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[Baffler]

Doesn't most Russian trade with China go through Denmark?

That sounds counterintuitive and inefficient, but so does shipping chickens from the US to be processed in China, then sending them back again, but that's a thing that happens. If you told me that I'd probably believe you.

[Culise]

Why Russians are so sure that China can't be persuaded to join sanctions? Should EU and USA offer China something more valuable than trade with Russia, they will agree.

Therein's the rub.  If the EU and USA place full sanctions on Russia, Chinese trade with Russia will become significantly more valuable because of those two most wonderful words for an industrial economy hungry for resources and buyers - captive market.  After all, outside of China and Europe, the only remaining major market would be India, and if you think the ongoing pipeline and infrastructure development with China will take a while to fully complete, try to imagine building new pipelines north-south in Central Asia (as contrasted with the existing east-west lines) and over the Hindu Kush.  China already got a pretty good deal on the natural gas they're buying in the latest contract deals, and that's with the gas trade to Europe still mostly intact. 

[Erkki]

It is not for need of a military to use it, but to have it is often enough. Appear big, strong and capable, and people will respect you for your appearances irregardless of actual capabilities. This will never be a problem because your actual capabilities will never be tested.

This is my thinking too unless things escalate further. There will be no really hard actions taken against Russia for now because it just isnt worth it. EU wont sink billions into getting its gas from the US just because of and Russia's misbehaviour and Donbass.

But quite similarly to military strength, capabilities to economically hurt Russia are also capabilities of influence even if there is not enough will or reason to use them; so far at least seemingly Russia has respected them(as well as its relations and trade with the rest of the world in general) enough. A good part, is it somewhere near 90%, of international trade is by sea, and IIRC somewhat smaller figure in euros and dollars. US, NATO & CO Navies together are several times larger than the rest of the world's, USN alone being larger than all potential adversaries' combined. Thats true global power.

Btw, USA added more names to its Russian black list today, including a couple of Finnish businessmen that complained to have nothing to do with Putin. I didnt do anything bad to US! Really!

[BlindKitty]

Why Russians are so sure that China can't be persuaded to join sanctions? Should EU and USA offer China something more valuable than trade with Russia, they will agree.

Well, if anybody really wanted to grind Russia to dust, they would just have to officially accept China's (future) annexation of Siberia. This way there are a couple of years of hardcore econwars, and then China comes and takes what is rightfully theirs^TM due to being ancient heritage and cradle of Chinese civilization^TM, i.e. Siberia. Of course, that would end strengthening China much more than US would like to, so it's extremely unlikely to happen...

Oh, and it is not so easy to spark a conflict due to a border incident of any kind. Read about Chinese - Russian fights in 1968 (I think I'm not messing the dates).

[Helgoland]

The easiness of escalating border conflicts is directly proportional to the willingness to actually go to war.

[BlindKitty]

Which is inversely proportional to the amount of the nukes your opponent has; hence the Russian - Chinese example.

[mainiac]

Which is inversely proportional to the amount of the nukes your opponent has; hence the Russian - Chinese example.

That is so manifestly untrue.

Why do people make statements like this?  Yes we all understand the theory the would justify it.  However a cursory empirical inspection will reveal that it doesn't hold waters.  Maybe it was supposed to be glib but the comment lacks the over the top nature that makes for amusing glibness.

[evilcherry]

Doesn't most Russian trade with China go through Denmark?

That sounds counterintuitive and inefficient, but so does shipping chickens from the US to be processed in China, then sending them back again, but that's a thing that happens. If you told me that I'd probably believe you.

Physically, yes. The Siberian railway isn't terribly efficient, and its capacity is in the order of thousand TEUs a day. Its not insignificant, but when compared to the glut of container ship capacity (and thus their ridiculously low shipping cost, hovering at around 10k/FEU westbound) its just too cheap to consider otherwise.

Not to mention that Russian Customs are pretty troublesome.


Oh and its only two weeks across the Atlantic. So its not terribly inefficient, either.

[Ukrainian Ranger]

Look, someone is playing with radioactive materials Link is to Google cache to avoid  the subscription wall

[Wolfhunter107]

I'm gonna take that one with a grain of salt.

[Sergarr]

I'd wager the level of truth here is on the level of "tactical nuclear strikes in Lugansk airport" courtesy of ex-Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Geletei.

[Ukrainian Ranger]

Geletei never said  that. Idiot journalist said that he said that. It is a big difference.

Geletei said that Lugansk airport was shelled by Pions, guns that can shoot tactical nukes.

[Owlbread]

Well, the breaking news of the day here is that Ted Heath, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1970-1974, is under posthumous investigation for child sexual abuse/paedophilia. I am waiting to find some good articles on the matter but in any case the allegations that the UK in the 70s and 80s was effectively ruled by a paedophile ring now hold greater weight.

[LordSlowpoke]

it's like the mob

they won't trust you with anything until they see you fondling a kid

[Graknorke]

They like their women like they like their whiskey. 12 years old and ruined by mixing it with coke.