[mikkom]

Evaluation of Russia by Finnish Intelligence Colonel (subtitles)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kF9KretXqJw

I think this is something you should watch if you are interested in how russia works. It's very straight talk and clarified russian mindset a lot for me at least.

[netsharc]

Also a long and great Twitter thread: https://nitter.net/kamilkazani/status/1501360272442896388

[istjohn]

He has a number of good threads.

[Kinrany]

He mixes evidence with unsupported opinions and just-so stories though.

[polishdude20]

Yeah I noticed that too. Glosses over things and doesn't explain them. Leaves you asking for sources and more proof.

[fouc]

Enjoying the notion of cartels as protostates. Makes a lot of sense!

[fouc]

Interesting bits:

* “the Russians have the ability to expect and endure a tremendous amount of suffering”.. “they have made suffering a virtue”

* “global recession is not really a problem to Russia since they are in a recession all the time anyway”

Kind of suggestive that what's happening won't be over anytime soon.

[petre]

What do you expect, really? Russians live in feudalism, only with modern technology. They haven't known anything other than totalitarian regimes, and when they had a little democracy after '91, it all fell apart for most of them. Maybe all of the interested parties should read a bit of Russian literature? If you want shortcuts, just read Vladimir Sorokin, but it's really more nuanced. The thing about suffering is also very enshrined in the Eastern Orthodox mindset.

[euroderf]

Watching this, I felt it all was a bit reductionist. But then again, if it does seem to explain how things work there...