Russia

[McGinnis]

It depends on which clown you're willing to trust to the point of ignoring glaring bullshit.

Believing every Ukrainian and Western media talking point about how Putin wants to invade Europe because you don't like him is kind of the opposite of ignoring glaring bullshit

[Le Redditeur]

Show me where I said he was going to invade "Europe" as a whole. I don't even think he wants to engage Poland. But it should be pretty clear at this point that territories that have pro-Russian tendencies like East Ukraine (perhaps whole Ukraine) and Troonistria are on the menu. I wouldn't be surprised if a "referendum" ends up annexing Belarus, although that could be stretching right now (definitely in the plans for the future, I'm willing to bet money on it).

[McGinnis]

Show me where I said he was going to invade "Europe" as a whole

I didn't say that you said that. I said that you were believing the people who are saying that

But it should be pretty clear at this point that territories that have pro-Russian tendencies like East Ukraine (perhaps whole Ukraine) and Troonistria are on the menu.

And, again, Putin does not want all of Ukraine. He's only carried out strategic bombings of Western Ukraine and they've done that to disrupt the supply chain of NATO weapons coming into the country.

Something is definitely going to go down in Transnistria but, as far as taking it, that's only going to widen the war, giving the Ukrainians an opening to get resupplied and increasing the chance that Putin might end up losing this war. Putin can't afford to lose the war, and he knows this.

Putin's chief concern right now is what's on his borders.

I wouldn't be surprised if a "referendum" ends up annexing Belarus, although that could be stretching right now (definitely in the plans for the future, I'm willing to bet money on it).

Why would he annex Belarus? The government there is already friendly to him, why would he waste the manpower?

[Le Redditeur]

Again, I didn't say "invade" Belarus, I said "annexing" it, which of course would be an Anschluss-style deal. Maybe Putin will do it soon enough, maybe he finds more convenient to wait for BieloPutin to die first, then referendum the country into annexation to avoid the risk of losing control. But I'm betting on it being a done deal down the road, just because it's the most amount of territory Putin can grab without really stepping on NATO/EU borders, so why wouldn't he?

The West kind went with the opposite of what Theodore Roosevelt recommended: they screeched harshly, and carried a little stick (mere economic sanctions). But then again, what else can they do, realistically speaking? All the old statesmen's wisdom can't really be applied in a post-nuclear world. Russia do hold the stronger hand by being a bad faith actor backed by nukes. If you try to properly flex strength on them, they don't even need to make a formal threat, just hint at the possibility of nuclear Armageddon. Are you going to call the bluff? What if it isn't a bluff? Congratulations, you helped destroying civilization as we know it. But how do you respond to it? Game theory, MAD, old strategic principles - how reliable are those when applied to this situation? Everything is just theory (a very gay theory!) and even the biggest warmongers in the pocket of Blackrock and other defense companies don't really want to cross the red line, since that would precipitate their own destruction for the sake of soon to be useless money and power. Then again, we may be living the last leg of the cycle, and under the auspices of weak men creating bad times due to incompetence, greed, and sheer evilness.

[rabidtictac]

Azov may be nazis, but that doesn't mean Putin isn't using them as a convenient excuse to invade Ukraine. Trannynistra isn't invaded yet but I bet it will be.

[Le Redditeur]

Great Powers' wars are all about finding the convenient excuse to invade.

[rabidtictac]

Transsexualnistra is the perfect place to invade, too. A micro country that's recognized only by other breakaway states. What the fuck are they gonna do if you invade them? Hell, the country that they're under the umbrella of (Moldova) isn't even a nato member. There's no downside to Putin taking it. Any consequence he would have suffered for invading there, he has already suffered invading Ukraine.

[RAPEMAN]

Most Transsexual Transylvanians openly want to join the Russian Federation.

[VoiceOfReasonPast]

Why would he annex Belarus? The government there is already friendly to him, why would he waste the manpower?

Putin already owns the place. He spent several months moving an entire fucking army over there, all to scare the NATO, prepare for the Ukraine invasion, and strengthening the weakening strangehold Lukashenko has on the place.
Really it's just a matter of time before ol' Luka has to choose between selling his country, or getting a bullet through his head to make room for a more loyal puppet.

[RedLine]

Invade the Baltics and let's get this party started.