Julianus

From Wikipedea: "Buran completed one uncrewed spaceflight in 1988, and was destroyed in the 2002 collapse of its storage hangar."

Reminds me of the fate of the Admiral Kuznetsov. A pattern of neglect.

They aren't a superpower. This would imply the ability to project power across the planet. And right now, Russia is struggling at the ends of it's own rail lines. And how many aircraft carriers do they have? Zero.

They are nuclear armed, but I doubt if they can maintain 1% of their arsenal given the corruption and neglect evident in the rest of their military. They do love blowing money researching old-fashioned "super weapons," ala Hilter's last days. But they can't afford more than the demo model. Or the clean up when they splash isotopes all over their own lands when one blows up in testing. Meanwhile, America, the real superpower, is on to 21st century tech.

You've failed to understand international trade. If you default on your loans, nationalize foreign capital, drive your currency into the ground... that's not becoming self-sufficient. Go ahead and quit your job and go live in a tent your backyard, I guess. That'll show them!

And yes, convenient memory of yours. Putin's original rationale for the invasion ("special military operation") was for the benefit of the two provinces that he'd instigated trouble in. But he proved that to be a lie by immediately by charging toward the capital, instead. And then running out of fuel.

I love how you constantly attempt to gas-light, but offer nothing but spinning of narratives in return. Is the west falling apart because #11 in the world's GDP list decided to suicide? Hardly. The result so far has been to strengthen the rationale for NATO, clip the wings off Russia's poorly kept military, and have Putin fire 1000 of his personal staff... because you know, the Russian people love him.

I guess you can't see it in yourself. Tell me more how Russia will grow stronger by imploding it's economy. How they invaded out of the kindness of their hearts, to save the Ukrainians from themselves. How Duginism isn't just Russian fascism. Please, go on.

Isn't it, though? Both are failed states that fall back to cries of nuclear weapons when frustrated. Even India and Pakistan are acting more mature these days. And you better believe that if Canada couldn't keep it's shit together that border would be a liability, too. China is massively annoyed that their buffer, North Korea, is smuggling so much meth into China. Either China will begin to encroach on Russian resources, or Russian economic refugees will being flooding China. Probably both.

Oh? I recall they were arming up with medieval polearms, after incidents with pipes and chains. Anything short firearms to literally avoid the accusation of "they shot first." But it is violence. Border guards on both sides have died, at this point, if I recall correctly.

This isn't about egos, but about existential threats. As climate change grows deserts in China, food will become scarce. This will push China up onto it's neighbors -- and beyond. Unless they invest massively in indoor farming. But it's terrifying to see them do everything but.

I love your certainty in your ignorance. Like, of course, I'm not sailing that way, because the earth is flat. It's not like China and India aren't skirmishing on their border, are they? China and Russia would be soon too, as well, for water. But current events are placing Russia firmly inside China's orbit. So it won't be much of a skirmish, but a capitulation.

Climate change has forced China to deplete the South China Sea and is now scouring the world. I would not want to share a border with China, at this point, no matter how much I needed the cash. Russia is definitely going to be a second class citizen in this exchange.