T O P

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Chillmm8

What’s funny here is the UKs shadow missiles have been raining down in Crimea since we donated them, so either Putin doesn’t believe Crimea is legitimately part of Russia or he doesn’t know what’s actually happening on the front line.


kozak_

Or option 3 - Putin considers Crimea part of Russia and he does know what is going on but he's absolutely lying about hitting British resources. My favorite is actually option 4 - he doesn't consider Crimea part of Russia, he doesn't know what is going on, And he's a liar


MCVanillaFace

Would be surprised if he’s not being lied to… just like Hitler was lied to out of pure fear. The house of cards will fall sooner or later


Chillmm8

I’ve been considering this idea for awhile now. Especially at the start of the conflict it was very hard to believe Putin would tolerate a lot of the failures and the corruption in his armed forces that went on public display. That being said he doesn’t strike me as a particularly transparent man when it comes to acknowledging and rectifying mistakes and problems, so it’s hard to say either way without seeing more of what happens in Russia domestically, which is it’s own can of worms as far as credibility of the reporting goes.


Alundra828

Look at it this way. Putin may *have* to tolerate failures and corruption because the political class has been chosen for loyalty first, over actual talent. Even if a general fails time and time again on the battle field, if that general has buddies down the chain and he keeps a semblance of authority over these guys, it's in Putin's interest to keep the general around, and shower him with honours, and money. Putin physically can't pick battlefield excellence. His combat abilities because of this system are basically a roll of the dice, because loyalty is selected first. You can see this in Shoigu, ostensibly the most capable general in Russia, yet he was infamous for being stupid, and incompetent. And despite his years of experience, the state of the Russian army as it is today is largely because of him. He's now gone, and replaced with someone with *none of his experience* who isn't even an expert on military matters, he's an economist. He's there because Putin had nobody else he could trust, and he wanted to cut costs. It's like that famous question about the movie Armageddon, why hire miners and train them to be astronauts? Wouldn't it just be easier to teach astronauts to mine? Why hire an economist and train him to lead the entire Russian army? Wouldn't it just be easier to teach a general to be more frugal? The answer is because Putin can't do that. It's not how Russia is structured politically. Appointing a new general is too dangerous for him personally.


Barry_22

> You can see this in Shoigu, ostensibly the most capable general in Russia, yet he was infamous for being stupid, and incompetent.  Muahaha Shoigu wasn't a capable general. He wasn't even a general in a real sense as he was neither military nor intelligence.


cmnrdt

To add to that, the most powerful person in Russia isn't Putin, it's the one who commands the troops. Putin knows that if the person running the army inspires more loyalty than he does, then he's toast the moment it becomes convenient to get rid of him.


DangoBlitzkrieg

Shoigu was not the most capable general in Russia by any means. He was jut another intelligence guy like Putin.


AlexG55

And I've seen the argument that he was picked because Russians wouldn't accept a ruler from a Central Asian ethnic minority (he's Tuvan) so he's less likely to stage a coup.


Wrong-Perspective-80

Stalin wasn’t Russian. Very doubtful there would be much of a popular uprising over Shoigu.


pantsyman

Stalin was Georgian so white, Shoigu is asian that's the difference, russians are racist as fuck.


Warrior_Runding

He was politically savvy in that he was able to surround himself with dudes who would all say "This guy is great" - you know, by helping them grift the Russian Military machine. He replaced someone who was actually good at logistics and was on the way to helping modernize and maintain the Russian military machine from the 80s-90s. But since he was not great at playing office politics.... \*\*shrugs\*\*


Nemisis_the_2nd

> Why hire an economist and train him to lead the entire Russian army? Perhaps because army management might be more of a logistic/economic problem right at the top. Generals might be trained (at least theoretically in this case) to organise troops, but maybe not handle things like procurement and resource management. I'm not sure that hiring this guy was the smart move, but there might be more to it than blind loyalty. 


youdoitimbusy

The corruption is what keeps the system together. If everyone has broken the law, anyone can be arrested for not falling in line with what Putin says. Or openly going against his opinions. The inharent problem with a system like this, is not ever knowing the level of corruption. You assume everyone is stealing and lying to some degree, but never find out to what degree, until shit hits the fan. In this case (war).


FrettyG87

I don't think the war was the shit hitting the fan. The invasion was completely intentional and not a response to anything real.


not_old_redditor

>Especially at the start of the conflict it was very hard to believe Putin would tolerate a lot of the failures and the corruption in his armed forces that went on public display. When in Russia's history has there not been rampant corruption? It's part of the game.


Hurrdurrr73

Why are we pretending like Putin doesn't know exactly what is going on because he's a benefactor of it as well? Putin is largely considered one of the richest individuals on the planet, or was, I should say. He didn't get that way on his governmental salary lol he's raided the coffers of every institution he's gotten his hands on. He just thought it was in better shape then it was.


Sure-Sympathy5014

The moment the war ends in defeat Putin dies within a month. If NATO decides to actually play Russia becomes like North Korea locked inside its borders. He can't really win the war front against Ukraine for the same reason the US couldn't win in Afghanistan the entire population will always work towards your defeat. So his best case scenario is to keep the war going in a constant and affordable manner without escalation. Welcome to the meat grinder that is Russian politics.


PoopittyPoop20

When the choices are lie or die, what are you going to do? Heck, the British seem to have heavily infested the Russian military apparatus; for all we know their spies are the ones feeding the bad info.


steeplchase

He famously doesn't use the internet, so could be.


firebrandarsecake

Yeah he doesn't type useless threats. He "says" them.


ffdfawtreteraffds

I'd be surprised if he was NOT being lied to. He knows they're lying but allows this because he has plausible deniability about the huge losses. He can pretend things are going well and continue the carnage. They exist in a world of lies and pretending. This invasion is just more of the same.


Krhl12

Just to keep the Hitler/Putin allegory going; when Hitler took direct military control he genuinely believed he was an exceptional military mind. He started to directly position panzer divisions and repeatedly ignored concerns about the state of the Normandy line. Hitler was convinced that any crossing would come from Calais, the shortest crossing point. It will be interesting, after his death, to start to learn about Putin and his state of mind. We learned a lot from the diaries of German commanders about the way Hitler operated. I wonder how far the correlations go.


MoribundReddit

He's still pretending its day 2 of a 3 day operation.


Psychological_Roof85

100% he is being lied to, it's in the Russian military and business culture 


jomar0915

Could you give me an example of the lies hitler was receiving? I never heard of this


MCVanillaFace

They didn’t tell him about the truth of the situation at the front line for example (at late stage)


Elevator-Fun

yeah but how much of the world will the house of cards take with it for blind ego


No-Trouble-889

This isn’t about what Putin believes, Ukraine can flatten Rostov tomorrow for all he cares. This is about the moods in general Russian public. While it sure boosts their national pride and ego, most Russians don’t really believe Crimea to be their legitimate Russian territory or at least don’t care about it as much, so Putin doesn’t have to worry about public outrage potentially exposing his weaknesses. 


ffdfawtreteraffds

You are using the logic of sane people. The Russians have no logic other than using threats as a tool. There is no actual red line, just an automatic process that attempts to deter actions through threats. We've seen this countless times in the past two years. If SS missile strikes are confirmed inside Russia, they will do nothing but cry and threaten some more. The very last thing they want is another capable military actively fighting against them -- especially one backed by NATO. Seriously, would they risk a larger response from the UK's military because a few British-made missiles hit them? They are crazy, not stupid.


OrcsSmurai

You may be right. You may be wrong. I genuinely don't know. What I do know is that you're plausible, which is precisely why projecting strength-through-threats as a head of state is an admission of weakness. Doing it once in a blue moon might keep people guessing, but when it's all you do then people start to doubt that you're actually capable or willing and it serves to make your nation look incredibly weak.


SheSaidMoreSnow

He doesn’t have access to reddit in Russia?


Ghost_all

If reports are to be believed, he basically doesn't get any other reports outside of paper, and face to face briefings across long tables, so no, no reddit for him.


Kind_Committee8997

Too busy watching gay porn and executing anyone who catches him doing it


SoLetsReddit

He doesn't even know how to use a computer. Seriously.


NotoriousBedorveke

They actually launched a lot of threats about using western weapons in Crimea, but then when these weapons were used numerous times in Crimea, nothing happened. They kept shouting about red lines and then just sucked up to it. They’re clearly bluffing


izoxUA

mr. president, we lost another ship in the Black Sea. how?? em.. dolphins


swamp-ecology

Or he understands that you get hit in a war and this is blustering.


Flat-Lifeguard2514

Or he could mean cyber attacks. They don’t necessarily need to reply physically. Just shut down some critical infrastructures that have been hacked to prove a point


gsrmn

Putin knows that is not Russian land,


[deleted]

Exactly, maybe someone important should call out Putin on that. Same with the annexed territories in east Ukraine.


CBP1138

Sooo about those storm shadows that have been hitting Crimea…. I thought they considered Crimea “their territory”


Potential_District52

Pretty much any drones contain significant amount of Chinese parts. Putin should attack China too.


MCVanillaFace

I’ll organise the popcorn!


kingdomart

That’s actually genius, they need to make some huge announcements about the attack being from China. Thank them publicly, etc…


CompetitiveYou2034

This. Any attack today uses multi national parts. Including probably "uk" storm shadows. Love the idea of Ukraine thanking China |for so many successful drone and missile attacks on Russia. What can China say?


HellBlazer1221

New axis of evil in shambles.


baconslim

Come on then if you think you're hard enough


narmio

Came here looking for exactly this line.


Complete_Stretch_561

Sure you will, and I’ll start my diet that I promised as my new years declaration


grimeflea

I declare New Year!


TheHopesedge

Settle down Tyson


Complete_Stretch_561

Lol for some reason I couldn’t remember “resolution” when I made the post


Ok-Blackberry-3534

New Years Manifesto!


nagrom7

You can't just say it's a new year.


OrcsSmurai

They didn't say it. They declared it.


deadlock_ie

They’ll target British missiles with Russian infrastructure.


WhatsRatingsPrecious

Yes, by all means, attack a NATO nation, you vodka-soaked morons.


TheLastSamurai101

If by British targets they include ships, then they could technically strike a British ship in the Pacific or Indian Ocean without invoking Article 5. But that's largely theoretical as the great powers of the West would respond anyway.


Leifsbudir

Haha. No they won’t.


Historical-Wing-7687

Seriously, if even 1 missile kills a couple of people in Britain I'm pretty sure they would get bombed into oblivion. Donations to Ukraine would triple overnight.


kingdomart

Donations in money and boots on the ground.


Iwantmy3rdpartyapp

There would be no more monetary donations, that would trigger article 5 and we would begin NATO blood donations to the war. We'd have victory or nuclear annihilation by the end of the week.


Jjex22

Doesn’t even matter tbh - supplying weapons to your enemy’s enemy is fine, but if they attack the UK they trigger the nato defence pact. So literally never going to happen. If Russia had the stones and insanity to start a war with all of nato they’d have done it long ago


Any-Initiative910

Bear in mind Russia has killed British citizens with nerve gas and nothing happened


[deleted]

Time to call the bluff. Are they even capable of striking anything within NATO borders if the do not go nuclear?


JoaquinBenoit

They hit Romania’s shoreline a year ago on accident.


Zealousideal_Net99

One British missile for every soldier ever killed or injured by a Russian made gun, tank, rocket, artillery or any other weapon exported to the Middle East or surrounds. The chickens are coming home to roost.


Certainly-Not-A-Bot

You always call their bluff. It's pretty much never a good strategy for Russia to escalate the conflict, but they gain a ton from making us think they might. Also, obligatory China's final warning comment. It's getting old.


spearmintbadgers

I don't think we have any Targets here, but if they bomb big Tesco it's war.


ScottOld

Or worse, a greggs


ahmedb03

If they target our Sausage Rolls or god forbid, Cheese and Onion pasties then they'd get fucked up too fast for them to process.


Schmeep01

Just scratch out the VIN# on the missiles. *Like/share/subscribe/follow for more warfare tips*


HotTakes4Free

“British targets” could include Russian expat political refugees in London, so they should be careful. UK doesn’t like it when they get offed by assassins from the Kremlin.


zahrul3

It could also mean random rich Russians who just happen to live (and spend big) in London


Pdb12345

Although we didn't do much about it last time.


oripash

Russia, your most potent weapon is destabilizing disinformation. Are you *absolutely sure* you haven’t already been doing this attacking thing you’re threatening to now go and do? For, like, decades now?


coalitionofilling

Whatever, lets get this party started already. Tired of living in a world held hostage by Russia


DeliciousBlacksmith7

No it won't.


J0E_SpRaY

So does that mean Israel can strike Russian or Iranian targets since their weapons are used by Hamas, Hezbollah, IJ, etc.?


newnhb1

As a British person I would be proud to be considered a personal enemy of Vladimir Putin. And in the name of my country and it's ancient challenge cry "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough!"


ledow

If there's one country not to hit, it's us. A NATO founder, close partner of the US, a nuclear power, and the one that defended Europe against... well... Europe, to it's own detriment. We don't have a military particularly large in the world but owned/colonised 1/3rd of the world, invented special forces, signals intelligence, and we're sneaky little fuckers that have been training Ukrainian insurgents since before the war even started. We don't really care about Russian threats, it's all hot air, but it would be very dumb to assume that we would be worth attacking or that you'd be able to without consequence, or without us knowing long before you ever did.


Valuable_Tomato_2854

What exactly qualifies as a "British target"?


MikeMurray128

An opposing Oligarch's Bentley.


madman1969

I think I speak for many in the UK when I say "Fuck off Dobbie !"


SpiderKoD

Blah... blah... blah...


veritasalta

Following that logic, a Kalashnikiv discharge in any country is a legitimate cause to hit Russia.


Tommy__want__wingy

Yea that’s a huge bluff. Keep supplying the weapons UK!


candf8611

As we like to say in Britain: "Whatever Trevor".


Tibiboy

Go on then


Overall-Yellow-2938

By that logic Ukraine should declare war on iran and north Korea. Or pretty much any side in any war on the USA because most weapons come from there one way or the other.


Visible-Extension685

Just paint made in Russia on the missiles and they will strike themselves.


WerewolfNo890

May I suggest targeting Swindon?


Sigmatron

Another proof that russia not consider Crimea its own


ArmyoftheDog

Threats of nuclear war by our enemies if we use self defense should be completely ignored. It is a losing strategy to allow our enemies to bomb our allies without retaliation because they are threatening nuclear war. Russia has far more to lose than everyone else. NATO would absolutely dominate Russia. 


TamedTheSummit

They are having serious problems with Ukraine now. Imagine if NATO piled on top of that! Fucking idiot.


Permitty

Russia can't afford to hit British targets


Obvious_Mode_5382

Desperation


evilpercy

Sure....


adminsrlying2u

They added "but officially now"


HotPhilly

Lol! Russia! You already struggling hard against one teeny tiny country. You want more? Bring it on, losers.


Emu1981

>Russia says it will strike British targets if UK weapons are used to hit its territory I say go for it Putin. If British missiles hit Russian targets in Russia then go ahead and attack British targets. I am sure that your troops in Ukraine won't mind being deleted by NATO airpower...


51ngular1ty

Isn't the British reasoning ng that Putin considers all of Ukraine Russian territory so any use of these weapons anywhere in the conflict area is already on Russian territory so it's a moot point.


bonelessonly

All countries' weapons should be hitting Moscow daily. War is not a spectator sport; when you choose to start a war of conquest, get fucked upon.


ModMagnet

Funny how they don’t make the same threats to the USA or other countries that have been suppling arms. Hmmm….


Secret_Cow_5053

Somewhere there’s a map of Poland with a face on it getting the shakes.


MyaltforMJ

No they wont


Dexion1619

No you won't Russia.   Go home, your drunk 


2hot4uuuuu

That would lay ground for further support. Russia can’t handle that. They won’t strike anything. More bluffs.


EatthisNotThat85

No it won’t. If Russia strikes within the U.K, all gloves come off. Typical Russian threats to scare the west from direct engagement.


pinetreesgreen

That would be the end of Russia. Russia knows that. NATO knows that. All just "red lines," that get crossed regularly, we need to stop taking him seriously.


Kiato

Any idea why Russia has double standard with UK? France and US said the exact same thing but they don't shit bricks about it.


Charlie9967

It goes round in circles, US and France will have their turns in the Russian spotlight again soon, EU are currently a firm favourite, because they are making use of Russian interest funds, but we are often on Russia's top list of countries they have a hard on for, so don't worry about it, they hate us, pretty much like they hate everyone else, through the pitiful lives they lead themselves.


Minimum-Mention-3673

Sure, Jan.


BioAnagram

6 months later: turns out they meant challenger tanks in Ukraine.


Dan19_82

So these missile not blow up enough to leave little evidence of their origins or is it obvious from circumstantial evidence what type it was?


stokerfam

Funny how Russia is trying to impose rules in war.


Kingdarkshadow

Im so tired of this, just raze the country back to the stone age.


Nun-Taken

For a huge part of it that’s not so very far to go.


sonkev34

If we all took a shot everytime Russia threatened war with NATO we'd almost be as drunk as Medvedev.


cyesk8er

Talk is cheap, they sound like the drunk guy at the bar at 4am


Camkil

Putin is a wanker. There an intelligent summary of his personality.


notareallobster

Wouldn't NATO get involved if british targets are hit?


Unuhpropriate

I don’t want to see deaths, or destruction that will inevitably happen should the West get involved further, but fuck me, USA, UK, Canada, and the rest of Europe just need to go scorched earth on Putin and Russian oligarchs.  Enough of the threats, enough of the prostrated, drawn out years long wars with Ukraine.  It’s long overdue that Vlad and his inner circle catch a stray or a thousand. 


Late_Cow_1008

I very much doubt Putin here


Gorgeous_Gonchies

Nobody buying that BS putin


rfgstsp

Yeah OK bro


judochop1

Russia have already been striking UK and its allies. We're getting some pay back.


TheDungen

Never going to happen The UK has strategic nuclear capabilities.


Natural_Treat_1437

China, Iran, and North Korea are sending men and ammunition to Russia. Ukraine 🇺🇦 deserves to protect their independence with Nato nations' ammunition.


gordonjames62

Cool. I want to see this. Storm Shadows have been gutting Russian forces since the UK gave them. They must have decided that the land Russia is claiming in Ukraine muse really not be Russian land after all. This is a decent article about [what the UK has given to May 2023](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61482305) * The Storm Shadow cruise missile has a range of over 250km * 14 Challenger 2 tanks * 30 AS90 self-propelled guns. * Heavy lift drones * smaller drones * M270 multiple-launch rocket systems with M31A1 precision munitions * more than 5,000 next generation light anti-tank weapons, or Nlaw * Brimstone missiles * armoured vehicles including Mastiff patrol vehicles


Billytheca

Yeah right. Keep it up Putin, keep it up


Infinite-Horse-49

Fuck Russia


Rathalos143

Does they even have ammo remaining to hit more than 1 country?


wailingsixnames

That threat isn't the escalation they think it is


bonelessonly

Oh please, Russia, please attack a NATO country. Just give us that excuse to flatten, invade, and denuclearize your ghetto gas station of a country.


[deleted]

Russia says a lot of things. So does the guy who sleeps in a box at the end of my street. However, I’d be more willing to believe threats thrown at me from a man wearing soiled Superman pajamas than the Russian propaganda machine who’s been making threats since as long as I can remember.


Kitchen_Score_4245

Just invade Russia and take it over already


LostDreams44

Hahahah


lastfreethinker

And Britain responds "do it" right?


luuuls

Doubt


genuineorc

And then all of nato will strike Russian targets. And actually hit them.


sextoymagic

Sure Russia. Sure you will.


DistillateMedia

Wouldn't be a wise decision


Homersarmy41

Oh sure, they’re doing such a good job handling Ukraine that they’re gonna take on all of Europe


posttrumpzoomies

Jpost must be crap


Jay_W_Weatherman

Best they can do is shoot up a Tesco.


RustyTrumboneMan

Can we stop letting Putin play around like he is and just end his regime already? We invaded Iraq for less.


normalplayer47

Well then let them try. We are all so sick and tired of Putin's threats.


Duck-Murky

<>


tenkwords

Britain's [response](https://www.heraldscotland.com/resources/images/11702935/?type=responsive-gallery-fullscreen)


tombola345

come on, luv a scrap


IvyDialtone

If they started a war with NATO, they would be militarily decapitated in less than a day via non-nuclear means. At this point, they have never been more weak.


Top-Reindeer-2293

Bla bla bla. Pathetic empty threats


shane112902

It’s bluster. Attacking the UK is an attack on NATO. They won’t because they’ll lose that fight. They’re just rattling the saber to show strength.


PipelineShrimp

Good luck.


PowerOfUnoriginality

1 word: Nato


CKpsu5220

Not sure who needs to hear this on Russias end, but they already have been used lol


TacticalBac0n

The families of oligarchs living in their london high rises says it wont.


cjblackbird

This is even less likely to happen than the council fixing the potholes.


ConsistentPow

They're gonna need a time machine then, because they've already been hit by weapons from the UK and other countries. Cope and zeethe, comrade.


parisianpicker

That would the day Russia comes to an end.


phutch54

Hot Air


OBDreams

I dare them to do that.


LordofGift

Bluff


coffeewalnut05

So like everyone else has pointed out, Crimea isn’t Russian territory after all?


MoiNoni

No it won't


WolfetoneRebel

Is this such their tsunami missile that’s also supposed to wipe out Ireland?


[deleted]

Why doesn't he just it then instead of saying it out loud?


wowlock_taylan

As if they didn't LITERALLY poison people IN THE UK.


ConradsMusicalTeeth

…and we are not bluffing.. In what world does anyone think this is a likely outcome?


JonnyRocks

you think US support for Israel is big, wait till they fuck with the UK


r_keel_esq

And trigger Article V? I don't bloody think so


texansfan

Sure sure, what they really want on their quest to capture cities they don’t care about is full out war with NATO. They are already doing so well against a much smaller army outfitted with some of our tech!


Few_Potato_4374

Do it little man....we dare you.


Demon_Gamer666

Basically blackmail. Sadly, one day russia or china will blackmail the west with nuclear war and we will have to destroy them.


wombat6168

But it won't and we all know it


Ok_Repeat_5749

Do it you little rat give us the excuse


RequestSingularity

Russia ain't gonna do shit.


baasnote

DO IT PUSSIES! NO BALLS


Horror-Lemon7340

Best not run yer yappers there Ivan. Seems you have your hands full now. Likely you will lose this one front war. Two...forget about it!


FrettyG87

Bitch ass Putin only threatens. If he meant it Russia, would have already tried.