Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Kallisto]

Theoretically they are handing the city over to the MoD and prepare for redeployment.

We'll see what comes of that.

Sneaking to the nearest safest airport and flying to their African holdings.

[Elder Millennial]

Sneaking to the nearest safest airport and flying to their African holdings.

Prigs might foot it, but he's not pulling his grunts out of there.

From what I read about Wagner they are a primarily light non mechanized infantry force. Good for the type of fighting in Bakhmut, but not really suitable for dealing with something like the potential upcoming Ukrainian offensive, which is predicted to be pretty heavily mechanized.

My suspicion is that they'll soon pop up around Vuhledar.

[YUPPIE]

The fact there's talk of an assassination in the works on Putin by Ukrainian officials is troubling because it's unheard of to hear a world leader of an ex-superpower be the target.

Say Putin is assassinated and Ukraine claims credit. I don't think that will make them look good on the world stage, especially in a world shifting to authoritarianism as rapidly as it has. The right-wing, especially those in the US, would go ballistic and condemn Ukraine as well as try to drop support for them.

So it's a polarizing move.

[Iphie]

The fact there's talk of an assassination in the works on Putin by Ukrainian officials is troubling because it's unheard of to hear a world leader of an ex-superpower be the target.

Say Putin is assassinated and Ukraine claims credit. I don't think that will make them look good on the world stage, especially in a world shifting to authoritarianism as rapidly as it has. The right-wing, especially those in the US, would go ballistic and condemn Ukraine as well as try to drop support for them.

So it's a polarizing move.

I mean if history is to be believed then Tito did tell Stalin to stop trying to assassinate him or he'd send one to Moscow. (and the implication was that he only needed to send 1.)

But yeah, Stalin wasn't a Leader of an ex-superpower...

[Twdft]

The fact there's talk of an assassination in the works on Putin by Ukrainian officials is troubling

If only there was a way to avoid someone coming up with such a plan...

[Elder Millennial]

Say Putin is assassinated and Ukraine claims credit.

There's exactly ZERO and I mean ZERO chance Ukraine would claim credit. Officially. They'll be a lot of trolling on Twitter and "hint hint nudge nudge wink wink" from mid level officials, but the Ukrainian government will categorically deny any involvement. Even if Zelensky personally offed Pootie, they'll still deny it.

I don't think that will make them look good on the world stage

The world won't give a single flying fuck. After some rabid screaming even the Russian's wouldn't give a fuck, they'll be too busy fighting over the ruins.

especially in a world shifting to authoritarianism as rapidly as it has.

Debatable.

The right-wing, especially those in the US, would go ballistic and condemn Ukraine as well as try to drop support for them.

The American far right and tankies are fringe loons. Everything is an excuse to drop support. There's nothing Ukraine could do or not do to change their minds. But offing Pootie might just dispell some of the cult following he has on the right.

So it's a polarizing move.

It wouldn't be. There'll be a collective sigh of relief. From Beijing to DC.

[YUPPIE]

There's exactly ZERO and I mean ZERO chance Ukraine would claim credit. Officially. They'll be a lot of trolling on Twitter and "hint hint nudge nudge wink wink" from mid level officials, but the Ukrainian government will categorically deny any involvement. Even if Zelensky personally offed Pootie, they'll still deny it.

the problem with that is with the fact they're not making it hidden they're on the prowl for Putin's life; any comment like what you described would be a trollish admittance to the deed without directly saying it.

In any case, the Russians would immediately point to the Ukrainians for Putin's death and seek all-out revenge.

[Calfredd]

the problem with that is with the fact they're not making it hidden they're on the prowl for Putin's life; any comment like what you described would be a trollish admittance to the deed without directly saying it.

In any case, the Russians would immediately point to the Ukrainians for Putin's death and seek all-out revenge.

Press [X] to doubt.

[Kallisto]

the problem with that is with the fact they're not making it hidden they're on the prowl for Putin's life; any comment like what you described would be a trollish admittance to the deed without directly saying it.

In any case, the Russians would immediately point to the Ukrainians for Putin's death and seek all-out revenge.

Or if they find him wounded on the floor the leadership will do what the Soviet leadership did when they found Stalin ill after his collapse from likely a stroke but saveable. Everyone who could call for doctors got around and basically said "Let him die." and pushed for a new direction.

[Corvus]

It's totally psyops. Paranoid pootie isn't going to be anywhere he can get offed, but he'll be worried about who in his circle might be involved.

And if he does go down, no one but a few tankies are going to shed any tears. Russia, meanwhile, will be in turmoil as there is no clear successor, which will really make the war hard to continue.

[Xarkan]

The fact there's talk of an assassination in the works on Putin by Ukrainian officials is troubling because it's unheard of to hear a world leader of an ex-superpower be the target.

Does not mean there is in fact an assassination in the works. But claiming you would kill Putin looks good in the press and who would fault Ukraine (or Georgia for that matter) for wishing the man dead?

Also it is funny in a way, Putin may realize it is most likely not true but now he has to live his life fearing another group of people will try to kill him.That is untill someone from the Duma suddenly draws a gun and kills Putin for refusing to nuke the Faroe Island or some crazy shit unrelated to anything meaningful

[Gabriel]

the problem with that is with the fact they're not making it hidden they're on the prowl for Putin's life; any comment like what you described would be a trollish admittance to the deed without directly saying it.

In any case, the Russians would immediately point to the Ukrainians for Putin's death and seek all-out revenge.

What makes you think the Russians would give a shit?

[Iphie]

What makes you think the Russians would give a shit?

Eh, there's still russians worshipping Stalin so I'm sure *some* russians will care. No one who matters obviously, but some in any case.

[YUPPIE]

What makes you think the Russians would give a shit?

I assume, like you, there is a significant portion of Russians that genuinely see Putin as some messianic figure.

News of his death at anything other than old age/illness would inspire an uproar against the West, as a result of all the propaganda and cult of personality he's cultivated throughout the century.

[Elder Millennial]

I assume, like you, there is a significant portion of Russians that genuinely see Putin as some messianic figure.

News of his death at anything other than old age/illness would inspire an uproar against the West, as a result of all the propaganda and cult of personality he's cultivated throughout the century.

He hasn't been in power for a century.

What some dumb chucklefuck out in the boonies thinks about Pootie is utterly irrelevant to what the people what actual power think, and they couldn't care less.

STOP.FANTASIZING.

If Putin died tomorrow, immolated in a ball of fire or with his throat slit, absolutely nobody relevant will give a damn.

[Milchshake]

What kind of sociopatic goblin...
Spends last week complaining that Velensky was traveling the world for support. And that Russian was not given chances by the west to assassinate him.
Spends this week complaining that Ukraine has some obscure contingency to kill Putin if the oppertunity arrises.

This person is already in the cult of Putin.

[Corvus]

Seriously, go watch the Death of Stalin. He had far more power and a far bigger cult of personality than pootie could ever dream of, and his corpse was still warm by the time he was forgotten and the power struggles began.

[Flarelaine]

Seriously, go watch the Death of Stalin. He had far more power and a far bigger cult of personality than pootie could ever dream of, and his corpse was still warm by the time he was forgotten and the power struggles began.

Those power struggles never ceased for a moment. They never do around paranoid dictators. You cannot stop digging up dirt on others because you can bet they're digging up dirt on you.

[Gorsameth]

the problem with that is with the fact they're not making it hidden they're on the prowl for Putin's life; any comment like what you described would be a trollish admittance to the deed without directly saying it.

Congratulations, your learning how international diplomacy works.

Everyone knows you did it, everyone knows your lying when you deny it and yet everyone will go along with the show.

[Nymrohd]

Those power struggles never ceased for a moment. They never do around paranoid dictators. You cannot stop digging up dirt on others because you can bet they're digging up dirt on you.

And by digging you mean planting or simply making it up and whispering it to enough ears that everyone thinks it is true.

- - - Updated - - -

Congratulations, your learning how international diplomacy works.

Everyone knows you did it, everyone knows your lying when you deny it and yet everyone will go along with the show.

To be fair, that's how Russia does international diplomacy and why very few other states ever trusted them. Killing an enemy state leader is not a good idea. Not even implying you are planning to do it is a good idea. Imo it is absolutely morally right to kill an enemy state leader who conducts and unjustified war against your country; the moment a war starts the enemy government is imo NOT civilians targets if they are part of the command structure. If it is ok to kill a conscript who very likely had no choice in the matter (not everyone can flee, it takes money), it should be OK to kill the person who ordered him there. But the problem is, it gets people antsy. By that reasoning and moral standard, it should have been equally OK to assassinate several Western leaders in recent history. And that is not a precedent they'd want to argue for.