[kreeben]

>> just

Hah, yeah, that's not a big deal at all, neutralizing Russian ability to force its will upon its neighbors, through threats of aggression. Like, who's scared of Russia these days? They're just empty threats. I'd like totally bet my life on it, just empty threats.

EDIT: /s

[lolinder]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Russo-Ukra...

Russia doesn't have to win in order to be scary to their neighbors—they just have to persuade their neighbors that they're irrational and have no sense of self preservation.

[khochesh_kushat]

I mean, they can still apparently send neverending waves of convicts to rape and pillage, which is worth avoiding.

[dralley]

Just because Russia is not an existential threat to the vast majority of NATO countries except perhaps the Baltics, doesn't mean there's not a recognition of the amount of damage they could inflict in the process of a "failed" invasion.

[riialist]

Yes, we in Finland are not scared. But it is only rational to ally with forces that can protect our sovereignty. I would not bet my life on it, as I live in a country which has the longest border with Russia after Ukraine.

In my view, to say that Russia’s actions are just empty threats is an undervaluation of the price the Ukrainian people and military are paying now. Whole cities have been wiped out of existence, and both the military and civilian population have faced extensive casualties as Russia has resorted to “brute force” attacks, showering bombs wherever in Ukrainian land.

We in Finland have been building bomb shelters for the population that can withstand even nuclear attacks, and we have universal male conscription and voluntary female drafting. About 80% of Finnish male citizens complete the service, which makes Finland have military resources unlike any other European country. This tradition is more than a hundred years old. If someone wonders why, just search for the term “The Great Wrath.”

[kgwxd]

> Who's scared of Russia and their threats, these days?

Ukraine?

[duxup]

I’d say less scared than 14 months ago.

Putin and Co. really hasn’t done much for Russia or it’s people lately.

They looked stronger when they were a less aggressive bully and were poisoning people.

[sensanaty]

I'm in genuine shock that this obvious sarcasm needed an edit to add the /s

[riialist]

Sorry for failing to understand the sarcasm and taking your comment personally. During the Cold War plenty of the "Western" countries were truly afraid of the Communist powers, and we in the between were afraid of being bombed to dust in a nuclear war between the USA and the USSR.

Also,I felt your comment was not nice towards all the minorities and "divergents" in the Russia and elsewhere. Just Google Grozny, Aleppo, or Anna Politkovskaya if you want to know why your comment could have been interpreted as something else than just a joke.

[sixstringninja]

So far it is. All empty threats