Russia basically annexes Belarus

[Luhanskaya]

I could see this coming, in-fact, just yesterday I was talking about this with my Polish friend and said if Russia annex Belarus before 2020, I will get a tenner. Bloody hell, knowing Putin and Lukashenkya, they likely have plans, considering Belarus kept the KGB and Russia did not.

What does Belarus maintaining an acronym have to do with anything?

[Samadhi]

Statists trying to state-harder?

I'm totally surprised by this turn of events

[Diarcesia]

Statists trying to state-harder?

I'm totally surprised by this turn of events

[New haven america]

Probably going for all the former satellites.

Belarus isn't a former satellite, it was literally part of the Russian Empire and USSR.

[Diarcesia]

Probably going for all the former satellites.

Belarus isn't a former satellite, it was literally part of the Russian Empire and USSR.

If I recall correctly, the Rus were centered in this area along with Ukraine before the Mongols, Lithuanians, and Poles took over the place.

[Xuloqoia]

Statists trying to state-harder?

I'm totally surprised by this turn of events

[Christian Confederation]

Simple USSR 2 the electric boogaloo! This time without the communism.

What ideology is Russia even? I can't even tell what putin's overarching theme is besides "Russia awesome, dictators good, democracy and freedom bad"

Um a doctatorship with elections

[Nuclear Wastelands]

[Soviet Anthem Blasts Full Volume]

[Kombinita Socialisma Demokratio]

As long as it is at least a representatively democratic parliament, then it is good. I, however, am not sure that it is even fully a representative democracy as it is.

[Rojava Free State]

What ideology is Russia even? I can't even tell what putin's overarching theme is besides "Russia awesome, dictators good, democracy and freedom bad"

Um a doctatorship with elections

The elections are rigged. Putin has been elected too many times for them to be free and fair

[Kombinita Socialisma Demokratio]

Um a doctatorship with elections

The elections are rigged. Putin has been elected too many times for them to be free and fair

A dictatorship masquerading as a nationalist representative democracy with an extra helping of executive authority is what it appears to be.

[Kombinita Socialisma Demokratio]

they can have it. since it harms no one.

The problem is that it may aid in doing something harmful or doing something harmful for longer.

[Aureumterra]

Um a doctatorship with elections

The elections are rigged. Putin has been elected too many times for them to be free and fair

He’s legitimately popular in Russia though

[Rojava Free State]

The elections are rigged. Putin has been elected too many times for them to be free and fair

He’s legitimately popular in Russia though

And he legitimately locks up political opponents and RT is basically his state TV channel. Arguing that putin isn't a dictator is like arguing that water doesn't freeze at 0 degree Celsius.

[Diarcesia]

He’s legitimately popular in Russia though

And he legitimately locks up political opponents and RT is basically his state TV channel. Arguing that putin isn't a dictator is like arguing that water doesn't freeze at 0 degree Celsius.

Being popular and being authoritarian (which Putin totally is) are not mutually exclusive.

[Andsed]

I mean that sounds kinda like what the EU is and if the people of Belarus and Russia are okay with this then I don't see an issue here.

[Rojava Free State]

And he legitimately locks up political opponents and RT is basically his state TV channel. Arguing that putin isn't a dictator is like arguing that water doesn't freeze at 0 degree Celsius.

Being popular and being authoritarian (which Putin totally is) are not mutually exclusive.

I know, but I sense there's those here who wanna pretend putin isn't a dictator. Clearly he is

[Monsone]

Being popular and being authoritarian (which Putin totally is) are not mutually exclusive.

I know, but I sense there's those here who wanna pretend putin isn't a dictator. Clearly he is

True. Putin keeps up sham elections just to seem legit. After all, the only real elections tend to be municipal, and the Comunist Party of Russia is the only real challenger (the irony is to obvious).

Belarus does something similar but is much blunter about being a dictatorship. This may be a match made in hell, but on a political scale, it evens out.

[Kynor]

I know, but I sense there's those here who wanna pretend putin isn't a dictator. Clearly he is

True. Putin keeps up sham elections just to seem legit. After all, the only real elections tend to be municipal, and the Comunist Party of Russia is the only real challenger (the irony is to obvious).

And Don't forget that when his term ends Putin and the Prime Minister will just switch places so they don't lose power

[Monsone]

True. Putin keeps up sham elections just to seem legit. After all, the only real elections tend to be municipal, and the Comunist Party of Russia is the only real challenger (the irony is to obvious).

And Don't forget that when his term ends Putin and the Prime Minister will just switch places so they don't lose power

Yep, history always repeats itself under the Putin era. Yet Lukashenko is point blank about being a dictator. At least he is honest in that regard, unlike Putin.

[Aureumterra]

He’s legitimately popular in Russia though

And he legitimately locks up political opponents and RT is basically his state TV channel. Arguing that putin isn't a dictator is like arguing that water doesn't freeze at 0 degree Celsius.

Am I arguing that Putin isn’t a dictator?

[United Muscovite Nations]

I don't see why making good on treaties that were signed 20 years ago is being worded as if it's a sudden and aggressive action.

[Kowani]

I don't see why making good on treaties that were signed 20 years ago is being worded as if it's a sudden and aggressive action.

Well, nobody expected this to actually happen, and it was announced with no buildup.

[Salus Maior]

I don't see why making good on treaties that were signed 20 years ago is being worded as if it's a sudden and aggressive action.

Well, nobody expected this to actually happen, and it was announced with no buildup.

I think it's more that nobody's been paying attention to it.

[United Muscovite Nations]

I don't see why making good on treaties that were signed 20 years ago is being worded as if it's a sudden and aggressive action.

Well, nobody expected this to actually happen, and it was announced with no buildup.

There's been like a decade of buildup. It's been on the table for 2 decades, it just hasn't been implemented, but Russia and Belarus have grown much closer in the last 10 years (with Russia having recently paid in full for the modernization and retraining of the entire Belarusian military). Most people just don't notice the buildup for this sort of thing because they don't Kremlin-watch, but it's very not-sudden.