You're stunningly naive. Russia is an empire and Putin and his clique are imperialists. They'll keep inventing justifications to grab more territory until effectively opposed. Ukraine would never hav… (View Post)

Two questions immediately spring to mind. Firstly, how much of the reported real terms increase happened in the first eight years and how much in the subsequent period? Secondly, what was the increas… (View Post)

The "faraway land, of which we know nothing" argument only holds any conceivable attraction if you believe that the conquest of Ukraine would represent Tsar Vlad's "final territorial d… (View Post)

He could use tactical nukes in Ukraine, which won't give him a winning advantage and will simultaneously make it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, for his remaining friends abroad to remain … (View Post)

OTOH there's precious little evidence of Russian opposition to the programme of imperial conquest and brutalisation in Ukraine. It's not just that most of the protest inside the country looks suspici… (View Post)