorbachev. I also remember the times after. I don't believe any side can point fingers without having the pot calling the kettle black. But it is possible that due to his connections as KGB officer he made out quite the living. In fact most of Russia's rich and influential people did not get their money the legit way. It was impossible to do so anyway if you consider that all property was state-owned. Privatization happened largely on insider deal basis as was the case in East Germany as well, a lot Stasi officers made out quite living by using the inexperienced apparatus as puppets for their own purposes.

Putin is a very shrewd and situationally aware politician in contrast to his oaf-like predecessor Yeltsin. As mentioned he has has been a KGB officer in Dresden for years. To be honest I've never heard of his connections in detail before but I've always suspected it and it is highly imaginable considering the times. His connections to German companies and politicians were legendary before, so were his rhetorical skills - he speaks German fluently and with Saxonian dialect by the way and he has also been dubbed "flawless democrat" by one of our most thatcherist chancellors (Schröder) who also appears to be a very very...very close friend of Putin still so close that he's chairman of a Gazprom daughter now. Putin was probably also the guy who arranged the adoption of two Russian children for our ex-chancellor. To be honest it all depends on how he's dealing with opposition forces in the long run - in a recent interview with a German TV station Phoenix he said he kind of agreed that opposition is needed. [Transcript][The original interview which made quite the news here]

His companion and subordinate Medvedev said Russia's democracy cannot be judged as one before waiting at least 100 years, says a lot about their mentality on this issues. Completely incompatible with anything the West has in mind. Still as a European you can't just simply cut ties to a neighbour like Russia especially when history is literally linked with it. You can be critical about it but you can't really go full antagonistic against them, as with China there's too many economical and political ties as well to do that. As long as you speak up about it - which Mrs. Merkel is actually doing again and again - you're showing that you are not kowtowing over the sound of bling!.

[Deleted]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...svg?uselang=ru

Behold, the source of "good leadership".

Do you guys really think he hasn't done well for Russia as a nation?
The country was on the brink of total collapse, and now it stands amongst the rest. Sure personal liberties and society as a whole might not be perfect (I personally wouldn't live there) but hey they don't come from the 50 years of economic growth and social stability (more or less) that we had.
Thinking he's a bad leader because his country doesn't support the social liberties that we do in the west is silly. In the last 20 years I think he had much more serious issues to face. Like a collapsing economy and failed system.

Everything starts off economical stability, you can't have anything unless you take care of that. And we can all agree, I think, that he did his part there.

[Mouri Kogorou]

http://rumafia.com/news.php?id=254


It's common knowledge. He is a dictator, but he stands up to western pressure. Russia is far better off than in the 90s, but he is still a criminal.

It is hard to find an important politician who is not criminal.

On topic, putin reaction is epic. I bet he wantednto touch dem boobies.

[Deleted]

Do you guys really think he hasn't done well for Russia as a nation?
The country was on the brink of total collapse, and now it stands amongst the rest. Sure personal liberties and society as a whole might not be perfect (I personally wouldn't live there) but hey they don't come from the 50 years of economic growth and social stability (more or less) that we had.
Thinking he's a bad leader because his country doesn't support the social liberties that we do in the west is silly. In the last 20 years I think he had much more serious issues to face. Like a collapsing economy and failed system.

Everything starts off economical stability, you can't have anything unless you take care of that. And we can all agree, I think, that he did his part there.

He did far less than most other transition countries did. For all the lack of personal liberties, the country doesn't seem to have a problem with a lack of criminal liberties. The country has a corruption rating similar to that of African countries - it's pathetic ( http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2012/results/ ). 13 years and nothing has changed.

The financial sector is highly underdeveloped compared to other BRICS. It has the largest GDP per Capita of the group, yet credit is very expensive because the whole system is dominated by state banks that are run by crony, criminal friends of Putin.

A third of the budget is dependent on oil and gas prices. So when there's a sharp drop, like in 2009 the country suffers a 9% contraction. That is because other types of business are not allowed to flourish due to the lack of anything closely resembling a functioning legal rights system. Even Nigeria and Saudi Arabia didn't get hit as hard, because actually other businesses are growing there.

He did stabilize the country. There is absolutely nothing spectacular in that. Contrary to popular belief, it's not hard to manage an economy, it's actually pretty damn simple as long as you are somewhat honest and enforce rule of law which actually protects citizens from fraud, and not solely your seat as the Czar of Moscow.

[Deleted]

Do you guys really think he hasn't done well for Russia as a nation?

If you think that the Russian nation is Putin and the Oligarchs, then yes, he has done very well for Russia as a nation.

The country was on the brink of total collapse, and now it stands amongst the rest. Sure personal liberties and society as a whole might not be perfect (I personally wouldn't live there)

The Soviet Union wasn't a terrible place for social liberties. Yes, they didn't have much political freedom, and less economic freedom than we do... but they have even less now! So Russia has actually involutioned on that regard.

but hey they don't come from the 50 years of economic growth and social stability (more or less) that we had.

In fact, Gorvachov's reforms had worked extremely well. Soviet economy had recovered thanks to opening the economy, and it was heading towards a great economic expansion, just the same as the Chinese had when they opened their economy (and which hasn't finished yet).


Yeltsin smashed the economy so he and his cronies/family could become rich selling the pieces. Putin continued the tradition, but while he didn't have the aura of "revolutionary hero" Yeltsin had, he had the image of a strong man who believed in patriotic values. Soon he deepened that image to become some kind of "war hero" and perpetuate himself in power.

[Deleted]

Mate. Any source you provide will be discarded as "western propaganda". Don't you know these people?

Also, etymology of his name most likely is *pǫto -> пѫто -> пута/путы -> Путин. This slavic word stem means "hobble" or "shackle". Quite funny, then you come to think of it.

Who are "these people"?

On topic: it's actually not that bad, as a way of getting your message across. Boobs always sell, we all know that. Works fine if you're selling an energy drink. Not much effective for their purpose but hey... It's a free world aint it.

[Deleted]

Who are "these people"?

I'd assume he means "Putin fangirls".