Eastern Europe: Olivier's sphere of influence

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HUGE PUBES A PLUS: Apr 30, 2005

https://twitter.com/fleischer_p/status/739398378585522176

quote:

The UN has reported that across the Russian-Ukrainian border, Russian troops moved. It said the UN Human Rights Speaker Ravina Shamdasani, reports Voice of America .

Shamdasani said that the Organization concerned about the increasing number of heavy military equipment near the demarcation line in the Donbass.

"We have received credible reports on the movement of Russian troops across the border -.. Both on the territory of Ukraine, and with the territory This also applies to heavy weaponry And we are talking about quite reliable reports", - said the representative of the United Nations.

On the eve of Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia will not agree to the deployment of the OSCE mission to uncontrolled armed authorities of Ukraine border area of the Russian Federation and Ukraine in the Donbass.

Recent shelling and 7 wounded overnight too.

# ? Jun 5, 2016 11:19

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# ? May 10, 2024 06:27

Libluini: May 18, 2012; I gravitated towards the Greens, eventually even joining the party itself.

The Linke is a party I grudgingly accept exists, but I've learned enough about DDR-history I can't bring myself to trust a party that was once the SED, a party leading the corrupt state apparatus ...; Grimey Drawer

HUGE PUBES A PLUS posted:

https://twitter.com/fleischer_p/status/739398378585522176

Recent shelling and 7 wounded overnight too.

Man, and just recently I read a Spiegel-article claiming there were secret talks to reduce the sanctions on Russia. The talks weren't going anywhere, though. The Russian side never moved one inch from their position, so there was no way of creating a compromise the governments of France and Germany could live with. (Those two were directly mentioned, could be others were involved too, or I may have skimmed over some of the smaller, less important countries in the article.)

And now this. Looks like Russia decided it really loves sanctions and wants more of them.

# ? Jun 5, 2016 12:03

HUGE PUBES A PLUS: Apr 30, 2005

That with Russian troops moving to the Belarusian border makes me think this is part of their response to Poland and Romania getting the missile defense they've been demanding for a decade.

# ? Jun 5, 2016 12:46

HUGE PUBES A PLUS: Apr 30, 2005

Russia's top three enemies according to this article are the US, Ukraine and Turkey. Russia's bff is Belarus.

http://estonianworld.com/security/estonia-scores-ninth-russias-top-enemies-list/

# ? Jun 5, 2016 13:56

TROIKA CURES GREEK: Jun 30, 2015; by R. Guyovich

Palpek posted:

Not eating meat is against traditional [enter an Eastern European country here] values.

Not sure if you were joking but this is pretty much the truth, meat is an integral part of the cuisine and culture in many EE countries- it's probably the hardest place on earth to be vegan. In many areas they won't even understand the concept. The closest comparison in the US would be something like turkey for thanksgiving but honestly the comparison is completely lacking in magnitude and scale. It can be legitimately hard to feel a part of those countries' culture if you are vegan.

But really it's not just meat- cheese and yogurts are staple, almost essential foods in many eastern eurpean countries like greece or Bulgaria. Vegan friends who traveled in EE just gave up at most points, they stayed non-meat but it can be nearly impossible to avoid the dairy or meat by-product side of things in less populated areas.

# ? Jun 5, 2016 17:19

Nenonen: Oct 22, 2009; Mulla on aina kolkyt donaa taskussa

HUGE PUBES A PLUS posted:

Russia's top three enemies according to this article are the US, Ukraine and Turkey. Russia's bff is Belarus.

http://estonianworld.com/security/estonia-scores-ninth-russias-top-enemies-list/

I shall take pride in EU representing 6/10 of Russia's worst enemies before Brexit happens!

Interesting though that 5 of the 'worst enemies' (plus one Warsaw Pact country) and 6 of the 'best buddies' are former Soviet republics. Keeps friends close, enemies even closer?

# ? Jun 5, 2016 19:35

Doctor Malaver: May 23, 2007; Ce qui s'est pass� t'a rendu plus fort

TROIKA CURES GREEK posted:

Not sure if you were joking but this is pretty much the truth, meat is an integral part of the cuisine and culture in many EE countries- it's probably the hardest place on earth to be vegan. In many areas they won't even understand the concept. The closest comparison in the US would be something like turkey for thanksgiving but honestly the comparison is completely lacking in magnitude and scale. It can be legitimately hard to feel a part of those countries' culture if you are vegan.

But really it's not just meat- cheese and yogurts are staple, almost essential foods in many eastern eurpean countries like greece or Bulgaria. Vegan friends who traveled in EE just gave up at most points, they stayed non-meat but it can be nearly impossible to avoid the dairy or meat by-product side of things in less populated areas.

My vegetarian friend found it even harder to be vegetarian in Argentina. She would ask for no meat and they would give her less meat. My travels there confirm that. While vegetable stews might not be the most popular food here in EE at least they are well known. In Argentina the concept of a dish without meat is alien.

# ? Jun 5, 2016 21:40

OddObserver: Apr 3, 2009

Nenonen posted:

Keeps friends close, enemies even closer?

Nah, that'd be because they are for some reason ungrateful for all the civilizing the Russians burdened themselves with on their behalf.

# ? Jun 5, 2016 21:48

steinrokkan: Apr 2, 2011; Soiled Meat

Nenonen posted:

I shall take pride in EU representing 6/10 of Russia's worst enemies before Brexit happens!

Interesting though that 5 of the 'worst enemies' (plus one Warsaw Pact country) and 6 of the 'best buddies' are former Soviet republics. Keeps friends close, enemies even closer?

Bullying small, poor countries is easy. Taking on proper states with some weight behind them would just burn down Putin's paper castles.

# ? Jun 5, 2016 23:03

Palpek: Dec 27, 2008; Do you feel it, Zach?
My coffee warned me about it.

TROIKA CURES GREEK posted:

Not sure if you were joking but this is pretty much the truth, meat is an integral part of the cuisine and culture in many EE countries- it's probably the hardest place on earth to be vegan. In many areas they won't even understand the concept. The closest comparison in the US would be something like turkey for thanksgiving but honestly the comparison is completely lacking in magnitude and scale. It can be legitimately hard to feel a part of those countries' culture if you are vegan.

But really it's not just meat- cheese and yogurts are staple, almost essential foods in many eastern eurpean countries like greece or Bulgaria. Vegan friends who traveled in EE just gave up at most points, they stayed non-meat but it can be nearly impossible to avoid the dairy or meat by-product side of things in less populated areas.

The joke was that the Polish minister commented that clean energy, vegetarianism and riding a bicycle among other things are against Polish traditional values. He's a tremendous idiot. Also while traditional cuisine is full of meat it still has plenty of vegetarian dishes (not that many vegan ones of course) so he's doubly full of poo poo.

Having lived in a big city in Poland with some vegan friends I see it differently though. There are not many options in small towns or villages I agree but big cities are different and offer vegan restaurants as well as specialized shops. I won't be commenting on how it's further east as being Polish I wouldn't claim I know how it is in other EE countries not having lived in them.

# ? Jun 5, 2016 23:17

Young Freud: Nov 26, 2006

Libluini posted:

Man, and just recently I read a Spiegel-article claiming there were secret talks to reduce the sanctions on Russia. The talks weren't going anywhere, though. The Russian side never moved one inch from their position, so there was no way of creating a compromise the governments of France and Germany could live with. (Those two were directly mentioned, could be others were involved too, or I may have skimmed over some of the smaller, less important countries in the article.)

And now this. Looks like Russia decided it really loves sanctions and wants more of them.

They are likely counting on a Trump win to have America lift sanctions and extricate itself from European affairs.

# ? Jun 6, 2016 03:07

cinci zoo sniper: Mar 15, 2013

Kiselyov

Notoriously vocal scumbag TV host from Russia ends Crimea segment of news episode with "and let's return back to Russia".

# ? Jun 6, 2016 18:19

Deteriorata: Feb 6, 2005

MH17 crash: Big Buk missile part found in Ukraine

quote:

International investigators have published a photo of a large Buk missile component found at the MH17 airliner crash site eastern Ukraine.

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) image shows a "Venturi", which emits propellant gases, like a car exhaust.

# ? Jun 7, 2016 01:05

chitoryu12: Apr 24, 2014

Not the caterpillars!

quote:

Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) has uncovered a plot between the top managers of Ukraine's largest tractor plant in Kharkiv and the plant's Russian owners, who ordered a foundry shop's equipment and unique blueprints be taken to Russia, according to the SBU's press service, UNIAN reports.

"The plant's director general who was appointed in March 2016 has already conducted preparations for dismantling, as was ordered by Kharkiv tractor plant's Russian owners, for further withdrawal of the equipment of the foundry shop to Russia. Technical documents and blueprints of the plant's produce have also been prepared for shipment abroad," the SBU said.

# ? Jun 7, 2016 02:09

Arglebargle III: Feb 21, 2006

That does sound like a major industry being shipped to Russia Stalin style.

# ? Jun 7, 2016 06:03

AceRimmer: Mar 18, 2009

I hope that Ukranian leaders realize that they must not allow a tractor gap! :belarus:

# ? Jun 7, 2016 06:42

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Deteriorata posted:

MH17 crash: Big Buk missile part found in Ukraine

It seems a lot of media missed that this photo, and other Buk remains, were already published last October in the DSB. The MH17 Truthers now claim the nozzle image being treated as new is all part of the MH17 conspiracy.

# ? Jun 7, 2016 07:30

Arglebargle III: Feb 21, 2006

AceRimmer posted:

I hope that Ukranian leaders realize that they must not allow a tractor gap!

Capital transfer to a country under sanctions for an ongoing occupation of one's own territory seems a legitimate thing to block, especially in heavy industry. Right? I mean you'd think they'd nix this deal if it was toys, but tracked vehicles?

# ? Jun 7, 2016 07:46

woodenchicken: Aug 19, 2007; Nap Ghost

kalstrams posted:

Kiselyov

Notoriously vocal scumbag TV host from Russia ends Crimea segment of news episode with "and let's return back to Russia".

Do I smell a prison sentence for Reunification denial? I hope the police were watching TV that day.

# ? Jun 7, 2016 09:01

Nenonen: Oct 22, 2009; Mulla on aina kolkyt donaa taskussa

Arglebargle III posted:

That does sound like a major industry being shipped to Russia Stalin style.

Or it could be Ukrainian government securing (nationalizing) a strategic asset owned by a Russian company.

# ? Jun 7, 2016 10:27

cinci zoo sniper: Mar 15, 2013

woodenchicken posted:

Do I smell a prison sentence for Reunification denial? I hope the police were watching TV that day.

Nah, he was all limbs for the "Reunification", this just shows how much he actually believes it, if anyone did wonder about it to begin with.

# ? Jun 8, 2016 22:29

ass struggle: Dec 25, 2012; by Athanatos

So what's the poo poo on the arrest of those would be euro16 attackers? Some people have suggested the Ukrainian SBU entrapped them to earn a good favor with the EU.

# ? Jun 9, 2016 17:34

Young Freud: Nov 26, 2006

Apparently Medvedev told an elderly pensioner there was "no more money" to pay pensions . In front of TV cameras. Russian social media has gone apeshit.

# ? Jun 9, 2016 18:25

OddObserver: Apr 3, 2009

Young Freud posted:

Apparently Medvedev told an elderly pensioner there was "no more money" to pay pensions . In front of TV cameras. Russian social media has gone apeshit.

He did that in Crimea like a week ago....
(Also told them to "hang in there").

# ? Jun 9, 2016 18:46

Paladinus: Jan 11, 2014; heyHEYYYY!!!

Young Freud posted:

Apparently Medvedev told an elderly pensioner there was "no more money" to pay pensions . In front of TV cameras. Russian social media has gone apeshit.

It's happened quite a while ago. Basically he said to a Crimean lady, when asked about small pensions, that their pensions are on the same level with the rest of Russia, and there's money to raise pensions for everyone, Crimeans will also have the raise. So it's slightly more nuanced than just him saying there's no money to pay pensions full stop, but he's phrased it in a somewhat dismissive and highly memetic way.

# ? Jun 9, 2016 18:54

OddObserver: Apr 3, 2009

Of course, they do have money for the defense budget increases....

# ? Jun 9, 2016 18:58

Runaktla: Feb 21, 2007; by Hand Knit

OddObserver posted:

Of course, they do have money for the defense budget increases....

United States Republican Party perspective right here.

# ? Jun 9, 2016 20:36

woodenchicken: Aug 19, 2007; Nap Ghost

You don't get it, the military spending will jump start the economy! Somehow!

# ? Jun 9, 2016 21:08

OddObserver: Apr 3, 2009

woodenchicken posted:

You don't get it, the military spending will jump start the economy! Somehow!

Given the way those things work in Russia, the main thing it will be jump-starting will be the luxury real estate business in London.

OddObserver fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Jun 9, 2016

# ? Jun 9, 2016 21:17

A Pale Horse: Jul 29, 2007

PiS is going full Putin.

http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/06/10/now-polands-government-is-coming-after-the-internet/

quote:

"Yesterday, you were defending thieves; today, you�re defending terrorists.� With these words, uttered early this morning, the leader of Poland�s ruling conservative party silenced the parliamentary opposition. Not five minutes later, Poland had a new counterterrorism law � the terms of which go beyond what most of the democratic world has thus far seen.

The bill establishes a battery of eyebrow-raising security regulations that limit freedom of assembly in vaguely defined crisis situations and allow for the arbitrary detention and surveillance of foreign citizens. In the digital realm, it gives the country�s powerful intelligence service, the Internal Security Agency (ABW), the mandate to block websites deemed a threat to national security. When a (vaguely defined) state of emergency is declared, the new regulations also enable the police to disable all telecommunications (an equally vague term that could refer to anything from phone lines to internet access) in a given area. The law also grants intelligence operatives unencumbered access to key data on Polish citizens � all this in a country that hasn�t seen a major act of terrorism since 1939.
***
Now passed, the law will affect not only Poland, but will echo far and wide in the parliamentary chambers of other countries who are eager to reinforce their digital arsenal and searching for precedents to justify doing so. The bill holds the dubious honor of being one of the first in the democratic world to sanction the use of telecommunications shutdowns as a security tool � blurring the boundary between the legitimate, democratic enforcement of state security and outright digital repression.

That isn�t the only milestone. The law also grants Poland�s domestic intelligence agency unrestrained access to data on all Polish citizens, from all state institutions, with no prior approval from a court. Tax reports, vehicle information, bank statements, and data from investment funds and insurance providers will all be laid bare to intelligence operatives, with no need to formally request any of it. Meanwhile, the institutions harboring this information will not even know that the data has been harvested. The intelligence service will also have the power to suspend access to websites suspected of illicit activity for up to four months, based on definitions of possible terrorist activity that are hazy at best.

More ominously, blocking websites will not require the consent of a court. Instead, the head of the domestic intelligence agency must secure the approval of the Prosecutor General � a position PiS has recently unified with the Minister of Justice � rendering the process an exercise in rubber-stamp oversight among party colleagues. The law preserves a vestige of judicial authority by giving courts five days to assess the legitimacy of a takedown � but these assessments will only be made once the block is in place. And thanks to PiS�s war against the country�s constitutional court, no meaningful review of the constitutionality of any of these measures is currently possible.

I'll give them this, they're executing their plan for authoritarian dystopia very competently. Remember when some of you thought they would just be a more right wing PO and called me hysterical for being alarmed? lol.

# ? Jun 11, 2016 17:52

A Buttery Pastry: Sep 4, 2011; Delicious and Informative!

A Pale Horse posted:

PiS is going full Putin.

http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/06/10/now-polands-government-is-coming-after-the-internet/

I'll give them this, they're executing their plan for authoritarian dystopia very competently. Remember when some of you thought they would just be a more right wing PO and called me hysterical for being alarmed? lol.

Wasn't the EU threatening the Polish government with consequences if it didn't stop doing this kind of poo poo?

# ? Jun 11, 2016 17:56

Lucy Heartfilia: May 31, 2012

In Russia there are already statues celebrating Russian soldiers invading Crimea. Now there is one in Crimea:

# ? Jun 11, 2016 18:34

chitoryu12: Apr 24, 2014

Lucy Heartfilia posted:

In Russia there are already statues celebrating Russian soldiers invading Crimea. Now there is one in Crimea:

That's some lovingly crafted tactical gear.

# ? Jun 11, 2016 18:40

HUGE PUBES A PLUS: Apr 30, 2005

The French are running out of hospital beds for the English victims Russians keep beating up.

https://twitter.com/InEgo_/status/741683717211586560

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/england-russian-fans-fight-running-8166177

# ? Jun 11, 2016 18:54

OddObserver: Apr 3, 2009

HUGE PUBES A PLUS posted:

The French are running out of hospital beds for the English victims Russians keep beating up.

https://twitter.com/InEgo_/status/741683717211586560

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/england-russian-fans-fight-running-8166177

Oh boy. Hope that doesn't cause the Ukrainian hooligans to get involved...

# ? Jun 11, 2016 19:00

faxlore: Sep 24, 2014; a blue star tattoo for you!

OddObserver posted:

Oh boy. Hope that doesn't cause the Ukrainian hooligans to get involved...

Dehumanize yourself and face to ultras

# ? Jun 11, 2016 19:06

Paladinus: Jan 11, 2014; heyHEYYYY!!!

Lucy Heartfilia posted:

In Russia there are already statues celebrating Russian soldiers invading Crimea. Now there is one in Crimea:

It's better than the initial design:

People called it a man raping a cat.

# ? Jun 11, 2016 19:29

anilEhilated: Feb 17, 2014; But I say fuck the rain.; Grimey Drawer

Well it would be more fitting.

edit: To add some content: a sad but fitting look at what happens in the westernmost eastern nation when you give presidential elections to the people:
https://euobserver.com/opinion/133789

anilEhilated fucked around with this message at 18:30 on Jun 12, 2016

# ? Jun 11, 2016 19:38

HUGE PUBES A PLUS: Apr 30, 2005

150 trained Russian hooligans responsible for most of the violence in Marseille.

quote:

The Marseille prosecutor, Brice Robin, says 150 specially trained Russian hooligans were behind much of the violence that broke out in they city before the England v Russia game on Saturday.

Robin spoke after a weekend of violence in the French port city before the European Championship match on Saturday, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

About 35 people have been injured, including four people whose conditions were described as serious. Robin told reporters Monday that while �almost of those who were wounded were British,� England supporters were also responsible for some of the violence. He said 20 people have been arrested. Ten of them � six Brits, an Austrian and three French � will face immediate trial.

Kyiv held it's first gay pride parade this weekend.

quote:

Around a thousand people turned up on Sunday for Ukraine's first major gay pride march which was held amid tight security measures in the capital Kiev.

Several thousand police forces were guarding the procession in central Kiev and the rally was peaceful despite far-right groups making threats last week to attack it.

People were marching with rainbow flags and carried placards saying "Love has no gender."

"The road to equality in Ukraine is difficult as well as dangerous," Bohdan Hloba, one of the rally's organizers, said. "We have been threatened with a 'bloodbath' but every step of this march gives us hope."

Authorities sanctioned gay rights marches when the new pro-Western government came into power after the 2014 revolution, but earlier gatherings have been small and have come under attack from far-right groups.

The Kiev city police cordoned off nine streets and closed one subway station Sunday to ensure tight security and prevent clashes. A few anti-gay activists did get in, however, although they were not violent.

"I'm against gay propaganda that these sick people have organized here in collusion with authorities," said Serhiy Hashchenko, a 56-year-old father of 12 who went to the march carrying a placard "Ukraine is no Sodom."

Ultra-nationalist radicals who have threatened to disperse the march were watching it from the security perimeter lined with riot police.

Ukrainian police chief Khatiya Dekanoizdze said the police was following ultra-nationalist groups and detained 57 people before and during the rally.

Last year, a gay pride march in Kiev was called off less than half an hour after it began as right-wing activists pelted the marchers with smoke grenades.

And here's some shelling at night in Donetsk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQzYh7Og-CU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDosp7mjsuw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsaeAm4oIjc

The truce is going well. One civilian was killed.

# ? Jun 13, 2016 12:42

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# ? May 10, 2024 06:27

Discendo Vox: Mar 21, 2013; We don't need to have that dialogue because it's obvious, trivial, and has already been had a thousand times.

HUGE PUBES A PLUS posted:

Eastern Europe: The truce is going well. One civilian was killed.

# ? Jun 13, 2016 16:15

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