Russia publically wonders if it legally still owns Baltics

[Blue3]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-reviewing-legality-baltic-states-independence-214030861.html

Russia is wondering if the breakup of the Soviet Union was legal, or if Putin is true owner, particularly of the Baltic states in NATO...

[Simfan34]

I saw this earlier today. I agree with the Lithuanian foreign minister: this is "legally, morally and politically absurd".

[Cory]

This is probably all bluster, they know it would mean war if they tried to pull the same stunt they pulled in Ukraine in the Baltics. A war that Russia couldn't possibly hope to win.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Russia's main tactic is confusion. They would be devestated by a war with militarily advanced America and her allies, so they're going to keep chumming the waters with this sort of stuff.


A dangerous game, Putin is playing.

[bballrox4717]

I'd be nervous. Putin genuinely believes NATO overstepped its boundaries by including former Soviet states, and sees poll after poll that demonstrates the weakness of the alliance. Several countries in NATO (especially Germany and France, which are key to any coalition building in Europe) would decisively oppose military action against Russia.

[dead0man]

They wouldn't have a choice if the Baltics get invaded.  Well, I guess they would have a choice, but it's one they wouldn't make.


Not that it would matter even if they made the wrong choice, NATO doesn't need Germany and France to defeat Russia.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

If Russia explicitly invaded NATO territory, Germany and France would fall in line. That's why Putin works via backdoor destabilisation.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Public opinion in Germany and France might not favour military action against Russia at the moment, but it most certainly will if Russia invades NATO and European Union territory. 

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Trolls.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

They're reminding everyone that they have a much bigger card to play if NATO objects to their slow takeover of Ukraine/eventually other non-NATO ex-Soviet states.

Intimidation and thinly-veiled threats, nothing more.

[Murica!]

Is everyone seriously falling for Russia's painfully obvious trolling?

[ag]

Is everyone seriously falling for Russia's painfully obvious trolling?

Trolling in Georgia, trolling in Crimea, trolling in Donbass... Yeah, we are taking Russian trolling seriously. Because it tends to be armed trolling.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Is everyone seriously falling for Russia's painfully obvious trolling?

Trolling in Georgia, trolling in Crimea, trolling in Donbass... Yeah, we are taking Russian trolling seriously. Because it tends to be armed trolling.

Yeah, no one is seriously worried that they're going to roll into NATO any day. What we're worried about is that they're reminding us they can if anyone gets in the way of their reconquest project.

[Murica!]

Is everyone seriously falling for Russia's painfully obvious trolling?

Trolling in Georgia, trolling in Crimea, trolling in Donbass... Yeah, we are taking Russian trolling seriously. Because it tends to be armed trolling.

Yeah, no one is seriously worried that they're going to roll into NATO any day. What we're worried about is that they're reminding us they can if anyone gets in the way of their reconquest project.

Last I checked Putin is just an authoritarian borderline fascist asshole, not mentally retarded.

[ag]

Is everyone seriously falling for Russia's painfully obvious trolling?

Trolling in Georgia, trolling in Crimea, trolling in Donbass... Yeah, we are taking Russian trolling seriously. Because it tends to be armed trolling.

Yeah, no one is seriously worried that they're going to roll into NATO any day. What we're worried about is that they're reminding us they can if anyone gets in the way of their reconquest project.

Last I checked Putin is just an authoritarian borderline fascist asshole, not mentally retarded.

His German colleague did not suffer from mental retardation either.

[Murica!]

Is everyone seriously falling for Russia's painfully obvious trolling?

Trolling in Georgia, trolling in Crimea, trolling in Donbass... Yeah, we are taking Russian trolling seriously. Because it tends to be armed trolling.

Yeah, no one is seriously worried that they're going to roll into NATO any day. What we're worried about is that they're reminding us they can if anyone gets in the way of their reconquest project.

Last I checked Putin is just an authoritarian borderline fascist asshole, not mentally retarded.

His German colleague did not suffer from mental retardation either.

That's true, but to compare the situation of the mid-1930s with modern Europe is ridiculous considering that if Russia actually invaded a country in NATO or the EU everyone wouldn't just sit idly by like in Czechoslovakia or Poland.

[ag]

Is everyone seriously falling for Russia's painfully obvious trolling?

Trolling in Georgia, trolling in Crimea, trolling in Donbass... Yeah, we are taking Russian trolling seriously. Because it tends to be armed trolling.

Yeah, no one is seriously worried that they're going to roll into NATO any day. What we're worried about is that they're reminding us they can if anyone gets in the way of their reconquest project.

Last I checked Putin is just an authoritarian borderline fascist asshole, not mentally retarded.

His German colleague did not suffer from mental retardation either.

That's true, but to compare the situation of the mid-1930s with modern Europe is ridiculous considering that if Russia actually invaded a country in NATO or the EU everyone wouldn't just sit idly by like in Czechoslovakia or Poland.

Relying on a KGB guy's adequate understanding of realities is, for me, far too slender a thread, when the world's future is concerned.

[Clark Kent]

Russia didn't even legally own the Baltics from 1945-1991, let alone since the fall of the Soviet Union. The occupations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were illegal under international law, and should not be considered when deciding whether Russia has a legal claim to those nations or not.