So no new mass conscriptions? No closing of Russia's borders? No drastic war time economy decree?

[Tom Rinaldo]

Am I missing something? So much was being rumored. Putin, personally, can't afford to lose in Ukraine. The fact that he isn't pulling out all the stops indicates that he's stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea; damned if he escalates dramatically, damned if he doesn't.

[gab13by13]

1. Did he give his speech yet?

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. Yes.

I am looking for more details. He blames the West for starting the war. Says Russia will stop cooperating with the latest START nuclear agreement. Says if the West provides lonner range weapons that Russia will have to push the threat back further from its borders. That's what I've heard so far...

[Lovie777]

3. I guess Putin truly believed taking Ukraine would be a cake walk.....

In the harshest way, Putin did not compute in his vicious mindset that countries would come to Ukraine's aid both humanitarian and military, and a year later, they are still supporting Ukraine. Putin did not compute that Ukrainians would fiercely fight for their country, and their president would love his people and country.

[Model35mech]

4. No project to prevent folks from falling out of windows, either.

He's an authoritarian.

He doesn't have to warn his civilian population about what's coming, citizens will simply wake up to fait accompli

[yaesu]

5. Like fascist GOPers Putin hates safety nets

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. No, public opinion is of no concern to him. Until it is.

That is the way of authoritarian regimes. They are impenetrable until they shatter like a block of ice when the wrong blow hits them. Blows that can produce that result are few and far between but dictators always live in fear of them.

It's not that Putin has to warn his civilian population about something that may be upcoming, it's that he didn't just announce that 1/4th of males of fighting age must immediately report for duty, or anything drastic along those lines. I'm sure he would have no qualms issuing such an order to ensure that he isn't humiliated further in Ukraine if he knew he could safely get away with it.It's not like he worries about the lives of his cannon fodder.

[Bucky]

7. The way Putin has to keep on killing oligarchs, I gotta wonder how strong war opposition is

I know the simple folk out the small towns were originally supportive of the war. But as actual work conditions keep leaking back into the country, it's gonna make it increasingly difficult for him to keep the home front quiet. Dictatorships can really shock you with their fragility, particularly dictatorships with wide access to social media.

[Irish_Dem]

10. Yes I wonder the same thing.

The Russian economy is in bad shape because of the sanctions.
Are the oligarchs complaining to the point Putin is killing them?

Also we know that when something goes wrong, Putin always has to blame
others and then kills them.

[Bucky]

11. At least a couple I know of complained about poor military performance

Before the banana peels next to the open windows 16th floor apartments got the better of them..

One guys read about yesterday even retracted his comments and deleted the original Twitting, but they tossed himout anyway.

For the record, I don't even know that all of these are and Putin's work anyway. Most Russian olive darks are basically gangsters. With the top boss distracted in Ukraine, a few of these murders may just be thugs scoring revenge points against each other.

Life is cheap when you convert it to rubles

[Irish_Dem]

12. Yes the sanctions are reducing revenue, so the oligarchs could be fighting.

Eliminating rivals for the dwindling rubles.

[Tickle]

8. Putin broke our nuclear treaty

I think it's called the New Start treaty.
This is not going to end well. Not just because of the treaty. China is too cozy with Russia for my liking

[paleotn]

9. He doesn't know how to proceed. He's running out of options.

That's what I got out of his rambling in between....blah, blah, blah, Satan, blah, blah, blah, transsexuals, blah, blah, blah.