Putin has come out about being the new Tsar

[kenneal - lagger]

Putin has given up trying to cover up what he is up to and has declared that he is going to become the new Tsar and reinstate the Russian Empire by retaking all the old Soviet Union lands and possibly more. If anyone doesn't like it, tough. His entourage has joined in and his tv groupies are all on board with the idea. The old lie about not wanting to occupy Ukraine has gone out of the window without the blink of an eye.

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/kremlin-croni ... 10945.html

[RenewableCandy]

I think he was always after that - certainly that's what folk have always said in this house.
It's not just the land, either - he's got ideas about Russia being the Only True Christian People etc etc ad nauseam.
Unfortunately a lot of people are falling for it - people will do the most evil/reckless things for a 'sense of belonging', especially if they haven't got much else to shout about.

[kenneal - lagger]

Putin and his oligarch friends have certainly kept the Russian people without a lot to shout about. As long as he and friends are in power the Russian people won't have anything to shout about even if the Soviet Empire doubles in size. In fact they will have a lot to complain about because there will be a sad shortage of manpower in Russia as much of their younger generation are killed off in the attempt to re-establish the empire.

[RenewableCandy]

Large numbers of younger people are also leaving.
So are a lot of the Jewish population - which is always a bad sign.

Putin has reinstated the olde Soviet medal for giving birth to 10 children, except now it's not a medal, it's actual money.

What with that and literally stealing people's kids from Ukraine, they are obviously desperate.