Russia in the 21st Century [Superthread]

[HavokFour]

Might want to keep an eye on Moldova this weekend.

WARNING: Russia May Be Planning Violent Protests After the Moldovan Elections

Warning: The Kremlin is setting conditions to generate possibly violent protests to remove Moldovan President Maia Sandu from power.

understandingwar.org

Party of Action and Solidarity (pro-EU) has won a majority with 50.1% while Patriotic Electoral Bloc (pro-RU) secured 24.2% of the vote. The rest was split between Alternativa Bloc (RU-friendly), Our Party and Democracy at Home.

Moldova’s pro-EU party wins clear parliamentary majority, defeating pro-Russian groups

Moldovans have given the pro-Western governing party a clear parliamentary majority in a recent election. The vote was seen as a choice between East and West.

apnews.com

 

[brihard]

France has boarded and seized a Benin-flagged oil tanker from Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’, and have detained the captain and first mate. They’re not quite saying out loud that this is connected to the drone bullshit over Europe, but it’s being widely reported that way.

France detains two crew members of Russia-linked tanker off western French coast

France on Wednesday detained two crew members of a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker seized off the coast of the French western port of Saint-Nazaire, according to the Brest prosecutor.

www.france24.com

 

[The Bread Guy]

France has boarded and seized a Benin-flagged oil tanker from Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’, and have detained the captain and first mate. They’re not quite saying out loud that this is connected to the drone bullshit over Europe, but it’s being widely reported that way.

France detains two crew members of Russia-linked tanker off western French coast

France on Wednesday detained two crew members of a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker seized off the coast of the French western port of Saint-Nazaire, according to the Brest prosecutor.

www.france24.com

The latest ....

France: Captain of tanker linked to Russian 'shadow fleet' charged

The Chinese national faces a count of refusing to follow naval instructions while piloting the vessel.

www.bbc.com

... with this capsule from the piece.

 

[HavokFour]

Reset the clock, the window strikes again.

Vyacheslav Leontyev, 87, was the secretive head of the Pravda publishing house, historically the main organ of the Soviet Communist Party, which continues to maintain strong Kremlin ties.

Kremlin-linked media mogul dies in mysterious 21-meter fall

Vyacheslav Leontyev was widely seen as knowledgeable about the secret wealth of Russia’s top elite.

tvpworld.com

 

[daftandbarmy]

I'll just leave this here...

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Belarus is off the hook…

 

[RangerRay]

Belarus is off the hook…

I’d be blotto if I had to live there too.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Meanwhile, how many Russian drone incidents has Hungary seen? Noted this one from May (and Hungrary's been - allegedly, at least - pokey into UKR), but they're blaming that one on UKR, not USSR 2.0.

Asking for a friend ....

 

[The Bread Guy]

Armed Russians in uniform without apparent markings? No problem, right?

Estonia's border guard: Armed Russian groups seen in Saatse Boot

A group of armed Russian personnel was seen standing on the road in Saatse Boot, a stretch of Russian territory that Estonians can drive through, which the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) temporarily closed access to on Friday. The interior minister said the latest information suggests they...

news.err.ee

Estonia's border guard: Armed Russian groups seen in Saatse Boot | Baltic News

A group of armed Russian personnel was seen standing on the road in Saatse Boot, a stretch of Russian territory that Estonians can drive through, which the

balticnews.com

Estonia Considers Closing Värska-Saatse Road Crossing Russian Territory | Ukraine news - #Mezha

Estonia plans to close the Värska-Saatse road crossing Russian territory, aiming to enhance border security and reduce dependence on Russian infrastructure.

mezha.net

Let's see, now ....

• Air incursions? Check.
• Drone incursions? Check.
• Border poking? Check.
• Weaponized migrant pushing? Check.
• Sabotage? Check.
• GPS jamming/spoofing? Check.
• Info/influence ops? Check.
• Cyber-ops? Check.

What's missing from the Hybrid War Bingo Card?

 

[Retired AF Guy]

Armed Russians in uniform without apparent markings? No problem, right?

Estonia's border guard: Armed Russian groups seen in Saatse Boot

A group of armed Russian personnel was seen standing on the road in Saatse Boot, a stretch of Russian territory that Estonians can drive through, which the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) temporarily closed access to on Friday. The interior minister said the latest information suggests they...

news.err.ee

Estonia's border guard: Armed Russian groups seen in Saatse Boot | Baltic News

A group of armed Russian personnel was seen standing on the road in Saatse Boot, a stretch of Russian territory that Estonians can drive through, which the

balticnews.com

Estonia Considers Closing Värska-Saatse Road Crossing Russian Territory | Ukraine news - #Mezha

Estonia plans to close the Värska-Saatse road crossing Russian territory, aiming to enhance border security and reduce dependence on Russian infrastructure.

mezha.net

Let's see, now ....

• Air incursions? Check.
• Drone incursions? Check.
• Border poking? Check.
• Weaponized migrant pushing? Check.
• Sabotage? Check.
• GPS jamming/spoofing? Check.
• Info/influence ops? Check.
• Cyber-ops? Check.

What's missing from the Hybrid War Bingo Card?

An Response!!

 

[The Bread Guy]

Another data point ...

Russian sub forced to surface near Brittany, France

The Russian submarine B-261 Novorossiysk surfaced near the coast of Brittany in northwestern France, the country's Navy frigate was deployed to monitor the vessel, NATO’s Naval Command reported on X on Oct. 9.

english.nv.ua

https://twitter.com/x/status/1976325370908426672

 

[Colin Parkinson]

A Russian sub that does not dare to submerge at this point. About the only defending the Brits and French need to do is bring along oil containment boom.

 

[The Bread Guy]

How very reassuring to Georgia ....

European Rights Court Orders Russia to Pay Georgia Nearly $300M Over Violations After 2008 War - The Moscow Times

The European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday ordered Russia to pay Georgia more than 250 million euros ($289,000) for violations committed after the brief war between the two countries in August 2008. ECHR accused Russia of preventing people from freely entering Abkhazia and South Ossetia...

www.themoscowtimes.com

Believe it when the cheque clears.

 

[Kirkhill]

As many have suggested Siberia is vulnerable. China is nearing the Arctic.

Kremlin Pays for War with Territory: China and north Korea Advance Deep into russia's Far East — Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence | Defense Express

Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service reports that Moscow is gradually losing control over its Far Eastern regions. According to the agency, China and north Korea are expanding their economic and demographic presence there, turning russia's periphery into a shared sphere of influence

en.defence-ua.com

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I think China had a long term plan to reabsorb that region, but with the realization they are short 400 million and facing a demographic crunch in the near term, might forgo taking more territory that they can't populate.

 

[Eaglelord17]

I think China had a long term plan to reabsorb that region, but with the realization they are short 400 million and facing a demographic crunch in the near term, might forgo taking more territory that they can't populate.

Do you need to physically control the area if you are receiving much of the economic benefit of it?