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[Shofercia]

Nadiya Savchenko is released!

(Image)

Captured Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko finally returned home Wednesday morning after nearly two years in Russian captivity. Savchenko's return, part of a prisoner swap between the two countries, is a huge deal in Ukraine — the country's voters actually elected her to Parliament while she was in Russian custody.

Savchenko's release won't alter the fundamentals of the Ukraine conflict, but it's nonetheless a pretty significant development for Ukrainians. To understand why, you first need to understand a little about Savchenko — who she is and why her detention was such a big deal in the first place.
Savchenko is one of the Ukraine war's most high-profile prisoners

Another victory for Ukraine – another blow to Russia! First Jamala’s triumph at Eurovision, which made the whole world talk about Ukraine and the tragedy of the Crimean Tatars genocide, and now the release of Nadiya Savchenko – a living legend and symbol of resistance to Russian aggression.

This shows just how unstable and shaky is throne beneath Putin’s ass – and also shows that anything is possible for Ukraine! After victory at Eurovision and Savchenko’s freed from the clutches of Kremlin how can anyone doubt that Donbass and Crimea will also be freed from occupation?

And let’s not forget – Nadiya Savchenko is not only a free servicewoman now, she is also an elected deputy of both Ukrainian Parliament and the European Parliament! I hope her new life as a politician will finally open the eyes of often indecisive Europeans on what really happens in the East of Ukraine.

Unfortunately, Poroshenko had to release 2 Russian terrorists in order to secure the swap… Well, there is plenty of their ilk in Donbass anyway – so maybe its time for another capture?

Ahh yes, it clearly looks like she is malnourished /sarcasm

Oh, and cut the picspam Sharania. Put bluntly, if you're going to have pics that big, at least two, of the same mug, spoiler them. The code is this:

["spoiler"]pic here["/spoiler"]

without the quotes, i.e. remove these thingies: "

Russophobia is the only form of racism that is not merely tolerated but actively encouraged by the US and EU.

You are saying that as if Russophobia is something bad. Russians have no one but themselves to "thank" that the whole world is afraid of them and their land-grabbing goons in charge. Plus, lets not forget that we are talking about notoriously anti-Semitic and homophobic nation. To feel any sympathy to THEM?!

Ahhh yes, the country that saved the greatest amount of Jews from concentration camps is anti-semetic /sarcasm

On the bright side, I don't need to use the "I'm rubber, you're glue" line.

No, but claiming Russians as an ethnicity or nationality are somehow uniquely bad is in fact the definition of Russophobia.

Nobody is claiming that Russians as an ethnicity are bad. The criticism is of their government.

Russophobia isn't criticism of Russia's government. Did you not see what Sharania asked? He asked, after hailing the release of Savchenko, "how's Russophobia bad?" That's like asking "how's Homophobia bad?"

[Shofercia]

So if at midnight, December 31st, 2016, Putin still addresses the Russian nation as its President, would you admit that you misunderstood something about Russia?

Not at December 31st, 2016 - more like at mid March 2017. Nice cause to celebrate the Febrauary revolution's anniversary - when Russia got rid of its tsar and for the first time experienced a true democracy.

You keep on using that word, "Democracy" - do you know what it means?

Please state a specific date by which you feel Putin will be out so we can come back to this thread and check your predictions.

You sound as if you doubt that... or really don't want to happen. What, you are Russophile now? Or maybe pro-Putin?

Want an exact date? Fine! 4/1/2017 - just to be 100% sure.

Risottia is a Russophile. Risottia is anti-Putin. Risottia posts on NSG. Did I just blow your mind?

While the current Russian leadership is illogically paranoid, NATO is not free of blame in this. Its rapid expansion to the East after the collapse of the USSR, and the enlargements into Russia's traditional sphere in Europe can only be understood as hostility. When NATO is considering Ukrainian membership, Russia cannot be but hostile, no matter the government.

Umm see Ukraine is a sovereign country. Free to choose its own alliances. Who to join and not.
The expansion of NATO is the Russia's fault. Countries joined NATO because of fear of Russia. Eastern Europe joined NATO for protection from Russia.

Russia screams about sovereignty. But says Ukraine has no sovereignty.
Denying Ukraine has a right to set its own foreing policy denies its sovereignty.

And this is incredibly hypocritical. Russia claims its "sphere" is sacrosanct. Yet what about Russian involvement in Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela?

So the Crimeans have to suffer, against their will, because politicians are being hypocritical?

While the current Russian leadership is illogically paranoid, NATO is not free of blame in this. Its rapid expansion to the East after the collapse of the USSR, and the enlargements into Russia's traditional sphere in Europe can only be understood as hostility. When NATO is considering Ukrainian membership, Russia cannot be but hostile, no matter the government.

NATO made no threat towards Russia. For many years Russian accession into NATO was considered a future possibility. One side is responsible for turning the situation towards what it has become now.

Ukraine never was going to join NATO anyway, they wanted to join the EU. Which for some reason has become NATO's bed partner in the Russian view.

Russia and China are two sovereign nations, so would NATO be thrilled if Russia handed China all of Russia's nuclear technology? After all, it's just two sovereign countries trading technology for cash. And yet, something tells me that NATO wouldn't be too thrilled at the prospect. Speaking of the US and Russia, here's Henry Kissinger: http://nationalinterest.org/feature/the ... 615?page=2

It means that breaking Russia has become an objective; the long-range purpose should be to integrate it.

Would America have allowed Mexico to join the Warsaw Pact? Or to join the modern Shanghai Cooperation Organization? Would Washington have accepted Mexico City's decision as the decision of a "sovereign country[,] free to choose its own alliances"? History says no, but perhaps you disagree?

I don't deny why Eastern European nations might join NATO. But I don't pretend to not understand why Russia might be hostile either.

The US hasn't mistreated Mexico in recent history, as such they wouldn't have aligned with the Soviets. All the countries that wish to join NATO do so because they were mistreated by Russia.

How did Russia mistreat Croatia? How did Russia mistreat Bosnia? How did Russia mistreat Macedonia?

[Ardoki]

Why are there so many neo-nazis in Russia?

[Allanea]

Meanwhile in Russian politics:

1. PARNAS has accidentally leaked the list of its online primary voters to the Internet. There are less than seven thousand primary voters. This is in a country that has 30,000,000 people who identify as liberals.
2. An openly anti-semitic blogger is leading in the PARNAS primaries.

Such freedom.

Very human rights.

Much resisting Putin.

Wow!

[Mugrul]

The US hasn't mistreated Mexico in recent history, as such they wouldn't have aligned with the Soviets. All the countries that wish to join NATO do so because they were mistreated by Russia.

How did Russia mistreat Croatia? How did Russia mistreat Bosnia? How did Russia mistreat Macedonia?

Oh the Yugoslav nations. You could add Bulgaria to the list but that'd only further prove the point NATO isn't trying to get at you.

[Mugrul]

NATO made no threat towards Russia. For many years Russian accession into NATO was considered a future possibility. One side is responsible for turning the situation towards what it has become now.

Ukraine never was going to join NATO anyway, they wanted to join the EU. Which for some reason has become NATO's bed partner in the Russian view.

Russia and China are two sovereign nations, so would NATO be thrilled if Russia handed China all of Russia's nuclear technology? After all, it's just two sovereign countries trading technology for cash. And yet, something tells me that NATO wouldn't be too thrilled at the prospect. Speaking of the US and Russia, here's Henry Kissinger: http://nationalinterest.org/feature/the ... 615?page=2

It means that breaking Russia has become an objective; the long-range purpose should be to integrate it.

So you think it's alright to deny a country self determination by blackmailing the camps they wish to join?

Russia and China are two sovereign nations, a ton of other aren't I guess.

[Atelia]

I am a Russophile and anti-Putin, yes.

Choose one already. That kind of indecisive position won't win you any friends, Allanea.

I am a fan of the civilization that gave the world Suvorov, Kutuzov, Zhukov

Butchers, commanders of hordes of all-annihilating barbarians?

Mechnikov... Lomonosov

Who? What have they done to humanity?

Gagarin

A member of the Soviet military. Who was later assassinated during the "accident". A rival to the western space program. A propaganda symbol. Hmm... you sure have strange objects of "fan".

Sikorsky, Korolev

Sikorski was Polish, Korolev - Ukrainian. Not Russians.

Pushkin, Tolstoy, and Lermontov

No, this is really sad, Allanea. You are naming people, who still symbolize the abhorrent Russian imperial culture - this so-called "great Russian-literature". There is no chance for both Russia (and the rest of the world trapped in the most primitive russophilia) to move on, while this myth persists. They (as well as Chekhov and Dostoyevsky) must be given a boot - they have no place in the modern world.

Now I am not saying it's objectively better than any other, but it's also not objectively worse. I oppose Putin - because I love Russia and Russians, and I believe they deserve democracy, human rights, and fair elections.

Wrong! Russia has done nothing positive. Nothing! You are talking about "Russian civilization"! How quaint! A Civilization, that provides its subjects with lots of dirt, repressions, backwardness and alcoholism! To admire that?!

Oh, wait! But you are a "russophile" and Russia's apologist!

Im not going to call you a parody because I know I hate it when people say that about me. But you have some major issues, quite frankly your blunt insulting of the entire history of my people, insulting our great works and culture is disgusting. I bet you would never dare come to this country and say any of that because you know you would get your ass handed to you. I hope you realize you play right into the kremlins hands by showing it is the west who stands for hatred and spreading disunity globally.

[Atelia]

Meanwhile in Russian politics:

1. PARNAS has accidentally leaked the list of its online primary voters to the Internet. There are less than seven thousand primary voters. This is in a country that has 30,000,000 people who identify as liberals.
2. An openly anti-semitic blogger is leading in the PARNAS primaries.

Such freedom.

Very human rights.

Much resisting Putin.

Wow!

You do realize PARNAS isnt the big liberal party right?
What does this have anything to do with freedom, human rights, or Putin?

[Allanea]

And yet they position themselves as "opposition leaders".

[Sharania]

What is a "barefooter"? A person who always walks bare feet? Do I have a problem with that? Actually, yes, I kinda do. Seems very dirty.

Educate yourself

As for the “dirty” claim – that’s very narrowminded of you. Wikipedia says:

Feet that have never worn shoes rarely exhibit problems such as bunions, corns, and 'fallen arches',[92][93] aren't prone to more than ordinary foot eversion on standing and walking due to the associated weakness or stiffness of the joints of the foot and weakness of the muscles controlling them,[94] as well as having a much reduced incidence of problems such as callouses

Walking barefoot results in a more natural gait. People who are used to walking barefoot tend to land with the forefoot or mid-foot, eliminating the hard heel strike and generating much less collision force in the foot and lower leg.[96][97] A 2006 study found that shoes may increase stress on the knee and ankle, and suggested that adults who walked barefoot may have a lower rate of osteoarthritis

It won’t surprise me at all that with your’s attitude you also consider naturists to be “dirty”.

[Sharania]

Of course you're happy, it's your culture being shoved down everyone else's throat. But if it was the other way around, i bet you'd call whoever is doing it a fascist.

Uhm, actually the Western civilization is the freest and most humane civilization in history and presently. So, yes, any other civilization that’d try to supplant it can’t be really called “free” or “humane”. Would it be closer to the fascists or any other autocratic system? You bet!

But you seem to forget that the cultures influence the invading culture back.

No matter how much Chinese food I eat it doesn’t make me sing praises to comrade Mao.

As much as you'd like to think there's one civilisation on the entire planet, you're wrong. There are at least eight, and three are quite obviously very diferent(some would say radicaly diferent) from the west: Muslim, African and Confucianist. The others are also diferent from the western, but they do share some points so it's not too obvious.

They wear Western clothes, us Western technologies and live in the world defined by the West. Even Daesh cavemen use YouTube. And all of this erodes their last vestiges of “uniqueness”. They can’t really convert others to their ways – there is no appeal in that.

[Sharania]

Would you care to elaborate on what they are?

You are closeted Russophile.

And as a citizen of a country -and an important one too

Important?! Not after the battle of Dien Bien Phu.

- that is already a member of the EU, and who get to vote on any future Turkish or Ukrainian memberships in a referendum, I can guarantee you, neither Ankara nor Kiev will enter the EU. Jean-Claude Juncker said it himself during the Dutch referendum, Ukraine isn't even looking at membership before another 20 or 25 years at least.

Such naivety! The French will do what is better for the West in general.

I somewhat appreciate how Ukraine is so Europhile, but it is very poor, and we really don't need it as a member, we already have the rest of Eastern Europe to subsidize.

“Subsidize”? Poland is developing by leaps and bounds – the same goes to the Baltic Tigers. They are fine examples of what awaits Ukraine should it enter the EU as a full fledged member-state.

[Allanea]

If Ukraine sustains economic growth of 10% per year, for 20 years, it will then possibly catch up with Russia's economy.

Of course, no country has done this in recorded history.

[Sharania]

Ahh yes, it clearly looks like she is malnourished /sarcasm.

Oh, and cut the picspam Sharania. Put bluntly, if you're going to have pics that big, at least two, of the same mug, spoiler them. The code is this:

["spoiler"]pic here["/spoiler"]

without the quotes, i.e. remove these thingies: "

What’s the matter, Shofercia? Does this hurt your Russophile senses? Just two pictures of Her, who was in Kremlin’s grasp, but got back to tell the tale?

Well – there is some more!

Putin Is the Loser in Prisoner Swap With Ukraine

Neither Russia nor Ukraine is blameless in the conflict. Aidar, Savchenko's ultranationalist battalion, would probably be outlawed in any European country. Yet the story of Savchenko and the two GRU men shows why it's easier to sympathize with Ukraine. Savchenko's colorful defiance and her country's spirited defense of her were more pure, more human than Russia's official rejection and reluctant rescue of Alexandrov and Yerofeev. Besides, Savchenko has a much better explanation of how she ended up in captivity than the Russian servicemen: She was defending her country. The GRU men had been following orders they didn't question, fighting against a neighboring country that had not attacked Russia.

In that sense, the exchange was not equivalent. Ukraine got the moral victory.

Yes, she is definitely a barefooter.

[Sharania]

If Ukraine sustains economic growth of 10% per year, for 20 years, it will then possibly catch up with Russia's economy.

Of course, no country has done this in recorded history.

A lot of countries managed to surpass Russia!

[Sharania]

Ahhh yes, the country that saved the greatest amount of Jews from concentration camps is anti-semetic /sarcasm

1) That would be the USA
2) Are you really ignorant of the official Soviet anti-Semitism, support of Arab countries against Israel and other bigoted stuff?

You keep on using that word, "Democracy" - do you know what it means?

Better than the Regime controlling Russia these days.

Risottia is a Russophile. Risottia is anti-Putin. Risottia posts on NSG. Did I just blow your mind?

I don’t know him. Even if this is true – so what?

[Sharania]

Meanwhile in Russian politics:

1. PARNAS has accidentally leaked the list of its online primary voters to the Internet. There are less than seven thousand primary voters. This is in a country that has 30,000,000 people who identify as liberals.
2. An openly anti-semitic blogger is leading in the PARNAS primaries.

Such freedom.

Very human rights.

Much resisting Putin.

Wow!

1) There is no way that there are 30 mils of liberals in Russia. No. Way.

2) This whole thing sounds like KGB black op to deal with opposition.

[Sharania]

Im not going to call you a parody because I know I hate it when people say that about me. But you have some major issues, quite frankly your blunt insulting of the entire history of my people, insulting our great works and culture is disgusting.

“Your people”? You are Greek – not a Russian!

I bet you would never dare come to this country and say any of that because you know you would get your ass handed to you. I hope you realize you play right into the kremlins hands by showing it is the west who stands for hatred and spreading disunity globally.

Oh, yes! The ultimate argument – the threat of a violence!

[Allanea]

If Ukraine sustains economic growth of 10% per year, for 20 years, it will then possibly catch up with Russia's economy.

Of course, no country has done this in recorded history.

A lot of countries managed to surpass Russia!

With a starting point of a GDP per capita of around $2000, while Russia's is around $14,000? Which one?

[Allanea]

Meanwhile in Russian politics:

1. PARNAS has accidentally leaked the list of its online primary voters to the Internet. There are less than seven thousand primary voters. This is in a country that has 30,000,000 people who identify as liberals.
2. An openly anti-semitic blogger is leading in the PARNAS primaries.

Such freedom.

Very human rights.

Much resisting Putin.

Wow!

1) There is no way that there are 30 mils of liberals in Russia. No. Way.

2) This whole thing sounds like KGB black op to deal with opposition.

1. Endless amounts of polls confirm there are millions of people in Russia supporting some version of "liberal values" or "democratic values". It's just that PARNAS is terrible and misorganized.
2. PARNAS already admitted to incompetence in storing the data.

[Olerand]

What is a "barefooter"? A person who always walks bare feet? Do I have a problem with that? Actually, yes, I kinda do. Seems very dirty.

Educate yourself

As for the “dirty” claim – that’s very narrowminded of you. Wikipedia says:

Feet that have never worn shoes rarely exhibit problems such as bunions, corns, and 'fallen arches',[92][93] aren't prone to more than ordinary foot eversion on standing and walking due to the associated weakness or stiffness of the joints of the foot and weakness of the muscles controlling them,[94] as well as having a much reduced incidence of problems such as callouses

Walking barefoot results in a more natural gait. People who are used to walking barefoot tend to land with the forefoot or mid-foot, eliminating the hard heel strike and generating much less collision force in the foot and lower leg.[96][97] A 2006 study found that shoes may increase stress on the knee and ankle, and suggested that adults who walked barefoot may have a lower rate of osteoarthritis

It won’t surprise me at all that with your’s attitude you also consider naturists to be “dirty”.

So... Still dirty. I do consider nudist and naturists' feet dirt.

Would you care to elaborate on what they are?

You are closeted Russophile.

And as a citizen of a country -and an important one too

Important?! Not after the battle of Dien Bien Phu.

- that is already a member of the EU, and who get to vote on any future Turkish or Ukrainian memberships in a referendum, I can guarantee you, neither Ankara nor Kiev will enter the EU. Jean-Claude Juncker said it himself during the Dutch referendum, Ukraine isn't even looking at membership before another 20 or 25 years at least.

Such naivety! The French will do what is better for the West in general.

I somewhat appreciate how Ukraine is so Europhile, but it is very poor, and we really don't need it as a member, we already have the rest of Eastern Europe to subsidize.

“Subsidize”? Poland is developing by leaps and bounds – the same goes to the Baltic Tigers. They are fine examples of what awaits Ukraine should it enter the EU as a full fledged member-state.

Closeted? No. I am an open admirer of Russian history, culture, and philosophy. I am no fan of the current Kremlin, however, but I am a realist.

Cute. No, we're still important. We're a world power, and the second most important country in the EU. With a referendum veto on Ukrainian-Turkish memberships to boot.

I assure you, like in 2005, we won't. What is "the West" anyway? And how would Ukraine's membership and its subsidization for the next half a century benefit this "West" too?

Subsidize. Their economies are growing, and yet we are still subsidizing them. Because they are poor. We will have to do the same to Ukraine, and we would rather not.

[Sharania]

1. Endless amounts of polls confirm there are millions of people in Russia supporting some version of "liberal values" or "democratic values". It's just that PARNAS is terrible and misorganized.

Endless amount of NONEXISTENT polls, you mean? Russians’d rather support Neo-Nazis, die-hard commies or monarchist nuts than any real democracy or liberalism. Do they even understand what democratic and liberal values are?

2. PARNAS already admitted to incompetence in storing the data.

Says who?

[Sharania]

So... Still dirty. I do consider nudist and naturists' feet dirt.

Once again – I’m proved to be 100% correct in my expectations about you, Olerand. First your support of fake Kremlin made “democrats”, and now this.

Closeted? No. I am an open admirer of Russian history, culture, and philosophy. I am no fan of the current Kremlin, however, but I am a realist.

Admirer of history of suppression, conquest and subjugation? Admirer of culture that didn’t exist till 18 c., and then just aped the West? Admirer of a philosophy, that “gifted” the world with Dugin and his ilk? Really? I mean – really?

Cute. No, we're still important. We're a world power, and the second most important country in the EU.

You are mistaken. The second most important country in the EU is UK. Or Belgium. But surely not France, which is currently gripped by yet another streets riot season.

With a referendum veto on Ukrainian-Turkish memberships to boot.

I assure you, like in 2005, we won't.

I’m sure, that the French would vote in favor. And even if not – such referendum could be easily ignored.

Subsidize. Their economies are growing, and yet we are still subsidizing them. Because they are poor. We will have to do the same to Ukraine, and we would rather not.

So you want for Putin to win in Ukraine?

[Allanea]

It's been posted by several of their officials online.

Primaries are now canceled.

They stored private voter data without any encryption. That's a major tech security fail.

[Olerand]

So... Still dirty. I do consider nudist and naturists' feet dirt.

Once again – I’m proved to be 100% correct in my expectations about you, Olerand. First your support of fake Kremlin made “democrats”, and now this.

Closeted? No. I am an open admirer of Russian history, culture, and philosophy. I am no fan of the current Kremlin, however, but I am a realist.

Admirer of history of suppression, conquest and subjugation? Admirer of culture that didn’t exist till 18 c., and then just aped the West? Admirer of a philosophy, that “gifted” the world with Dugin and his ilk? Really? I mean – really?

Cute. No, we're still important. We're a world power, and the second most important country in the EU.

You are mistaken. The second most important country in the EU is UK. Or Belgium. But surely not France, which is currently gripped by yet another streets riot season.

With a referendum veto on Ukrainian-Turkish memberships to boot.

I assure you, like in 2005, we won't.

I’m sure, that the French would vote in favor. And even if not – such referendum could be easily ignored.

Subsidize. Their economies are growing, and yet we are still subsidizing them. Because they are poor. We will have to do the same to Ukraine, and we would rather not.

So you want for Putin to win in Ukraine?

Um... When did I support "Kremlin democrats"? Also, yes, I still consider nudists/naturists' feet to be dirty.

Yeah. Russian culture is rich, with positives and negatives.

No, it's us. Let the UK remain in the EU first. Don't worry, I assure you that I know EU politics. Truly.

We won't. And it won't. You, rather clearly, know little of EU politics. That's fine, of course. Ukraine and Turkey will never join the EU anyway, we will veto them both. Both Germany and France's governments are opposed anyway, and by 2017, France can only have a government even more opposed to Ukrainian membership.

I don't care who "wins" in Ukraine. As long as it doesn't join the EU.