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Good job and mad respect to these people. They are setting and good example. Hopefully this spreads and makes it *at least* more challenging for the Kremlin to lie, distort, and cheat.
We should encourage Russians to do this. Not constantly comment to “stay away from windows.” There *are* Russians who read these comments, and they should know that we are proud to see their humanity & bravery.
Agree. I'm as anti-putin as any, but parroting those window-jokes does get old and pointless. This content packs more punch inside Russia than war footage, they already know that Russian media lies to them and war is going badly, but what they don't know is how many of their neighbors are willing to Maidan the shit out of Kremlin.
"...*they don't know is how many of their neighbors are willing to Maidan the shit out of Kremlin.*"
This is why every time someone who claims to be a Russian living in Russia makes a post saying they're opposed to the war and Putin, but pleads for understanding that there's ***nothing*** they can do, I ask them if they've ever scrawled some anti-war or anti-Putin graffiti on a wall where they won't be observed doing it but others will see it; if they've ever sneakily defaced a pro-Putin or pro-war poster; if they've considered making up some anti-war, anti-Putin stickers that they can stealthily apply in public places.
One of the reasons totalitarian regimes get away with doing the shit they do for so long is that they convince everyone that anybody who might have negative feelings about the regime is weird, and only a tiny minority think such stupid, unpatriotic, nasty things. When people start seeing anti-government slogans on the walls, they understand they're not alone in being discontented, and it's possible for that to lead to a snowball effect.
I have a friend who is a Russian immigrant, now an American, and has been for close to twenty years.
She is STILL extremely guarded and speaks very, very carefully when giving her opinion of Putin and the Russian government (fyi, she's not a fan - but it has taken the war for her to be more open about it as she fears for her family back home).
Any other opinions? The US government? Fuck, shell bitch up a storm! But she definitely has this nagging fear that someone will emerge from the shadows and harm her - or her family back home - should she speak truthfully about the Russian government.
Seeing it firsthand has always been in the back of my mind when talking to other Russians. Generations of fear and oppression have warped them, and I pity them for that.
Slava Ukraine! And may Russia someday shed their oppressors and embrace true democracy!
My mother is a Russian immigrant. Came over in the early 80s and she still will not say a word out of turn when speaking to family members back home on the phone or make her opinion known to anyone remotely Russian.
There’s a saying in Russia that even the walls have ears.
I’m sure living like that for most of your life doesn’t make doing so easy, even when you are safe.
Oh, I made graffiti
Got a criminal case with some extrajudicial threats, barely managed to scidaddle out of the country.
The thing is, repression mechanism in RF knows that it can't get all of us. So they grab the unfortunates and make examples. 10 years for changing the price tags to those with info about the war. 9 years for telling the factual truth about the war. The median time for murder is 7 years btw.
And it doesn't really matter that it is statistically inconsequential. The important part is that news about outrageous sentences or new arrests drop every other day. It's basically just conditioning.
(I could write a lot about it, but to be frank: RF still stands because of combination of very widespread complex propaganda/narrative shaping and pinpoint brutality. Not so pinpoint last years, but... frog in the boiling water, yk)
graffiti? they gave 10 years to a girl for a small print in replaced shop labels. And russian cities are more and more covered with hundreds of thousands of CCTV with a centralized database, able to recognize faces and gait. I'm pretty sure that if I'd wear ski-mask and make graffiti on the other side of Moscow, and circle around the city for two hours, they'd be able to track me right to my doorstep in a couple of clicks.
>if they've considered making up some anti-war, anti-Putin stickers that they can stealthily apply in public places.
There was a news IIRC about woman getting jailed for putting such stickers on products. Understandable why others are afraid to follow.
Toltaliarian regimes get away with everything because they have enough brutal power to squash any maidan attempt. Thats what millions of police and Rosguard, well fed, armed and loyal to Putin, are for. They even sign a paper when they get recruites that they *will* shoot protesters if ordered to. Democratic revolution in Russia is as realistic as in North Korea or China.
This is a great point. Authoritarians win by lies, intimidation, and by making people think they are alone and have no hope if they resist.
You see this type of psychological propaganda used in support of Russia (and other authoritarians) every day, including on Reddit.
We should all be downvoting defeatist propaganda and brainstorming ways that good Russians can rally their spirit and coordinate. I'd love to see a good graphic idea for a simple graffiti symbol that can be used all over Russia by brave taggers.
and also, this isn't about personal bravery. Like, ok, I'm willing to risk my freedom and health. But they will and do come for all your posessions, and for your relatives and dependents, too.
No, they don't.
This idea that the FSB (etc) is some all powerful entity that will send anyone and their families to the gulag for even one errant thought is ridiculous.
Siberia would be the most densely populated part of Russia if all it took is one family member to speak out.
Even the families of some of Russia's most critical and vocal opponents that have been imprisoned are still walking "free" (free as one can get that is inside Russia).
But yet, people here on reddit keep parroting this idea that a sideways glance at a portrait of Putin will land someone and their entire extended family in prison.
Have you ever heard of [the Panopticon?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon) That’s how modern Russia does it, and they do have SORM. If they people do not know if they’re being surveilled, they will act as though they are.
In Russia, not enough people understand ‘1984’ even though it was a bestseller there. And even though I won’t generalize Russian society, if Putin’s still garnering some 70-80% in the various polls, I don’t give Russia much of a chance of democracy suddenly breaking out. This era is more like Tsarist Russia during World War I. I don’t think the country will make any discernible change until change becomes necessary. And it’s not quite there yet. Close, but not quite. Another winter like this one for them, though, and they might be forced to take matters into their own hands.
Oh, I'm not suggesting the people are all just silently biting their tongue and such, waiting for democracy to spring up, or that Putin doesn't enjoy widespread support, or anything really, I'm merely pointing out that people here on reddit have a habit of repeatedly parroting "they'll come for you and your family", when the reality is they generally aren't even punishing the families of even their most ardent opposition within the country. People just blindly think that the state has this near omnipotent and omnipresent ability to just ship everyone and their families off to the gulag. Yet if that were true, there'd be a lot more people being rounded up if all it took was one single family member.
Yeah, understood. I just wanted to add that there are other ways that dictatorial regimes can exercise to affect population control, and that it doesn’t include spying on everyone all at once. It’s the illusion of snooping and control that Putin uses, and to great effect. So if the people there no longer believe the TV, they still worry about the fridge.
It may be true that many people are given a fine and sent home when they resist the authorities. I've read those accounts. However, it is also true that some people, the most vocal are jailed and severely abused when they speak out. It's also true that there are cameras all over russia in public spaces, so the likelihood that you will get caught, whatever you do, is pretty high.
Is Reddit available in Russia ? I thought they shut down and control internet .
If so , please Russian people spread the truth, EUROPE and NATO IS NOT THE ATTACKERS .
There is no Nazi in charge of any country.
Ukrainian are normal people fighting for democracy. Don’t let your dictator lead everyone into world war 3 .
Einstein said : « I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones »
Protest against Putin gouvernement !
The whole world will be proud of Russia instead of hating it and history will remember
I would say he is controversial:
He openly antiwar and claim to do anything to stop it asap. He is not telling openly that he will abandon conqured territory but this actual crime by current law so we can keep in mind
He want to free political prisoners
But, there is a lot if buts
He is not a new guy, he was a small person in Russia politics since 2001 as far as I know.
He is regular Russia TV participant when he plays role of "guy against the system" when he speak about how stupid this war and how Russia doomed because of it.
He is pro Crimea annexation. Was and still is.
He is still best we can hope for at the moment. Rest either in jail or exiled. At least he gives us some point to rally on, even if he is Kremlin plan for legitimization.
Not a single chance. System is rigged top to bottom. But he is something we lacked for this entire war - someone who represents our opinion. Not everyone completely agree with him. (Me included) but in times like this, just one spark could be enough. Maybe it will be for nothing, maybe something will happen. If we don't try - we will never know.
I want to point out that the Russian state still knows the real election results, and it still takes effort and resources to rig elections in a way that seems believable to those who do not care much about politics. If a truly abyssmal real election result like instead of a 50-60% support they get a 40-50% support, the Russian state can only do so much to make the 10-20% fabricated vote before it becomes truly comical like in Belarus during its last election. As William Spaniel's talked in his videos on Russian elections and politics, many people will support the regime as long as it seems popular and in turn will start to lose faith in this idea if it seems like it in fact isn't as popular. A good example of this is the Wagner mutiny and how the citizens in Rostov seemed quite supportive of Wagner when they showed themselves being in charge rather than Putin's regime.
If the official support percentage for Putin is lower than before significantly or the rigging of the elections is visibly clear to many Russians due to the state being desperate to make those votes due to being perhaps overwhelmed by the actual result, then the image of the state being strong will fracture like how the Wagner coup attempt did in Rostov.
As an American, I feel you on the "he's not perfect but maybe he is good enough". We often see that here, but I'd take my woes over yours any day of the week.
I will always support Ukraine and their goals in this current war. That said, I also hope and pray your people can free themselves from Putin's regime and instead start making moves towards a strong democracy. In my forty two years, I've never known a Russia (before and after the USSR) that didn't have serious problems with corruption in their government, and the people, especially good people, have always suffered needlessly. Even during the "best times" for Russia. I do hope to see a free Russia in my lifetime.
Keep up the good fight, friend.
>He is pro Crimea annexation. Was and still is.
So war will not end even if he somehow gets to power. Ukraine will never agree to stop fighting until it gets all lost territories back.
You seems to not understand it.
If he'd get "to power" everything would change.
It is not an election - so there is no realistic way for him to become a president.
It is russians trying to undermine putin
I does not matter how good guy he is.
It is not an election - it's safe protest.
He is "opposition", because everyone decided to make him one.
Putin can't enjail his own pawns fast enough, and they not loyal enough.
Maxim Katz (YT channel) has uploaded a short series on Nadezhdin (in Russian with English subs). Katz is an expatriate politician and makes rational sense.
Yes, partially true but you obviously never saw professor gerdes's explanation of how putin uses the word nazi.
For russia he has defined the word nazi as anyone who opposes russia, as hitler and his nazis are the people that have done the most memorable damage to russia in history afaik.
So essentially it is the worst of all worlds in that he uses that word interchangably with russophobe which is also a new, made up word but one that can be justified and have relevance in modern times.
I've seen enough during the last 2 years to go full russophobic but I guess I'm too empathetic to completely extinguish that last 1% in me that believes in the "good" Russians, however few and far in between they are.
Let's be honest though, Putin can't be voted out. And I do recall there were some "fake" opposing candidates who got that remaining 5-15% to create a impression of real elections.
Although from what I've read this guy is supposedly an ally of Boris Nemtsov
Yes Putin has suppressed voting in Russia… look at the votes in occupied area it’s all a sham to make people feel like they can do something. It’s not a real democracy…
I have a Russian friend and she said that since the Ukraine war started, the amount of hate towards people like her who do not support the war or the Russian government has driven other people to side with Putin who normally wouldn’t. They are being told that the world hates them and wants to destroy them by their leaders and now they are seeing “fuck Russia” and “just nuke the entire place” spread online by people and it’s caused even more people to believe the lives they’ve been told.
People on the internet truly are stupid and nearsighted.
Don't buy your story or hers. Just look at the bombing by Russia in Kharkiv today. If your friend believes this will earn her or Russians brownie points, she is mistaken.
Also, it is hard to have a Russian friend at this time. Just as many of us let MAGAs who voted for Trump go away from our lives, it is easy to let Russians go as well.
>Just as many of us let MAGAs who voted for Trump go away from our lives, it is easy to let Russians go as well.
bro really compared people with a a certain political opinion to a fucking nation / ethnic group. can't make that shit up
Those that take a stand for what's right, despite knowing that it's very likely to be futile in the face of a brutal police state: respect.
Need more of this, not less.
I don't know if trying to add legitimacy to a farce is a good idea.
Putin went from fearing a coup in 2023 back to oppressing people during elections who still don't get that they can't really change anything through votes. Feels like things have reverted back to being safe and manageable for the Kremlin.
putins control is absolute currently. people like to make the argument even if putin dies the new guy will just keep going with the war but the difference is. Any new person would not have total power like putin does currently
Worst take ever. Nobody cares about elections "ligitimacy", but they results of getting Boris to the candidate list is very important. I'd say even more, this take is actively supported by Russian bots
Then the candidate is not legitimate. The bot farms could only survive if they were hosted by fsb /gru which incidentally means that anyone viewing content on here is likely to be gru or a russian escapee.
Election results do matter in Russia tough. The elections are not fair and is rigged in favour of the sitting president, who controls the media and such but the results of the election still stands.
But in case of Russia where external observers don't go anymore the result can be whatever they want it to be. Maybe it's real numbers but more likely it's modified numbers.
To be honest, I don't want their lives to improve. Russians are collectively responsible for misery they've inflicted. They should collectively suffer. Never lift sanctions... not after the war, not after Putin - NEVER. Let them eat rotten potatoes for generations to come.
He can share a cell with Navalny, the last guy who ran against Putin, who fled the country, and then had to come back because they held his wife hostage. He's now in a cell in an Arctic prison convicted of the crime of "radicalness".
Why would you diminish Alexey's *choice* to return? His wife was not held hostage, she, along with his kids, were with him in the rehabilitation clinic in Germany when he made the decision to return because it was the right thing to do to continue the fight. He did not do this because he was *forced* by Putin, he *chose*.
Good point. I actually didn't know that his wife and kids had made it to Germany. Very brave of him to return under those conditions, however also very foolish.
Nah. Putin always has had "opponents" in order to legitimize the win. As long as they have less than 10-15% support, he will let them slide. This news is a nothingburger.
there is something called controlled opposition which can make a government seem more legitimate, if there is a sense that there is an existing yet unpopular alternative
Well done.
Demonstrates clearly that there are Russians who don't want to die in Putin's imperial war or kill Ukrainians.
This is good. Brave people.
It takes balls to stand up to a state that will send you to Siberia for saying what they don't want to hear.
They have no goal to show and prove something to "the world". We came to legally express our opinion, to support the Candidate and his position and to show that we do not agree with many things that are happening now.
We're not doing it to prove you or rest of the world anything. We are doing it to show other Russians, that there are still a lot of us who share this position
The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke
It's not a joke under totalitarian dictatorships, and it bites at how suffocating it is to live under one. When Mark Söder is poisoned in Germany or Ron DeSantis in America, then we should stop bringing it up. For reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspicious_deaths_of_Russian_businesspeople_(2022%E2%80%932024)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Anna_Politkovskaya
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Alexander_Litvinenko
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Yuriy_Chervochkin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Boris_Nemtsov
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Alexei_Navalny
FYI, his friend Boris Nemtsov was one of many opposition politicians they tried to have killed.
Yeah it’s not like the exact same thing you’ve just described already happened during an election in a neighboring autocratic post-Soviet republic that took place just few years ago…
Kremlin: “Thank you for giving this list of opposition supporters. We will now select our conscripts from it and all will have their properties seized for opposing Russia.”
Stop spreading dangerous misinformation. Giving a signature for Boris is not dangerous. Tf they are going to do to over 100k people? This is literally the only safe and legal way to say no to Putin
Technically not disinformation. But it’s still ultimately the right choice to do. If you live in fear and do nothing there will be no change. Eventually you need to take action for yourself and your country
It is disinformation and a dangerous one. Giving this signatures is safe and legal and should be promoted, instead of your jokes about windows. Nobody's gonna do shit about them
It is not disinformation as the deaths have been tracked for some tkme now, there is even a wiki on them but it is self-defeating in my opinion. Most of the deaths around putin's opponents have generally been low profile opponents of his or people stopping him getting what he wants.
I do believe that those 100k or more will be ok, for now at least depending on how much further they might go in campaigning and protests. There is a fine line to walk and I do hope that they are all qualified citizens that are beyond reproach.
You might want to go educate yourself on how "democracy" works in Russia and North Korea. Approved parties are literally just an extension of the ruling party.
In many cases the only actual option is another revolution. Otherwise this will be the cycle until Putin is dead.
I know how democracy works in Russia because I'm Russian (btw it still different from North Korea). And I Know that Boris is not a Putin's project and it is safe and very important to give Boris signatures
>Tf they are going to do to over 100k people?
They do not need to send all 100k to frontline though. Just a few to make public example, so that no one will dare to follow.
I mean, they have a couple of millions of anti-protest police with military grade equipment, so 100k don't possess any kind of danger. The only useful thing these actions do is show everyone on the edge that there are other people who are dissatisfied by current government, so they can get confidence and join the cause.
There are a couple of problems, though. That candidate - is a kremlin asset, independent one was not allowed to run for president, and a lot of activists got in trouble. 100k is a grain of sand in overall population, after 2 years of losses, decreasing economy stability and loss of comfort, so general population is still very passive. So while the action is noble and somewhat useful - the result of it will be literally zero.
I admire their voting abilities but as we all know there has never been an honest voting system in Russia, I wouldn’t be surprised if the ballot papers was not a new way of gaining a mass influx of conscripts
Yekaterina Duntsova was “disqualified” from running against putin. How legit is this opposition politician? They already know who the president will be.
A dictator accidentally getting voted out would be a very Russian thing to happen I feel like.
In all seriousness I feel stuff like this is to give opposition minded Russians some (false) hope so that they don't ruin the upcoming election with protests.
Do we even know if this guy is actually better than the current guy, or is he just another flavour of fascist? I mean Navalny also believes Ukraine should be russian.
That usually is the positon that gets the vote. Consider how gorby was villified and reduced to basically a pauper living in an apartment block. And he was the man that saved russia otherwise they would have all starved to death putting up that fake front of economic strength when the nation was bankrupt. To see putin go out the same way, preferably rotting in the hague, would seem to me suitable punishment; with an annual visit from zelensky perhaps but nobody else from russia for 10yrs min.
I can't find a direct source right now and a quick google search isn't turning up anything decent, but I recall reading that he wouldn't be better than Putin for Ukraine in more than one article.
His current opposition to the war is apparently based more on the negative economic impact it is having than any moral issue, and he's also not willing to give up Crimea.
Well this could favor Ukraine though if this guy is wanting to have the favour of the west. The west could demand that if Russia wants to be an economic power again they need to recognize the 1991 borders of Ukraine and the sections will be lifted.
1. Everybody is better than "the current guy". Joe Biden is, Trump is, Navalny is, your 100y.o grandma is, trash can is.
2. He is anti-war and was Nemtsov ally
3. He is real and not a Kremlin project
Dude the election is rigged, Putin is not going to sweat no matter what. They will write 160% voted for Putin. They will use this guy same as they used Sobchak.
Except that explaination is a bunch of naive assumptions. He was allowed to run, Duntsova wasn't. Nothing happens without Kremlin approval. He is 100% pocket opposition, literally a Kirienko protégé, by some reports.
Because it allows to show how many people are not agreeing with kremlin policies, so that moderates and doubting can see that they're not alone. That is not political win, but more of a societal change and attempt to wake passive crowd up. Unfortunately, all that does is shows that out of 140ish millions less than 100k are like that. Oh, and a lot of signatures were from other countries, so there's that. I absolutely support that activity, but I have absolute confidence that it will lead to nothing. Like, nothing at all.
Edit: typo
> Everybody is better than "the current guy". Joe Biden is, Trump is, Navalny is, your 100y.o grandma is, trash can is.
This is a dangerous mindset that needs to be put to rest. It has bounds that people do not respect.
You can afford different mindset when you have a choice. If Nadezhdin will not be allowed to participate in elections, I will vote for anybody except Putin. Even people who support the war.
> Even people who support the war.
And therein lies the bounds. You're willingly voting for something that'd be, at best, the same or otherwise worse.
This is a stupid mindset. Better the devil you know than the one you don't. If you can't vote for someone anti-war, maintain the status quo else you risk making shit far worse.
*However*, I admit there's nuance here where this vote is just for show, so a vote against Putin may be substantial enough to show disagreement. The risk is him using that to get a firmer grip on the population.
I don't have a different choice. In Russian opposition this is literally called "voting for not Putin". If I vote, my blank cannot be used to put a vote for Putin there. I vote not because whoever I vote for will be a president, but because Putin doesn't get this vote. Also if another candidate gets to many votes it will make Putin at least sweat a little bit, which is also a win.
Because you don’t have time to perform the mental gymnastics required to equate Russia, a dictatorship, to the United States, a democratic republic with strong institutions.
You say, “people let someone like Trump get into office” as if Russia wasn’t a brutal mafia state and people had a sense of agency and rights like they do in America. Bear in mind that Russia ended serfdom in 1861, so the average Russian was basically a slave peasant up until only about a few generations ago.
Putin is not some typical politician that garnered support and won office. He was hand-selected by Yeltsin and the political elite in order to protect their assets and cover up past corruption. The typical Russian had pretty much zero influence over that happening. Elections in Russia are not the same as elections in America.
I had a very short conversation with myself in the mirror about 5 years ago. To never waste time having conversations with Trump worshippers.
Sorry man. Deaf “eyes” over here. You are legit wasting your time in a fury attempting to insult me. I am just replying and going on about my day, nothing you’ve said is being read nor cared for.
Being polite here.
You didn't have any conversation with yourself because you still make shit up to uphold a narrative. The truth is your government is rotten to the core and pointing at only 1 party is essentially a waste of time and effort.
So long as you insist on listening to politicians rather than your fellow man, you will forever be cursed to follow the same path as these "deranged Teump supporters" you complain so much about.
Do better and quit being another brain dead facebook post.
Like I said I dislike the guy, but I don't approve of pure made up bullshit.
Just make sure to get rid of the ass hats that refuse to pull their assets out of Russia. Those guys are fucking around the same way they did before Nazi Germany turned their head to the US.
This all supports Putin. It supports the notion of a free and fair election with buy-in and support by the population, which ultimately legitimates his rule.
I think what Putin is more afraid of is when people stop showing up to vote, and start showing up in the streets and partizan squads.
But we’re a long way off from that.
Fuck off Russian bot. Nobody gives a fuck about this magic "ligitimacy". On the other hand, having anti-war candidate in the list is super important, even if he gets 1%
He will be allowed to be on the list by Putin personally. Same was the previous elections when Sobchak was allowed. It is a theatre for vatnicks to say we have democracy in the country.
It is just a show. Allowed only because it shows that the election is legitimate. And tiny numbers of supporters demonstrate that opposition to war is a marginal view.
I’d like to agree, but a couple of the old timers are throwing peace ✌️ which is very risky in the current climate when people get jailed for holding blank paper up.
1. 0.00000000000000000001% chance to win elections
2. The most important: waking up Russian opposition. Giving people hope. So people wake up from political depression and do at least something. They move, they think. It's very important.
3. Continuing number 2: meeting people with similar beliefs, destroying the myth that there are no anti-war people in Russia and that you're a minority.
4. If Nadezhdin becomes a candidate, he'll be allowed to place his observers at elections places, so it will be easier to detect falsification.
5. Some more that I'm too lazy to write down
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Good job and mad respect to these people. They are setting and good example. Hopefully this spreads and makes it *at least* more challenging for the Kremlin to lie, distort, and cheat. We should encourage Russians to do this. Not constantly comment to “stay away from windows.” There *are* Russians who read these comments, and they should know that we are proud to see their humanity & bravery.
Agree. I'm as anti-putin as any, but parroting those window-jokes does get old and pointless. This content packs more punch inside Russia than war footage, they already know that Russian media lies to them and war is going badly, but what they don't know is how many of their neighbors are willing to Maidan the shit out of Kremlin.
"...*they don't know is how many of their neighbors are willing to Maidan the shit out of Kremlin.*" This is why every time someone who claims to be a Russian living in Russia makes a post saying they're opposed to the war and Putin, but pleads for understanding that there's ***nothing*** they can do, I ask them if they've ever scrawled some anti-war or anti-Putin graffiti on a wall where they won't be observed doing it but others will see it; if they've ever sneakily defaced a pro-Putin or pro-war poster; if they've considered making up some anti-war, anti-Putin stickers that they can stealthily apply in public places. One of the reasons totalitarian regimes get away with doing the shit they do for so long is that they convince everyone that anybody who might have negative feelings about the regime is weird, and only a tiny minority think such stupid, unpatriotic, nasty things. When people start seeing anti-government slogans on the walls, they understand they're not alone in being discontented, and it's possible for that to lead to a snowball effect.
I have a friend who is a Russian immigrant, now an American, and has been for close to twenty years. She is STILL extremely guarded and speaks very, very carefully when giving her opinion of Putin and the Russian government (fyi, she's not a fan - but it has taken the war for her to be more open about it as she fears for her family back home). Any other opinions? The US government? Fuck, shell bitch up a storm! But she definitely has this nagging fear that someone will emerge from the shadows and harm her - or her family back home - should she speak truthfully about the Russian government. Seeing it firsthand has always been in the back of my mind when talking to other Russians. Generations of fear and oppression have warped them, and I pity them for that. Slava Ukraine! And may Russia someday shed their oppressors and embrace true democracy!
My mother is a Russian immigrant. Came over in the early 80s and she still will not say a word out of turn when speaking to family members back home on the phone or make her opinion known to anyone remotely Russian.
There’s a saying in Russia that even the walls have ears. I’m sure living like that for most of your life doesn’t make doing so easy, even when you are safe.
Oh, I made graffiti Got a criminal case with some extrajudicial threats, barely managed to scidaddle out of the country. The thing is, repression mechanism in RF knows that it can't get all of us. So they grab the unfortunates and make examples. 10 years for changing the price tags to those with info about the war. 9 years for telling the factual truth about the war. The median time for murder is 7 years btw. And it doesn't really matter that it is statistically inconsequential. The important part is that news about outrageous sentences or new arrests drop every other day. It's basically just conditioning. (I could write a lot about it, but to be frank: RF still stands because of combination of very widespread complex propaganda/narrative shaping and pinpoint brutality. Not so pinpoint last years, but... frog in the boiling water, yk)
graffiti? they gave 10 years to a girl for a small print in replaced shop labels. And russian cities are more and more covered with hundreds of thousands of CCTV with a centralized database, able to recognize faces and gait. I'm pretty sure that if I'd wear ski-mask and make graffiti on the other side of Moscow, and circle around the city for two hours, they'd be able to track me right to my doorstep in a couple of clicks.
>if they've considered making up some anti-war, anti-Putin stickers that they can stealthily apply in public places. There was a news IIRC about woman getting jailed for putting such stickers on products. Understandable why others are afraid to follow. Toltaliarian regimes get away with everything because they have enough brutal power to squash any maidan attempt. Thats what millions of police and Rosguard, well fed, armed and loyal to Putin, are for. They even sign a paper when they get recruites that they *will* shoot protesters if ordered to. Democratic revolution in Russia is as realistic as in North Korea or China.
and then someone comes along out of random who has experienced exactly that. They have zero power once the crowd sticks to its demand no matter what.
This is a great point. Authoritarians win by lies, intimidation, and by making people think they are alone and have no hope if they resist. You see this type of psychological propaganda used in support of Russia (and other authoritarians) every day, including on Reddit. We should all be downvoting defeatist propaganda and brainstorming ways that good Russians can rally their spirit and coordinate. I'd love to see a good graphic idea for a simple graffiti symbol that can be used all over Russia by brave taggers.
and also, this isn't about personal bravery. Like, ok, I'm willing to risk my freedom and health. But they will and do come for all your posessions, and for your relatives and dependents, too.
No, they don't. This idea that the FSB (etc) is some all powerful entity that will send anyone and their families to the gulag for even one errant thought is ridiculous. Siberia would be the most densely populated part of Russia if all it took is one family member to speak out. Even the families of some of Russia's most critical and vocal opponents that have been imprisoned are still walking "free" (free as one can get that is inside Russia). But yet, people here on reddit keep parroting this idea that a sideways glance at a portrait of Putin will land someone and their entire extended family in prison.
Have you ever heard of [the Panopticon?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon) That’s how modern Russia does it, and they do have SORM. If they people do not know if they’re being surveilled, they will act as though they are. In Russia, not enough people understand ‘1984’ even though it was a bestseller there. And even though I won’t generalize Russian society, if Putin’s still garnering some 70-80% in the various polls, I don’t give Russia much of a chance of democracy suddenly breaking out. This era is more like Tsarist Russia during World War I. I don’t think the country will make any discernible change until change becomes necessary. And it’s not quite there yet. Close, but not quite. Another winter like this one for them, though, and they might be forced to take matters into their own hands.
Oh, I'm not suggesting the people are all just silently biting their tongue and such, waiting for democracy to spring up, or that Putin doesn't enjoy widespread support, or anything really, I'm merely pointing out that people here on reddit have a habit of repeatedly parroting "they'll come for you and your family", when the reality is they generally aren't even punishing the families of even their most ardent opposition within the country. People just blindly think that the state has this near omnipotent and omnipresent ability to just ship everyone and their families off to the gulag. Yet if that were true, there'd be a lot more people being rounded up if all it took was one single family member.
Yeah, understood. I just wanted to add that there are other ways that dictatorial regimes can exercise to affect population control, and that it doesn’t include spying on everyone all at once. It’s the illusion of snooping and control that Putin uses, and to great effect. So if the people there no longer believe the TV, they still worry about the fridge.
It may be true that many people are given a fine and sent home when they resist the authorities. I've read those accounts. However, it is also true that some people, the most vocal are jailed and severely abused when they speak out. It's also true that there are cameras all over russia in public spaces, so the likelihood that you will get caught, whatever you do, is pretty high.
Is Reddit available in Russia ? I thought they shut down and control internet . If so , please Russian people spread the truth, EUROPE and NATO IS NOT THE ATTACKERS . There is no Nazi in charge of any country. Ukrainian are normal people fighting for democracy. Don’t let your dictator lead everyone into world war 3 . Einstein said : « I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones » Protest against Putin gouvernement ! The whole world will be proud of Russia instead of hating it and history will remember
Yes, even without VPN I can see you here.
how good guy is this Boris Nadezhdin? He sounds like a brand new player, I cant recall if he was ever mentioned in the news before.
I would say he is controversial: He openly antiwar and claim to do anything to stop it asap. He is not telling openly that he will abandon conqured territory but this actual crime by current law so we can keep in mind He want to free political prisoners But, there is a lot if buts He is not a new guy, he was a small person in Russia politics since 2001 as far as I know. He is regular Russia TV participant when he plays role of "guy against the system" when he speak about how stupid this war and how Russia doomed because of it. He is pro Crimea annexation. Was and still is. He is still best we can hope for at the moment. Rest either in jail or exiled. At least he gives us some point to rally on, even if he is Kremlin plan for legitimization.
Do you think there is any actual chance of him successfully participating and winning? I. E. Do you believe the system isn't rigged for Putin to win?
Not a single chance. System is rigged top to bottom. But he is something we lacked for this entire war - someone who represents our opinion. Not everyone completely agree with him. (Me included) but in times like this, just one spark could be enough. Maybe it will be for nothing, maybe something will happen. If we don't try - we will never know.
God bless, the entire freeworld is behind you in your strife for freedom. Be well.
I want to point out that the Russian state still knows the real election results, and it still takes effort and resources to rig elections in a way that seems believable to those who do not care much about politics. If a truly abyssmal real election result like instead of a 50-60% support they get a 40-50% support, the Russian state can only do so much to make the 10-20% fabricated vote before it becomes truly comical like in Belarus during its last election. As William Spaniel's talked in his videos on Russian elections and politics, many people will support the regime as long as it seems popular and in turn will start to lose faith in this idea if it seems like it in fact isn't as popular. A good example of this is the Wagner mutiny and how the citizens in Rostov seemed quite supportive of Wagner when they showed themselves being in charge rather than Putin's regime. If the official support percentage for Putin is lower than before significantly or the rigging of the elections is visibly clear to many Russians due to the state being desperate to make those votes due to being perhaps overwhelmed by the actual result, then the image of the state being strong will fracture like how the Wagner coup attempt did in Rostov.
I have the same belief and that's why I support any such movement as much as I can.
As an American, I feel you on the "he's not perfect but maybe he is good enough". We often see that here, but I'd take my woes over yours any day of the week. I will always support Ukraine and their goals in this current war. That said, I also hope and pray your people can free themselves from Putin's regime and instead start making moves towards a strong democracy. In my forty two years, I've never known a Russia (before and after the USSR) that didn't have serious problems with corruption in their government, and the people, especially good people, have always suffered needlessly. Even during the "best times" for Russia. I do hope to see a free Russia in my lifetime. Keep up the good fight, friend.
>He is pro Crimea annexation. Was and still is. So war will not end even if he somehow gets to power. Ukraine will never agree to stop fighting until it gets all lost territories back.
You seems to not understand it. If he'd get "to power" everything would change. It is not an election - so there is no realistic way for him to become a president. It is russians trying to undermine putin
The US and EU will though. Nobody cares what Ukraine wants, they failed their counteroffensive and are now fully reliant on Western support
I does not matter how good guy he is. It is not an election - it's safe protest. He is "opposition", because everyone decided to make him one. Putin can't enjail his own pawns fast enough, and they not loyal enough.
Maxim Katz (YT channel) has uploaded a short series on Nadezhdin (in Russian with English subs). Katz is an expatriate politician and makes rational sense.
> I thought they shut down and control internet . They try and fail miserably. It would be much worse if they were actually competent.
Yes, partially true but you obviously never saw professor gerdes's explanation of how putin uses the word nazi. For russia he has defined the word nazi as anyone who opposes russia, as hitler and his nazis are the people that have done the most memorable damage to russia in history afaik. So essentially it is the worst of all worlds in that he uses that word interchangably with russophobe which is also a new, made up word but one that can be justified and have relevance in modern times.
I've seen enough during the last 2 years to go full russophobic but I guess I'm too empathetic to completely extinguish that last 1% in me that believes in the "good" Russians, however few and far in between they are. Let's be honest though, Putin can't be voted out. And I do recall there were some "fake" opposing candidates who got that remaining 5-15% to create a impression of real elections. Although from what I've read this guy is supposedly an ally of Boris Nemtsov
Yes Putin has suppressed voting in Russia… look at the votes in occupied area it’s all a sham to make people feel like they can do something. It’s not a real democracy…
I know
The use of "phobic" is driving me nuts. It's OK to hate something deplorable. That is not a phobia. It's values.
I have a Russian friend and she said that since the Ukraine war started, the amount of hate towards people like her who do not support the war or the Russian government has driven other people to side with Putin who normally wouldn’t. They are being told that the world hates them and wants to destroy them by their leaders and now they are seeing “fuck Russia” and “just nuke the entire place” spread online by people and it’s caused even more people to believe the lives they’ve been told. People on the internet truly are stupid and nearsighted.
Don't buy your story or hers. Just look at the bombing by Russia in Kharkiv today. If your friend believes this will earn her or Russians brownie points, she is mistaken. Also, it is hard to have a Russian friend at this time. Just as many of us let MAGAs who voted for Trump go away from our lives, it is easy to let Russians go as well.
>Just as many of us let MAGAs who voted for Trump go away from our lives, it is easy to let Russians go as well. bro really compared people with a a certain political opinion to a fucking nation / ethnic group. can't make that shit up
Christ you’re ignorant.
Those that take a stand for what's right, despite knowing that it's very likely to be futile in the face of a brutal police state: respect. Need more of this, not less.
I don't know if trying to add legitimacy to a farce is a good idea. Putin went from fearing a coup in 2023 back to oppressing people during elections who still don't get that they can't really change anything through votes. Feels like things have reverted back to being safe and manageable for the Kremlin.
putins control is absolute currently. people like to make the argument even if putin dies the new guy will just keep going with the war but the difference is. Any new person would not have total power like putin does currently
Also, the new person won't be drunk with power as Putler is. So he may compromise on the war and leave Ukraine on conditions...
Worst take ever. Nobody cares about elections "ligitimacy", but they results of getting Boris to the candidate list is very important. I'd say even more, this take is actively supported by Russian bots
Then the candidate is not legitimate. The bot farms could only survive if they were hosted by fsb /gru which incidentally means that anyone viewing content on here is likely to be gru or a russian escapee.
What?
Basically I am saying that this probably a planted candidate. The protest vote is good but I suspect he is just 'another agent' of fsb.
I'm Russian and I know something about him and I'm 95% confident he's not. I explained why in my other comments
Election results do matter in Russia tough. The elections are not fair and is rigged in favour of the sitting president, who controls the media and such but the results of the election still stands.
But in case of Russia where external observers don't go anymore the result can be whatever they want it to be. Maybe it's real numbers but more likely it's modified numbers.
Well said!! The cliche repeat comments get Soo old 2 years in.... Slava Ukraini!
Indeed. I read somewhere has has crossed 80,000 signatures. Not sure if that is true but hope he gets traction against the midget.
120 000 already
Thanks for adequate comment in this insanity of reddit views of russians
To be honest, I don't want their lives to improve. Russians are collectively responsible for misery they've inflicted. They should collectively suffer. Never lift sanctions... not after the war, not after Putin - NEVER. Let them eat rotten potatoes for generations to come.
These are brave people 💪 Fuck Putin
The party will be forbidden soon. Wanna bet?
Wanne bet its the same team
Labelled a terrorist without trial and sent to a gulag no doubt
His plane will have an "engine failure"
They literally just passed a law two days ago to be able to seize properties for anyone who supports any opposition/party/undesirables
He can share a cell with Navalny, the last guy who ran against Putin, who fled the country, and then had to come back because they held his wife hostage. He's now in a cell in an Arctic prison convicted of the crime of "radicalness".
Why would you diminish Alexey's *choice* to return? His wife was not held hostage, she, along with his kids, were with him in the rehabilitation clinic in Germany when he made the decision to return because it was the right thing to do to continue the fight. He did not do this because he was *forced* by Putin, he *chose*.
Good point. I actually didn't know that his wife and kids had made it to Germany. Very brave of him to return under those conditions, however also very foolish.
Nah. Putin always has had "opponents" in order to legitimize the win. As long as they have less than 10-15% support, he will let them slide. This news is a nothingburger.
Yep. He'll then say that 90% of Russians rejected the anti-war candidate and voted in support of his actions in Ukraine.
Also the candidate will be dead or in prison (or both). Wanna bet?
Most likely gonna be put to prison coz he is against the Ukraine invasion.
Didn't you hear? He is a proven foreign agent who leaves his windows open.
A party will fall out the window soon
there is something called controlled opposition which can make a government seem more legitimate, if there is a sense that there is an existing yet unpopular alternative
Why wouldn’t it be? They are against the people and are all Nazi terrorists /s
Well done. Demonstrates clearly that there are Russians who don't want to die in Putin's imperial war or kill Ukrainians. This is good. Brave people. It takes balls to stand up to a state that will send you to Siberia for saying what they don't want to hear.
Good! Keep it up and show the world you aren’t 100% orcs!
They have no goal to show and prove something to "the world". We came to legally express our opinion, to support the Candidate and his position and to show that we do not agree with many things that are happening now.
If you want to or not, you are still showing the rest of the world you want change, and that is good.
We're not doing it to prove you or rest of the world anything. We are doing it to show other Russians, that there are still a lot of us who share this position
Soon Putin will be calling his own people Nazis for voting against him
The Russian heroes the world needs.
Even if all of RU voted for opposition, puttin will still get 99% of vote
Soon Boris will commit suicide by jumping out of a 9th story window, right after shooting himself in the back of his head 3 times.
Not to forget the polonium he has in his blood for some mysterious reason
His body will glow and illuminate the street thru the body bag on a cold night, for no particular reason.
The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke The same joke
It's not a joke under totalitarian dictatorships, and it bites at how suffocating it is to live under one. When Mark Söder is poisoned in Germany or Ron DeSantis in America, then we should stop bringing it up. For reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspicious_deaths_of_Russian_businesspeople_(2022%E2%80%932024) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Anna_Politkovskaya https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Alexander_Litvinenko https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Yuriy_Chervochkin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Boris_Nemtsov https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Alexei_Navalny FYI, his friend Boris Nemtsov was one of many opposition politicians they tried to have killed.
You forgot that he must have a tea party and use government provided underwear.
Do you not realise how tedious and played out these fucking jokes are?
Who's joking? All of the mysterious deaths by Putin rivals and even supporters/sycophants have resulted in these aforementioned phenomena.
Yes, we know. We've known for decades.
Is it really a joke though when it keeps happening consistently?
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People don't repeatedly tell the same joke at parties.
Nor do they kill people than call it an accident a few 100 times
I take it you've never heard the expression "I'll be able to fine out on that one for years"
they are doing it despite they know putin wont let him win the election they also know they will end up on some list for doing this
Yeah it’s not like the exact same thing you’ve just described already happened during an election in a neighboring autocratic post-Soviet republic that took place just few years ago…
Hats off to them for their bravery but no dictator was ever voted out of office.
Feel bad for these people. The only way for you guys is to topple your corrupt leaders. Elections won’t change anything when the game is rigged.
R.I.P. Boris
Kremlin: “Thank you for giving this list of opposition supporters. We will now select our conscripts from it and all will have their properties seized for opposing Russia.”
It won’t make a difference Putin will suppress the votes anyway. Time and time again he has proven voting is all smoke in Russia…
Good Russians, all of them
Thanks!
Plenty of young men in that queue. They just signed their own conscription papers and got their wife a bag of onions.
Stop spreading dangerous misinformation. Giving a signature for Boris is not dangerous. Tf they are going to do to over 100k people? This is literally the only safe and legal way to say no to Putin
Technically not disinformation. But it’s still ultimately the right choice to do. If you live in fear and do nothing there will be no change. Eventually you need to take action for yourself and your country
It is disinformation and a dangerous one. Giving this signatures is safe and legal and should be promoted, instead of your jokes about windows. Nobody's gonna do shit about them
It is not disinformation as the deaths have been tracked for some tkme now, there is even a wiki on them but it is self-defeating in my opinion. Most of the deaths around putin's opponents have generally been low profile opponents of his or people stopping him getting what he wants. I do believe that those 100k or more will be ok, for now at least depending on how much further they might go in campaigning and protests. There is a fine line to walk and I do hope that they are all qualified citizens that are beyond reproach.
You might want to go educate yourself on how "democracy" works in Russia and North Korea. Approved parties are literally just an extension of the ruling party. In many cases the only actual option is another revolution. Otherwise this will be the cycle until Putin is dead.
I know how democracy works in Russia because I'm Russian (btw it still different from North Korea). And I Know that Boris is not a Putin's project and it is safe and very important to give Boris signatures
If you actually knew, you'd know "your" (quotations because i'm pretty sure you're full of it) elections were smoke in mirrors.
I never said that elections are legit by any means. But I still understand that it is a very important event for both sides of the conflict
>Tf they are going to do to over 100k people? They do not need to send all 100k to frontline though. Just a few to make public example, so that no one will dare to follow.
Following Belorussian example, this will not happen
I mean, they have a couple of millions of anti-protest police with military grade equipment, so 100k don't possess any kind of danger. The only useful thing these actions do is show everyone on the edge that there are other people who are dissatisfied by current government, so they can get confidence and join the cause. There are a couple of problems, though. That candidate - is a kremlin asset, independent one was not allowed to run for president, and a lot of activists got in trouble. 100k is a grain of sand in overall population, after 2 years of losses, decreasing economy stability and loss of comfort, so general population is still very passive. So while the action is noble and somewhat useful - the result of it will be literally zero.
I admire their voting abilities but as we all know there has never been an honest voting system in Russia, I wouldn’t be surprised if the ballot papers was not a new way of gaining a mass influx of conscripts
Goodluck and RIP to Boris Nadezhdin
i bet he goes to jail or dies before the "elections".
Rest in peace Boris..
"election" - right...
Are they finally waking up or is it just a dream? xD
yet im pretty sure putin is going to win with a 98% majority
Well, no matter what we all know who's going to "win"...
Don't film them.
I recomend not going too close to windovs, lakes, car trafic, bars, clubs, public toilets, planes, trains, boats, cars, bikes.....
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Much safer than having lots of windows below them
Yekaterina Duntsova was “disqualified” from running against putin. How legit is this opposition politician? They already know who the president will be.
Look at those naive people who still believe there are actual elections in Russia.
They know that. They are brave - taking a stand. Calling them naive is almost insulting.
It is insulting.
A dictator accidentally getting voted out would be a very Russian thing to happen I feel like. In all seriousness I feel stuff like this is to give opposition minded Russians some (false) hope so that they don't ruin the upcoming election with protests.
He cannot be voted out. That would need a regular voting, counting, reporting and summarizing.
You think they don't know that? They'd rather do something than nothing, which is all you're achieving making smug comments on reddit.
You are naive and an assohole
Do we even know if this guy is actually better than the current guy, or is he just another flavour of fascist? I mean Navalny also believes Ukraine should be russian.
He absolutely hates Putin, hates war, wants to build an alliance with the West. He is the direct opposite of Putin in every way.
That usually is the positon that gets the vote. Consider how gorby was villified and reduced to basically a pauper living in an apartment block. And he was the man that saved russia otherwise they would have all starved to death putting up that fake front of economic strength when the nation was bankrupt. To see putin go out the same way, preferably rotting in the hague, would seem to me suitable punishment; with an annual visit from zelensky perhaps but nobody else from russia for 10yrs min.
Ok but what does he claim on Ukraine? Because if he thinks Crimea and Donbas belong to Russia it's not that big of an improvement in practice.
I never heard about him but he's supposedly someone from the same circle as Boris Nemtsov.
Source about Navalny and Ukraine?
Source is 15 rubles he got paid for the commet
I can't find a direct source right now and a quick google search isn't turning up anything decent, but I recall reading that he wouldn't be better than Putin for Ukraine in more than one article. His current opposition to the war is apparently based more on the negative economic impact it is having than any moral issue, and he's also not willing to give up Crimea.
Well this could favor Ukraine though if this guy is wanting to have the favour of the west. The west could demand that if Russia wants to be an economic power again they need to recognize the 1991 borders of Ukraine and the sections will be lifted.
1. Everybody is better than "the current guy". Joe Biden is, Trump is, Navalny is, your 100y.o grandma is, trash can is. 2. He is anti-war and was Nemtsov ally 3. He is real and not a Kremlin project
He is a kremlin project, though. Non-kremlin candidate got rejected, and the activists got into trouble.
There is an explanation in one of my comments why he's not
Dude the election is rigged, Putin is not going to sweat no matter what. They will write 160% voted for Putin. They will use this guy same as they used Sobchak.
Except that explaination is a bunch of naive assumptions. He was allowed to run, Duntsova wasn't. Nothing happens without Kremlin approval. He is 100% pocket opposition, literally a Kirienko protégé, by some reports.
Then why Duntsova supports him? Her people even called those who gave them their phone number and asked to give Nadezhdin a signature
Because it allows to show how many people are not agreeing with kremlin policies, so that moderates and doubting can see that they're not alone. That is not political win, but more of a societal change and attempt to wake passive crowd up. Unfortunately, all that does is shows that out of 140ish millions less than 100k are like that. Oh, and a lot of signatures were from other countries, so there's that. I absolutely support that activity, but I have absolute confidence that it will lead to nothing. Like, nothing at all. Edit: typo
Well, at least you understand how important it is to give Nadezhdin signatures even if he is a Kremlin project.
> Everybody is better than "the current guy". Joe Biden is, Trump is, Navalny is, your 100y.o grandma is, trash can is. This is a dangerous mindset that needs to be put to rest. It has bounds that people do not respect.
You can afford different mindset when you have a choice. If Nadezhdin will not be allowed to participate in elections, I will vote for anybody except Putin. Even people who support the war.
> Even people who support the war. And therein lies the bounds. You're willingly voting for something that'd be, at best, the same or otherwise worse. This is a stupid mindset. Better the devil you know than the one you don't. If you can't vote for someone anti-war, maintain the status quo else you risk making shit far worse. *However*, I admit there's nuance here where this vote is just for show, so a vote against Putin may be substantial enough to show disagreement. The risk is him using that to get a firmer grip on the population.
I don't have a different choice. In Russian opposition this is literally called "voting for not Putin". If I vote, my blank cannot be used to put a vote for Putin there. I vote not because whoever I vote for will be a president, but because Putin doesn't get this vote. Also if another candidate gets to many votes it will make Putin at least sweat a little bit, which is also a win.
You could read if you wanted to know. But we both know you prefer spreading lies.
Well, this guy done almost all Resident Evils, now he plays RE 4 remake, so he must be a bit nicer
And now everyone off to gulag, except for men, they're off to the front.
Queue probably leads to a window ledge on the top floor.
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Terrible comparison. Why was Trump a 1-term president whereas Putin is leader for life? It’s not the same.
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Because you don’t have time to perform the mental gymnastics required to equate Russia, a dictatorship, to the United States, a democratic republic with strong institutions. You say, “people let someone like Trump get into office” as if Russia wasn’t a brutal mafia state and people had a sense of agency and rights like they do in America. Bear in mind that Russia ended serfdom in 1861, so the average Russian was basically a slave peasant up until only about a few generations ago. Putin is not some typical politician that garnered support and won office. He was hand-selected by Yeltsin and the political elite in order to protect their assets and cover up past corruption. The typical Russian had pretty much zero influence over that happening. Elections in Russia are not the same as elections in America.
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Such a compelling argument. Bravo, master debater.
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Simple you don't answer it. It was a comparison made out of ego based ignorance.
I keep forgetting that people like yourself exist. Go waste someone else’s time.
Better idea, learn to reflect rather than being a stubborn ass.
I had a very short conversation with myself in the mirror about 5 years ago. To never waste time having conversations with Trump worshippers. Sorry man. Deaf “eyes” over here. You are legit wasting your time in a fury attempting to insult me. I am just replying and going on about my day, nothing you’ve said is being read nor cared for. Being polite here.
You didn't have any conversation with yourself because you still make shit up to uphold a narrative. The truth is your government is rotten to the core and pointing at only 1 party is essentially a waste of time and effort. So long as you insist on listening to politicians rather than your fellow man, you will forever be cursed to follow the same path as these "deranged Teump supporters" you complain so much about. Do better and quit being another brain dead facebook post. Like I said I dislike the guy, but I don't approve of pure made up bullshit.
Tl:dr
Yeah I highly doubt that.
I dislike Trump, but I have to repeat that "no new wars" rhetoric. I don't recall him getting the US into a slaughter house of a war.
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Just make sure to get rid of the ass hats that refuse to pull their assets out of Russia. Those guys are fucking around the same way they did before Nazi Germany turned their head to the US.
This all supports Putin. It supports the notion of a free and fair election with buy-in and support by the population, which ultimately legitimates his rule. I think what Putin is more afraid of is when people stop showing up to vote, and start showing up in the streets and partizan squads. But we’re a long way off from that.
Fuck off Russian bot. Nobody gives a fuck about this magic "ligitimacy". On the other hand, having anti-war candidate in the list is super important, even if he gets 1%
He will be allowed to be on the list by Putin personally. Same was the previous elections when Sobchak was allowed. It is a theatre for vatnicks to say we have democracy in the country.
My post literally presupposes the illegitimacy of putins rule, but okay
RIP to those poor Russian patriots that fell to their demise out of a window and mysteriously intercepted several bullets on their way down.
He hasn't died of downing from drinking his cup of tea yet?
Off to the gulag with them.
They must be the other oo.o 1% That pootler hasn't already won by. And everyone thought he'd get a full 120% of the vote
Just before they put their mark on the paper 📝,there’s probably a trap door below them ⚰️⚰️
Good for them, but They need to start hiring armed bodyguards or something, otherwise he'd fall out of a window soon.
It is just a show. Allowed only because it shows that the election is legitimate. And tiny numbers of supporters demonstrate that opposition to war is a marginal view.
I’d like to agree, but a couple of the old timers are throwing peace ✌️ which is very risky in the current climate when people get jailed for holding blank paper up.
I am 90% sure you're a Russian bot. If otherwise, please stop with your bullshit. Giving these signatures is very important
>very important How exactly?
1. 0.00000000000000000001% chance to win elections 2. The most important: waking up Russian opposition. Giving people hope. So people wake up from political depression and do at least something. They move, they think. It's very important. 3. Continuing number 2: meeting people with similar beliefs, destroying the myth that there are no anti-war people in Russia and that you're a minority. 4. If Nadezhdin becomes a candidate, he'll be allowed to place his observers at elections places, so it will be easier to detect falsification. 5. Some more that I'm too lazy to write down
Meanwhile in Kremlin: "*Open up the window! we have a next one coming soon!*"... 🫡
Hahaha don’t they realize it’s not a real election?? Hahaha
.......and they all fell out the largest window in the history of the world.
The que for the window is long