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Excad · #**7301** 26.08.2022, 09:37

	Quote:	Chuff
	It's not a win-win if the Russians did it as an excuse to wage even worse warfare and commit further levels of atrocities on the Ukranians.

That's true (with the level of atrocitites), but with their current incompetence, seeing that they are now using the killing of each other as a tool to make politics, it's more likely now that they will also jump to each other throats in a very chaotic manner. And that could speed up the end of that disgusting war.

Still a win situation. Not smooth, I know, but in a larger scale - a win. Unfortunately a revolution rarely is peaceful.

Axa · #**7302** 26.08.2022, 13:33

It's Friday and a bit of Russian humor is welcome. As expected Putin has the 2nd highest approval in the world, only behind Kim Jong-un with 100%. Anyway, 81% is a beautiful integer. More importantly, approval rate is higher than last week.

Of course, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin cannot have a higher approval rate in surveys than Putin. However, it should also have a high approval rate. 62.9% is a nice number. People like him, but not too much to throw shade on Putin.

The fun thing is all these numbers are internal politics. If effectively 4 out of 5 Russians approve the way Putin is doing his job...well, this is troubling, and that EU travel ban may not be a bad idea

	Quote:
	Poll shows 81% of Russians trust Putin It is noted that as many as 62.9% of respondents said they trusted Mikhail Mishustin MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. The level of the Russian public’s confidence in President Vladimir Putin rose by 1.2 percentage points to 81.2% in the past week, according to a poll published by the All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center on Friday. The poll involving 1,600 respondents over 18 years of age was conducted on August 15-21. "When asked if they trusted Putin, 81.2% of the poll’s participants said yes (a 1.2 percentage point rise from the week before). The share of people approving of the way the president is handling his job was 78.4% (0.6 percentage points higher than last week)," the pollster said. A total of 52.6% of those polled said they approved of the Russian government’s work (a 0.4 percentage point increase) and 50.9% approve of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s work (a 1.2 percentage point drop). As many as 62.9% of respondents said they trusted Mishustin (a decline of 0.9 percentage points).

https://tass.com/society/1498517

Reb77Br · #**7303** 26.08.2022, 14:25

	Quote:	Axa
	A total of 52.6% of those polled said they approved of the Russian government’s work (a 0.4 percentage point increase) and 50.9% approve of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s work (a 1.2 percentage point drop). https://tass.com/society/1498517

Surprisingly low figures if they've been fiddled. Or maybe that's to make us think they haven't been fiddled.

vushka · #**7304** 26.08.2022, 15:05

	Quote:	Axa
	The fun thing is all these numbers are internal politics. If effectively 4 out of 5 Russians approve the way Putin is doing his job...well, this is troubling, and that EU travel ban may not be a bad idea

pretty sure a blanket ban based on nationality would go against european values

Buenzli · #**7305** 26.08.2022, 15:12

	Quote:	Axa
	well, this is troubling, and that EU travel ban may not be a bad idea

Unfortunately the large majority who can't travel abroad won't even notice anything...

Axa · #**7306** 26.08.2022, 15:33

	Quote:	vushka
	pretty sure a blanket ban based on nationality would go against european values

Well, some days ago Finland capped the entry visas to Russian tourists to 100 a month.

Estonia is working on that too.

komsomolez · #**7307** 28.08.2022, 19:41

EU foreign ministers expected to suspend Russian tourist visa facilitation

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...a-facilitation

About time.

Excad · #**7308** 28.08.2022, 19:53

	Quote:	komsomolez
	EU foreign ministers expected to suspend Russian tourist visa facilitation https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...a-facilitation About time.

I'm not so sure about that. Every visit of Russians in EU may be a scratch on Putin's "propaganda shield". Maybe it will bring more awareness to Russian heads.

And additionally, they leave money here, whereas Europeans are not leaving money in Russia.

rainer_d · #**7309** 29.08.2022, 00:34

What's the problem with relatives visiting other relatives?

There is already a ban on certain high-level people, that should be enough.

What value is there in stopping somebody from attending a wedding or a funeral?

Phil_MCR · #**7310** 29.08.2022, 08:39

Just add a couple of questions onto the usual VISA form:

Have you ever been arrested or convicted for a crime that resulted in serious damage to property, or serious harm to another person or government authority?

Have you ever violated any law related to possessing, using, or distributing illegal drugs?

Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?

Have you traveled to, or been present in Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011?

Are you planning on admiring any spires at your destination?

Do you agree that the Russia has invaded Ukraine?

Do you condemn the acts of Russian aggression against Ukraine?

Do you think Putin is a knob?

vushka · #**7311** 29.08.2022, 09:10

	Quote:	komsomolez
	EU foreign ministers expected to suspend Russian tourist visa facilitation https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...a-facilitation About time.

But countries such as Germany have insisted an outright ban would be misguided, and Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, has argued prohibition is “not a good idea”. The bloc “has to be more selective”, Borrell said last week.

germany's "willkommenskultur" strikes again.

Axa · #**7312** 29.08.2022, 09:11

	Quote:	rainer_d
	What's the problem with relatives visiting other relatives? There is already a ban on certain high-level people, that should be enough. What value is there in stopping somebody from attending a wedding or a funeral?

You just described the visa procedure for entering Switzerland from certain countries. Ever heard of the invitation letter (Einladungsschreibe)? It certainly works for weddings and funerals.

kiwiguy08 · #**7313** 29.08.2022, 14:47

	Quote:	Excad
	I'm not so sure about that. Every visit of Russians in EU may be a scratch on Putin's "propaganda shield". Maybe it will bring more awareness to Russian heads. And additionally, they leave money here, whereas Europeans are not leaving money in Russia.

I think you're reaching. The fanatics will never see reason with respect to Russia

komsomolez · #**7314** 29.08.2022, 14:54

	Quote:	kiwiguy08
	I think you're reaching. The fanatics will never see reason with respect to Russia

Funny that Russia has suspended its simplified visa issuance regime towards the EU plus EFTA countries in March already. Nobody has noticed as nobody wants to travel there anyway.

I also don't believe for a second that the Russians who vacation in Europe somehow soak up the spirit of liberty and democracy and bring this back home. Most Russian tourists I see around - lately in St. Anton - were clearly of the throw money around and behave like they own the place type.

marton · #**7315** 29.08.2022, 15:16

	Quote:	komsomolez
	Funny that Russia has suspended its simplified visa issuance regime towards the EU plus EFTA countries in March already. Nobody has noticed as nobody wants to travel there anyway. I also don't believe for a second that the Russians who vacation in Europe somehow soak up the spirit of liberty and democracy and bring this back home. Most Russian tourists I see around - lately in St. Anton - were clearly of the throw money around and behave like they own the place type.

I read somewhere that a lot of millionaires have left Russia, pity to block them if more f them want to bring their money to Europe.

Ukraine today (yet again) has announced a combined air and ground offense to retake Kherson, I will believe it when I see some results. Funny way to run a war to announce the next steps....

kiwiguy08 · #**7316** 29.08.2022, 16:12

	Quote:	komsomolez
	Funny that Russia has suspended its simplified visa issuance regime towards the EU plus EFTA countries in March already. Nobody has noticed as nobody wants to travel there anyway. I also don't believe for a second that the Russians who vacation in Europe somehow soak up the spirit of liberty and democracy and bring this back home. Most Russian tourists I see around - lately in St. Anton - were clearly of the throw money around and behave like they own the place type.

So the russians tightened the requirements for EU members to travel there, it's still possible. EU wants to completely ban the russians

Why do you care if they throw money around....here...in Europe? Those people are providing jobs for people.....here

kiwiguy08 · #**7317** 29.08.2022, 16:18

	Quote:	marton
	Ukraine today (yet again) has announced a combined air and ground offense to retake Kherson, I will believe it when I see some results. Funny way to run a war to announce the next steps....

Sounds very similar to money laundering

1) ask for weapons and cash
2) announce an offensive
3) have a skirmish and use some of the equipment (the tax)
4) exaggerate the equipment used and lost
5) sell the majority of the unused weapons
6) Go back to step 1

komsomolez · #**7318** 29.08.2022, 16:36

	Quote:	kiwiguy08
	Sounds very similar to money laundering 1) ask for weapons and cash 2) announce an offensive 3) have a skirmish and use some of the equipment (the tax) 4) exaggerate the equipment used and lost 5) sell the majority of the unused weapons 6) Go back to step 1

Attaboy. Did you come up with this yourself or did you copy from Pravda?

Axa · #**7319** 29.08.2022, 17:21

Very interesting interview with the Bayraktar Brothers, the drone makers from Turkey. Still reading through it, quite long read, but full of details of the intersection of defense, politics, business...it's better than a movie

https://bbcrussian.substack.com/p/th...ers-moneys-not

kiwiguy08 · #**7320** 29.08.2022, 17:45

	Quote:	komsomolez
	Attaboy. Did you come up with this yourself or did you copy from Pravda?

just putting 2+2 together....try it sometime