What does Putin ultimately want?

[KnightTemplar]

Unlike the intelligence and security agencies of most Western nations, the KGB/FSB is very much a military service, complete with it's own soldiers and special operations units. Although Putin wasn't Spetsnaz, like all KGB officers, his training would have included weapons and unarmed combat.

 

[Cake4Breakfast]

Unlike the intelligence and security agencies of most Western nations, the KGB/FSB is very much a military service, complete with it's own soldiers and special operations units. Although Putin wasn't Spetsnaz, like all KGB officers, his training would have included weapons and unarmed combat.

training or not, he still looked like the Home Alone kid

 

[MicroBrew]

Whatever you say about him, he is definitely smart. To be able to extricate Russia from the Western backed Oligarchs that were stripping Russia during the Yeltsin, you have to be a smart guy.

 

[ElKarlo]

Rebuild something similar to the Soviet Union, push NATO back from eastern Europe, make Russia population become sustainable.

He achieved a few of these things. Russia has expanded during his rule, he re-conquered Chechnya, parts of Georgia and Crimea. He was able to avoid a NATO takeover in Ukraine. Russian fertility is below replacement but is much higher than in the 90s.
He has been unable to put the Russian economy into a strong position, they have the resources and the technology but they simply can't get their shit together to produce consumer goods. Compare it with China, China is in many ways behind Russia in technology, they still rely on them for a lot of more advanced stuff like jet engines but they are able to produce a lot of stuff to make foreign currency.

Fertility, was coming to post about it. Without above replacement level births, Russia can't really grow it's influence and power. It'll slowly dwindle, like thst of Western Europe.

 

[whougonnacall]

Unlike the intelligence and security agencies of most Western nations, the KGB/FSB is very much a military service, complete with it's own soldiers and special operations units. Although Putin wasn't Spetsnaz, like all KGB officers, his training would have included weapons and unarmed combat.

Prob crap like nost unarmed com at military programs however he is a legit black belt at judo and russian judo aka sambo

 

[Son of Jamin]

Long, romantic walks at the beach, hair like Fabio's, his own holiday peninsula like Crimea...

 

[whougonnacall]

He wants to make russia a great power again while himself a d hos pals rich
The problem is he glorifies the old ussr too much
Hes silencing dissent as he feels that weakens a state (and threatens his own enrichment) but its not the case
Hes trying to counter the western media with a modern take on old propaganda (rt today spitnik and the internet bots etc) however backlash is no one belives anything russians say anymore

 

[HIMBOB]

Recently read up his gambling reforms, was brilliant work in my honest opinion.

Long term I dunno but a hell of a lot of Russians believe he wants a better Russia.

 

[ShinkanPo]

He wants to stay relevant I don't think he has ambitions for a greater Russia like other Russian Despots I think he is just in for the personal favors he can get for him self and his cronies that may replace him and keep his family and friends safe.

I see Xi Jin Ping to be the man on the mission than the Putin at this point.

 

[ShinkanPo]

Remind me which "poor and racist" EU countries have started large scale wars? Which ones are racist? And which ones have a masculine agenda?

What the Hell is Masculine agenda! First there are people paranoid about Feminism and Feminist agenda now there is a so called Masculine agenda!

I think preoccupation with these so called agendas like Masculine,Feminism agendas is the most stupid issues to ever dominate political discourse in this decade. It is mainly perpetuated by stupid bloggers,youtubers making it seem so big of a deal than they really are.

Jesus Fucking Christ!

 

[Feniamin]

He wants to stay relevant I don't think he has ambitions for a greater Russia like other Russian Despots I think he is just in for the personal favors he can get for him self and his cronies that may replace him and keep his family and friends safe.

I see Xi Jin Ping to be the man on the mission than the Putin at this point.

From what I understand some people see all this Putin stuff with other countries like that - problems with economics, social problems, bad ratings for president and government - conflict with Georgia happened and after it ratings are on the rise. Again some problems started around 2011 (and also street protests) but this time Russia took over Crimea. I think some people say that US have the same politics, like Clinton and Bush started wars to improve their ratings and switch attention of people from problems.

 

[deltapapha]

in terms of his "ends", that would be personal power and national prestige. He wants to strengthen his own control AND he wants Russia to be feared, respected and admired on the world stage.

this is pretty much not even arguable.

But as to the means that he has in mind to achieve these ends, that is another thing.

 

[whougonnacall]

in terms of his "ends", that would be personal power and national prestige. He wants to strengthen his own control AND he wants Russia to be feared, respected and admired on the world stage.

this is pretty much not even arguable.

But as to the means that he has in mind to achieve these ends, that is another thing.

Agreed the problem is the 2 goals work against themselves
The more he squeezes control the more the bright and talented leave hurting the state
the more cash he and his cronies amass from the state resources the less being spent on the state
If no one is allowed to voice dissent then real problems cannot be found and dealt with
When you shut down independent media and journalism and instead pump out propaganda to counter the truth for internal and external consumption...no one believes it anymore plus worse you may even start to swallow your own b.s !
The more he spend on foriegn adventures to appear strong and distract internal dissenters the weaker the state actualy gets and the more people have to be unhappy with!
The more you interfere and play game of thrones abroad to try and regaim old glory the less the int community trust you and then sanctions/grudges pile up


In short hes making all the mistakes that hurt the old the ussr , they already had the economic dead end of communism hanging over them as a terminal illness eating at the state ,but these issues were damaging too

 

[ShinkanPo]

From what I understand some people see all this Putin stuff with other countries like that - problems with economics, social problems, bad ratings for president and government - conflict with Georgia happened and after it ratings are on the rise. Again some problems started around 2011 (and also street protests) but this time Russia took over Crimea. I think some people say that US have the same politics, like Clinton and Bush started wars to improve their ratings and switch attention of people from problems.

I forgot who said it.

"Never let a good crisis go to waste"

 

[deltapapha]

Agreed the problem is the 2 goals work against themselves
The more he squeezes control the more the bright and talented leave hurting the state
the more cash he and his cronies amass from the state resources the less being spent on the state
If no one is allowed to voice dissent then real problems cannot be found and dealt with
When you shut down independent media and journalism and instead pump out propaganda to counter the truth for internal and external consumption...no one believes it anymore plus worse you may even start to swallow your own b.s !
The more he spend on foriegn adventures to appear strong and distract internal dissenters the weaker the state actualy gets and the more people have to be unhappy with!
The more you interfere and play game of thrones abroad to try and regaim old glory the less the int community trust you and then sanctions/grudges pile up


In short hes making all the mistakes that hurt the old the ussr , they already had the economic dead end of communism hanging over them as a terminal illness eating at the state ,but these issues were damaging too

I pretty much agree with all you have said here and am fully aware of it.

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

Fertility, was coming to post about it. Without above replacement level births, Russia can't really grow it's influence and power. It'll slowly dwindle, like thst of Western Europe.

Yeah, he can delay the inevitable by getting oversea russians from Ukraine, Belarus, Abkhazia and so on but if they are unable to reach 2.1 fertility rate they will either rely on central asian muslims of dubious loyalty or will fade into obscurity.
Imagine a russia with 300 million people, all that fertile land, minerals and oil...

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

Unlike the intelligence and security agencies of most Western nations, the KGB/FSB is very much a military service, complete with it's own soldiers and special operations units. Although Putin wasn't Spetsnaz, like all KGB officers, his training would have included weapons and unarmed combat.

The CIA is also staffed with tons of ex-military and it's usual for SOFs to operate under its umbrella when doing raids. Like the invasion of afghanistan was basically done by the CIA, CIA guys on horseback were the ones leading the way.
Now, going back to the gunslinger gait, I never heard of it before seeing it on Putin. I never heard anybody in the police or military talk about it.

 

[KnightTemplar]

The CIA is also staffed with tons of ex-military and it's usual for SOFs to operate under its umbrella when doing raids. Like the invasion of afghanistan was basically done by the CIA, CIA guys on horseback were the ones leading the way.
Now, going back to the gunslinger gait, I never heard of it before seeing it on Putin. I never heard anybody in the police or military talk about it.

The CIA does have some legit bad-asses, especially the Special Activities Division. But it's still officially a civilian organisation, whereas the KGB/FSB are part of Russia's armed forces. They even have a military rank structure; Putin left the KGB as a Lieutenant-Colonel, I believe. And while the CIA has certainly done some very naughty things in it's time, some of the KGB's greatest hits make Christians in Action look like blushing virgins.

 

[evansusmc2]

The collapse of the Soviet Union was the biggest embarrassment to any 1st world nation in the modern era. This still haunts the backs of Russian minds to this present day. Putin knows this...

So that's why he is doing what he has to do to slowly carve out and take back peices of eastern Europe. To show his people that at least he is trying to re-gain the former glory of what the Soviet Union once was.

Thats why in 2014 Operation Atlantic Resolve kicked off. Nato is letting Russia know that they can no longer continue to tear chunks off of other countries. Basically saying, "Hey Russia, it stops right here."

Source: I've been part of:
Operation Atlantic Resolve 2015
Operation Trident Junction 2015
Operation European Reassurance 2016

 

[whougonnacall]

I pretty much agree with all you have said here and am fully aware of it.

But that said he does take a good shirtless on horseback pic