Go Back   English Forum Switzerland > Off-Topic > Off-Topic > International affairs/politics  
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #7141  
Old 29.06.2022, 15:23
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Geneva
Posts: 457
Groaned at 63 Times in 39 Posts
Thanked 1,311 Times in 732 Posts
Reb77Br has a reputation beyond reputeReb77Br has a reputation beyond reputeReb77Br has a reputation beyond reputeReb77Br has a reputation beyond reputeReb77Br has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Have just finished reading Red Notice: A True Story of Corruption, Murder and One Man’s Fight for Justice by Bill Browder. A great read and troubling insight into the workings of the Putin régime.

Blurb:
Quote:
In November 2009, the young lawyer Sergei Magnitsky was beaten to death by eight police officers in a freezing cell in a Moscow prison. His crime? Testifying against Russian officials who were involved in a conspiracy to steal $230 million of taxes.

Red Notice is a searing exposé of the whitewash of this imprisonment and murder. The killing hasn't been investigated. It hasn't been punished. Bill Browder is still campaigning for justice for his late lawyer and friend. This is his explosive journey from the heady world of finance in New York and London in the 1990s, through battles with ruthless oligarchs in turbulent post-Soviet Union Moscow, to the shadowy heart of the Kremlin.
Browder recently brought out another book: Freezing Order: A True Story of Russian Money Laundering, State-Sponsored Murder,and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath

There are many interviews with Browder on YouTube. He seems to think that Putin's war in Ukraine has nothing to do with Nato expansion or a desire to create a Greater Russia but is an end in itself: to be at war in order to retain public support at home and remain in power.

Related videos/website:

Hermitage Reveals Russian Police Fraud
https://www.youtube.com/user/RussianUntouchables/videos
https://www.russian-untouchables.com/eng/
Reply With Quote
  #7142  
Old 29.06.2022, 16:18
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Zurich
Posts: 4,159
Groaned at 80 Times in 59 Posts
Thanked 4,435 Times in 2,390 Posts
rainer_d has a reputation beyond reputerainer_d has a reputation beyond reputerainer_d has a reputation beyond reputerainer_d has a reputation beyond reputerainer_d has a reputation beyond reputerainer_d has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
Switzerland and gold, like clockwork:



Somehow, it's easier to trace 1 ton of cocaine than 1 ton of gold.



Not possible to know because "privacy laws".....of course the goal is privacy, not money laundering, OK?



https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/-swiss-...ce=swissinfoch



This person comes to mind as the possible culprit for the import:


Reply With Quote
The following 4 users would like to thank rainer_d for this useful post:
  #7143  
Old 29.06.2022, 16:29
MidfieldGeneral's Avatar
Forum Veteran
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Zürich
Posts: 1,561
Groaned at 105 Times in 98 Posts
Thanked 3,256 Times in 1,324 Posts
MidfieldGeneral has a reputation beyond reputeMidfieldGeneral has a reputation beyond reputeMidfieldGeneral has a reputation beyond reputeMidfieldGeneral has a reputation beyond reputeMidfieldGeneral has a reputation beyond reputeMidfieldGeneral has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
Have just finished reading Red Notice: A True Story of Corruption, Murder and One Man’s Fight for Justice by Bill Browder. A great read and troubling insight into the workings of the Putin régime.

Blurb:

Browder recently brought out another book: Freezing Order: A True Story of Russian Money Laundering, State-Sponsored Murder,and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath

There are many interviews with Browder on YouTube. He seems to think that Putin's war in Ukraine has nothing to do with Nato expansion or a desire to create a Greater Russia but is an end in itself: to be at war in order to retain public support at home and remain in power.

Related videos/website:

Hermitage Reveals Russian Police Fraud
https://www.youtube.com/user/RussianUntouchables/videos
https://www.russian-untouchables.com/eng/
red notice is a good book and fun to read but browder's massive ego and his own back slapping does get quite annoying
Reply With Quote
This user would like to thank MidfieldGeneral for this useful post:
  #7144  
Old 29.06.2022, 16:32
marton's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Kt. Zürich
Posts: 12,375
Groaned at 720 Times in 604 Posts
Thanked 24,075 Times in 12,606 Posts
marton has a reputation beyond reputemarton has a reputation beyond reputemarton has a reputation beyond reputemarton has a reputation beyond reputemarton has a reputation beyond reputemarton has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
This person comes to mind as the possible culprit for the import:


You fingered them
Reply With Quote
  #7145  
Old 29.06.2022, 16:36
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Geneva
Posts: 457
Groaned at 63 Times in 39 Posts
Thanked 1,311 Times in 732 Posts
Reb77Br has a reputation beyond reputeReb77Br has a reputation beyond reputeReb77Br has a reputation beyond reputeReb77Br has a reputation beyond reputeReb77Br has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
red notice is a good book and fun to read but browder's massive ego and his own back slapping does get quite annoying
He didn't strike me as being more egotistical than one would expect from someone in that line of work but perhaps I was too caught up in the story to notice.
Reply With Quote
The following 2 users would like to thank Reb77Br for this useful post:
  #7146  
Old 30.06.2022, 06:25
slammer's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Lummerland
Posts: 5,656
Groaned at 235 Times in 156 Posts
Thanked 10,533 Times in 4,121 Posts
slammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Yeah...! We are officially in Cold War II. Nato and Otan have cancelled the strategic partnership with Russia. Erdogan is no longer against Finland and Sweden joining and Poland will get a Nato headquarters.
From ARD.

Last edited by slammer; 30.06.2022 at 06:41.
Reply With Quote
  #7147  
Old 30.06.2022, 07:19
slammer's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Lummerland
Posts: 5,656
Groaned at 235 Times in 156 Posts
Thanked 10,533 Times in 4,121 Posts
slammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
You fingered them
Gert Fröbe, probably one of the best international filmstars to come out of Germany.
Reply With Quote
This user would like to thank slammer for this useful post:
  #7148  
Old 30.06.2022, 07:32
komsomolez's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SZ
Posts: 4,089
Groaned at 399 Times in 285 Posts
Thanked 8,785 Times in 3,755 Posts
komsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
He didn't strike me as being more egotistical than one would expect from someone in that line of work but perhaps I was too caught up in the story to notice.
Agree, just having read Freezing Order. The magnitude and organization of the theft is quite impressive.
Reply With Quote
This user would like to thank komsomolez for this useful post:
  #7149  
Old 30.06.2022, 08:07
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Zug
Posts: 55
Groaned at 20 Times in 13 Posts
Thanked 238 Times in 94 Posts
Necromancer has a reputation beyond reputeNecromancer has a reputation beyond reputeNecromancer has a reputation beyond reputeNecromancer has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
Gert Fröbe, probably one of the best international filmstars to come out of Germany.
A brilliant actor…
A year or so ago ‘Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines’ was on the box.
He played a German Officer in the film.. or better said a magnificent caricature of a Prussian officer, I almost wet myself laughing. My mrs ( Swiss ) thought it was borderline racist.
The Swiss and humour are not obvious bedfellows.
Reply With Quote
The following 2 users would like to thank Necromancer for this useful post:
  #7150  
Old 30.06.2022, 08:21
Forum Veteran
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Zurich
Posts: 588
Groaned at 103 Times in 74 Posts
Thanked 1,582 Times in 823 Posts
John William has a reputation beyond reputeJohn William has a reputation beyond reputeJohn William has a reputation beyond reputeJohn William has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
Yeah...! We are officially in Cold War II. Nato and Otan have cancelled the strategic partnership with Russia. Erdogan is no longer against Finland and Sweden joining and Poland will get a Nato headquarters.
From ARD.
So if Cold War II has started, then where are all the CND marches ?, Women chaining themselves to military base fences ?, 21st century Hippies marching
through the streets with placards saying 'Make Love Not War !!' Americans skipping the draft ?, Protect and Survive ? & Frankie Goes to Hollywood with an
updated version of their 'Two Tribes' hit, etc, etc ??
Reply With Quote
This user would like to thank John William for this useful post:
  #7151  
Old 30.06.2022, 09:13
slammer's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Lummerland
Posts: 5,656
Groaned at 235 Times in 156 Posts
Thanked 10,533 Times in 4,121 Posts
slammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond reputeslammer has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
So if Cold War II has started, then where are all the CND marches ?, Women chaining themselves to military base fences ?, 21st century Hippies marching
through the streets with placards saying 'Make Love Not War !!' Americans skipping the draft ?, Protect and Survive ? & Frankie Goes to Hollywood with an
updated version of their 'Two Tribes' hit, etc, etc ??
Hang on, hang on! It was only announced yesterday, give it a bit of time.
Reply With Quote
The following 2 users would like to thank slammer for this useful post:
  #7152  
Old 30.06.2022, 09:19
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Zurich
Posts: 4,159
Groaned at 80 Times in 59 Posts
Thanked 4,435 Times in 2,390 Posts
rainer_d has a reputation beyond reputerainer_d has a reputation beyond reputerainer_d has a reputation beyond reputerainer_d has a reputation beyond reputerainer_d has a reputation beyond reputerainer_d has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
So if Cold War II has started, then where are all the CND marches ?, Women chaining themselves to military base fences ?, 21st century Hippies marching
through the streets with placards saying 'Make Love Not War !!' Americans skipping the draft ?, Protect and Survive ? & Frankie Goes to Hollywood with an
updated version of their 'Two Tribes' hit, etc, etc ??

There's no draft. Yet.

It's good point, though. At some point, it will have to come back if things continue to go downhill like this - but I don't see anybody having the spine to do it.
I also don't know where the extra troops that NATO members are promising each other every week are going to come from. It's not like there's a quarter million soldiers sitting in their barracks around the continent, fully armed, fully trained, with complete equipment - just waiting for the "Go!" from HQ. And that doesn't even take into account the huge amount of support-personnel each of these soldiers would need to actually carry out their duties.
Germany is just the worst example of an underfunded, understaffed and politically-socially undersupported army on the continent.



Young people, when they talk of "defending" something or somebody, they think of a supportive tweet or video they liked. Not going through basic training.
Reply With Quote
  #7153  
Old 30.06.2022, 10:18
Phil_MCR's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Basel
Posts: 15,581
Groaned at 304 Times in 204 Posts
Thanked 19,868 Times in 8,374 Posts
Phil_MCR has a reputation beyond reputePhil_MCR has a reputation beyond reputePhil_MCR has a reputation beyond reputePhil_MCR has a reputation beyond reputePhil_MCR has a reputation beyond reputePhil_MCR has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
Agree, just having read Freezing Order. The magnitude and organization of the theft is quite impressive.
what's the 2 line summary?
Reply With Quote
  #7154  
Old 30.06.2022, 10:24
Tom1234's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Kanton Luzern
Posts: 18,409
Groaned at 819 Times in 638 Posts
Thanked 28,582 Times in 11,552 Posts
Tom1234 has a reputation beyond reputeTom1234 has a reputation beyond reputeTom1234 has a reputation beyond reputeTom1234 has a reputation beyond reputeTom1234 has a reputation beyond reputeTom1234 has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
So if Cold War II has started, then where are all the CND marches ?, Women chaining themselves to military base fences ?, 21st century Hippies marching
through the streets with placards saying 'Make Love Not War !!' Americans skipping the draft ?, Protect and Survive ? & Frankie Goes to Hollywood with an
updated version of their 'Two Tribes' hit, etc, etc ??
It's all done online now. Protesting via Twitter is just so much easier and quicker than camping out at Greenham common.
Reply With Quote
The following 3 users would like to thank Tom1234 for this useful post:
  #7155  
Old 30.06.2022, 11:02
komsomolez's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SZ
Posts: 4,089
Groaned at 399 Times in 285 Posts
Thanked 8,785 Times in 3,755 Posts
komsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

We haven't had pictures of long tables in a while. Here is Putin yesterday in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, among trusted friends of the Caspian Sea Summit.

Reply With Quote
The following 9 users would like to thank komsomolez for this useful post:
  #7156  
Old 30.06.2022, 11:56
Phil_MCR's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Basel
Posts: 15,581
Groaned at 304 Times in 204 Posts
Thanked 19,868 Times in 8,374 Posts
Phil_MCR has a reputation beyond reputePhil_MCR has a reputation beyond reputePhil_MCR has a reputation beyond reputePhil_MCR has a reputation beyond reputePhil_MCR has a reputation beyond reputePhil_MCR has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Gazprom cancels dividend.

I suspect this could be to conserve cash prior to cutting off or reducing gas deliveries to Europe. Hope you all bought some wolly jumpers for this winter!
Reply With Quote
  #7157  
Old 30.06.2022, 12:03
komsomolez's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SZ
Posts: 4,089
Groaned at 399 Times in 285 Posts
Thanked 8,785 Times in 3,755 Posts
komsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
Gazprom cancels dividend.

I suspect this could be to conserve cash prior to cutting off or reducing gas deliveries to Europe. Hope you all bought some wolly jumpers for this winter!
Check out Uniper, Gazprom biggest customer. They pulled earnings outlook and request government support for liquidity problems (margin calls).
Reply With Quote
  #7158  
Old 30.06.2022, 13:18
komsomolez's Avatar
Forum Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SZ
Posts: 4,089
Groaned at 399 Times in 285 Posts
Thanked 8,785 Times in 3,755 Posts
komsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond reputekomsomolez has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
Agree, just having read Freezing Order. The magnitude and organization of the theft is quite impressive.
Quote:
View Post
what's the 2 line summary?
Billions, if not trillions of dollars, sleeved out of Russia by essentially an organized crime structure, with kickbacks to Putin himself on most if not all "transactions". The case that Browder and Magnitsky experienced with Hermitage was theft of 200 million USD tax revenue from the Russian state committed by Russian state officials. Browder's guys (or maybe rather Danish journalists; cannot remember) could track down 200 billion USD leaving Russia through Danske Bank Estonia alone. Murder of people investigating the corruption.
Reply With Quote
This user would like to thank komsomolez for this useful post:
  #7159  
Old 30.06.2022, 13:49
Forum Veteran
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Zurich
Posts: 588
Groaned at 103 Times in 74 Posts
Thanked 1,582 Times in 823 Posts
John William has a reputation beyond reputeJohn William has a reputation beyond reputeJohn William has a reputation beyond reputeJohn William has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Quote:
View Post
We haven't had pictures of long tables in a while. Here is Putin yesterday in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, among trusted friends of the Caspian Sea Summit.


Reply With Quote
  #7160  
Old 30.06.2022, 19:36
Forum Veteran
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Zurich
Posts: 588
Groaned at 103 Times in 74 Posts
Thanked 1,582 Times in 823 Posts
John William has a reputation beyond reputeJohn William has a reputation beyond reputeJohn William has a reputation beyond reputeJohn William has a reputation beyond repute
Re: World War 3 or just a local spat in Ukraine?

Heads Up !! For the new Channel 4 thriller called The Undeclared War. starting tonight but ( as always ) available on Channel 4 catchup.
It's supposed to reveal what Cyber Warfare is all about with the usual dramatic license all thrown in.

Underdeclared War - What it's all about ?
Thriller about a leading team of analysts in GCHQ secretly working to ward off a series of cyber-attacks on the UK in the run-up to
a general election in post-pandemic 2024. Starring Simon Pegg.

Channel 4 - The Undeclared War - Cyber warfare drama
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
crimea, russia, ukraine




Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 6 (3 members and 3 guests)
kiwiguy08, marton, dandi
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Jewish Refugees in Switzerland during World War II zanskar International affairs/politics 48 16.06.2010 15:58
Book about Switzerland in the second world war [recommendation?] telandy Other/general 14 18.06.2007 20:15


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 12:33.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2023, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.1.0