The Russian Oligarchs

[Darts]

As an amateur student of history, here is my take on what is happening in Russia.

1) Putin is just the front man.
2) The real power are the Russian oligarchs.
3) The next real power is the Russian military.
4) Make life miserable for the Russian oligarchs and the military and they will make life miserable for Putin.
Liz Truss drawing up next ‘hit-list’ of Russian oligarchs for sanctions (msn.com)

 

[Frankfooter]

As an amateur student of history, here is my take on what is happening in Russia.

1) Putin is just the front man.
2) The real power are the Russian oligarchs.
3) The next real power is the Russian military.
4) Make life miserable for the Russian oligarchs and the military and they will make life miserable for Putin.
Liz Truss drawing up next ‘hit-list’ of Russian oligarchs for sanctions (msn.com)

I think you've got it backwards.
Putin made the oligarchs and handed them their empires.
The fact that he can take it back whenever he wants means he has the power, not them.

 

[james t kirk]

I think you've got it backwards.
Putin made the oligarchs and handed them their empires.
The fact that he can take it back whenever he wants means he has the power, not them.

Agreed

There have been a couple of these so called "oligarchs" (who are more aptly called thieves) who have dared to cross Putin and they found themselves living in a gulag or just plain old disappeared.

Michael Khodorkovsky to mind as one example.

Putin is the thief of thieves. The Russians are just too stupid to do anything about it. It's like they expect their leaders to be corrupt.

 

[KDK13]

The best model to understand Russia today is the mafia.

Putin is the don.

The oligarchs know someday they will be called upon by their don for a service...

 

[danmand]

It is the same everywhere.

Call it Oligarchy or call it Corporatism, the large companies and the military (industrial complex) call the shots.

At present, If the Russian military is embarrassed , Putin will be sacrified.

 

[mjg1]

As an amateur student of history, here is my take on what is happening in Russia.

1) Putin is just the front man.
2) The real power are the Russian oligarchs.
3) The next real power is the Russian military.
4) Make life miserable for the Russian oligarchs and the military and they will make life miserable for Putin.
Liz Truss drawing up next ‘hit-list’ of Russian oligarchs for sanctions (msn.com)

That's not quite true, Putin is KGB and when came into power he told them he is their new partner like it or not. Putin controls the military, FSB and the courts, any oligarch that objected was either put in jail and assets seized or killed. Russia is basically a big mob organization, with Putin as the mob-boss. Along with controlling the courts Putin also controls the State media. The oligarchs function and exist at Putin's pleasure.

 

[nottyboi]

At least in Russia the Putin controls the Oligarchs. In the west our leaders are controlled by our oligarchs.

 

[Perry Mason]

Ras Putin!

Perry

 

[toguy5252]

As an amateur student of history, here is my take on what is happening in Russia.

1) Putin is just the front man.
2) The real power are the Russian oligarchs.
3) The next real power is the Russian military.
4) Make life miserable for the Russian oligarchs and the military and they will make life miserable for Putin.
Liz Truss drawing up next ‘hit-list’ of Russian oligarchs for sanctions (msn.com)

The oligarchs remain oligarchs at the pleasure of Putin.

 

[Darts]

Putin made the oligarchs and handed them their empires.
True. But the oligarchs now have their empires and they want to keep their empires.
The fact that he can take it back whenever he wants means he has the power, not them.
It's not easy to take something back after you have given it away.

There's also the prospect of uprisings in Chechnya and Georgia. Plus, the Ukes might adopt the "Irish model" of taking the fight to the Russian homeland. How would ordinary Russians feel if one of their subway trains get blown up?

 

[Frankfooter]

There's also the prospect of uprisings in Chechnya and Georgia. Plus, the Ukes might adopt the "Irish model" of taking the fight to the Russian homeland. How would ordinary Russians feel if one of their subway trains get blown up?

People can fall out of windows or just have some bad tea over there and that's it. The oligarchs know this.
Uprisings there are way more risky then they are here. We have protests but not at risk of death.

 

[Insidious Von]

People can fall out of windows or just have some bad tea over there and that's it. The oligarchs know this. Uprisings there are way more risky then they are here. We have protests but not at risk of death.

Russia has had five major uprisings, which is why some sectors of Russian society favour Putin, they are willing to forego democracy for order.

...The 1905 uprising which the Tsarist regime put down with massive bloodshed.

...March 1917, Tsar deposed and provisional government under Karensky set up

...October Revolution 1917, Karensky government deposed by the Bolsheviks, start of Civil War. Leon Trotsky and General Tukhachevsky establish the Red Army, creation of the USSR in 1922. Both leaders were eventually killed by Stalin.

...Communist putsch that deposes Gorbachev, it stalls and Yeltsin takes over 1991.

...1993 Communist insurrection that attempts to depose Yeltsin, it fails and they are crushed. End of the Communist Era.

 

[james t kirk]

Russia has always and will always only understand the strong man leader. First it was the czars (forever), then it was the Bolsheviks, and now it's Putin. If you're not a strong man, you're a dead man. It is engrained in the Russian psyche.

Russians all spout off that they want democracy and democracy means freedom etc. etc. however, they don't really know what democracy truly means. Democracy is not just free elections, and freedom from oppression, democracy is the rule of law. That even the government has to operate within the law. (I know, I know, show me a government that really does operate within the law. But at least the governments of the west and Canada are to a large degree constrained. The various totalitarian regimes around the world may say that they have a system of laws, but it does not apply to them. We saw that with the recent events concerning Meng Wanzhou where the Chinese communists figured that all it would have taken was a phone call from Justin Trudeau and she would have been let go. They don't understand that that's not how it works. There is a process, there are courts and the events unfold in court.

 

[Darts]

Can Putin still claim to be a "strong man" leader after this Ukraine debacle? The whole world is now laughing at him.

 

[james t kirk]

Can Putin still claim to be a "strong man" leader after this Ukraine debacle? The whole world is now laughing at him.

It's 3 days in. Kind of presumptuous to make a judgement at this point in time.

 

[jcpro]

It's 3 days in. Kind of presumptuous to make a judgement at this point in time.

Don't underestimate the events as they unfold. Everyone, including Putin and his hangers on, really expected something else- a quick drive into Donbas, a simple airmobile assault on Kiev and the fall of the Ukrainian government. That's why his initial force was so small. Almost every hour now the West is tightening the restrictions on Russia and the events are acquiring a life of their own.

 

[mandrill]

Don't underestimate the events as they unfold. Everyone, including Putin and his hangers on, really expected something else- a quick drive into Donbas, a simple airmobile assault on Kiev and the fall of the Ukrainian government. That's why his initial force was so small. Almost every hour now the West is tightening the restrictions on Russia and the events are acquiring a life of their own.

Holy fuck, JC!

I'm actually starting to like your posts!

 

[jcpro]

Holy fuck, JC!

I'm actually starting to like your posts!

Normally, I'd make a joke at this point. But, the situation is so serious, I'm beyond that.

 

[SchlongConery]

The best model to understand Russia today is the mafia.

Putin is the don.

The oligarchs know someday they will be called upon by their don for a service...

And like in the mafia, there comes a point where a crazy Boss puts the soldiers at too much risk...

 

[Frankfooter]

Don't underestimate the events as they unfold. Everyone, including Putin and his hangers on, really expected something else- a quick drive into Donbas, a simple airmobile assault on Kiev and the fall of the Ukrainian government. That's why his initial force was so small. Almost every hour now the West is tightening the restrictions on Russia and the events are acquiring a life of their own.

Looks like Putin is sending in a massive convoy to Kyiv today, likely he wants to try to end it quick and take out the comic who kept making fun of him.

Ukraine war latest: Peace talks begin in Jeddah hours after huge Ukrainian drone attack hits Moscow

Three people are dead in the "biggest Ukrainian drone attack on Russia in three years". It came hours before US and Ukrainian officials sat down in Saudi Arabia to discuss a truce - we'll have updates on this through the day. Ask Michael Clarke a question for our Q&A tomorrow below.

news.sky.com