For Those Who Might Be Wondering Why We Might Be In Ukraine

[HisArpy]

This may seem like a cynical view but I am coming round to the possibility that peace is not necessarily the best solution, nor is it in the best interests of the major parties. A long drawn out 'forever' war has much to be said for it. An indecisive deadlock will wear both Russia and Ukraine out. Ukraine will suffer the most because its industry is stuffed but it is still capable of feeding itself. Russia almost needs the war because sanctions have paralyzed its economy to the extent that arms production and corruption are the only viable economic sectors. China and India are extracting huge benefits through very cheap oil/gas/resources from Russia whilst being careful to avoid becoming arms suppliers. For a fairly modest investment in Arms the Europeans are content to see Russia impoverished and kept in check. Turkey has re-asserted itself as controllers of the Black Sea something they never attempted when the USSR was in power.

The USA's position is all over the place. If someone could convince DJT that he doesn't have a snowballs chance in Hell of the Nobel Peace Prize ,that might give DJT the incentive to actually help Ukraine rather than just make empty promises. The US could do this reasonably cheaply, firstly through the supply of intelligence to Ukraine and secondly by stopping the obstruction to other countries willing to supply arms. In the long run Ukraine will never be a great power but it is in the USA's fundamental interests to ensure Russia never recovers. In similar vein it would make sense for the USA to stir up trouble between China and Russia - particularly in the Amur Basin where they have a long standing unresolved territorial dispute.

What Iran or Korea might do is of no consequence, just good news stories on a slow day.

50,000 dead Ukrainians each year and 200,000 dead Russians is sad for them but not an unreasonable price for the rest of the world. And as one Russian Police chief allegedly commented 'it has at least cut the prison population.'

The problem with this idea is that whenever any society's sole purpose is focused on a never ending war, it's very dangerous to be their neighbor.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Who do you believe? Trump? Or Germany?

 

[HisArpy]

Who do you believe? Trump? Or Germany?

View attachment 2553792

Lol, love the spin on that.

"I cannot confirm military shipments of arms" isn't the same thing as "Trump's not sending anything."

 

[ChloeTzang]

 

[ChloeTzang]

Ukraine to boost local arms production to 50% of needs within 6 months​

A new Ukrainian government, expected to be approved Thursday, will race to expand domestic arms production to meet half the country’s weapons needs within six months as it tries to push back Russia’s invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says. Domestic defense manufacturing already accounts for almost 40% of weapons used by the Ukrainian military, according to Zelenskyy. As uncertainty grows about how many more weapons shipments Western countries can provide — and how quickly — Ukraine is keen to increase its output and widen its strikes on Russian soil. “What we need is greater capacity to push the war back onto Russia’s territory — back to where the war was brought from," Zelenskyy said late Wednesday in his nightly video address.

“We must reach the level of 50% Ukrainian-made weapons within the first six months of the new government’s work by expanding our domestic production.” The need to adequately arm Ukraine’s military is pressing as Russia looks to drive forward its summer offensive and pounds Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones and ballistic and cruise missiles. Meanwhile, it remained unclear when promises of U.S.-made weapons, especially Patriot missile systems crucial for stretched Ukrainian air defenses, might reach Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to send the weaponry, but it will be paid for by European countries.

NATO chief Mark Rutte said in Washington on Monday that the alliance is coordinating the military support with funding from allies in Europe and Canada. He said there were commitments from Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada “with more expected to follow.”

https://www.defensenews.com/global/...ms-production-to-50-of-needs-within-6-months/

 

[dingdongditchding]

COWARD libs WILL NOT enlist NOR will they go over to YOU CRANE and ENLIST!!!!!!!!!! Z needs men in the trenches. MAN UP libs. Stop sending or wanting to send kids of the right wing (who do serve)

 

[ChloeTzang]

Ukraine’s anti-drone dome over Kyiv is growing—and Moscow feels it​

Thousands of interceptor drones are being deployed under Ukraine’s Clear Sky program, forming an expanding shield against Russian drone attacks.

Ukraine is deploying a new generation of air-defense drones—fast, lightweight, and highly maneuverable—designed specifically to intercept and destroy Russia’s Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones.

With peace negotiations stalled and Russian aerial attacks intensifying, Kyiv is turning to homegrown technology to fill a critical defense gap. Massive waves of Shahed drones have made traditional missile systems economically unsustainable, prompting the rapid deployment of tens of thousands of compact, low-cost interceptors.

​

What these interceptor drones are​

According to Forbes tech correspondent David Hambling, Ukraine’s interceptors mark technical leap in drone warfare, prioritizing speed, scalability, and affordability:

• Lightweight and aerodynamic: Designs include bullet-shaped quadcopters (like Wild Hornets’ Sting) and delta-wing drones, built for high-speed, high-altitude engagement.
• Vertical engagement capability: These drones can climb to intercept Shaheds flying at over 10,000 feet (≈3 kilometers)—well above the reach of ground-based machine guns.
• Radar and visual guidance: Integrated into a nationwide sensor and command system, they are coordinated to track and strike slow-moving aerial threats.
• Low cost: Priced at just $1,000 to $5,000 per unit, they’re dramatically cheaper than the $3.3 million US Patriot missiles used to counter other threats.

What Russia is saying​

Even figures within Russia’s defense-industrial elite have acknowledged the growing impact of Ukraine’s interceptor efforts. Alexey Rogozin—former CEO of Ilyushin and a senior figure in Russia’s military aviation sector—wrote on Telegram that Ukraine had effectively constructed a local anti-drone network over Kyiv: “In fact, we are talking about an urban anti-drone dome built on the mass use of small-sized interceptors,” he said, referring to the Clear Sky initiative.

Rogozin claimed that more than 500 Shaheds had been intercepted under this system. While he maintained that large drone waves could still overwhelm defenses, he conceded that the cost dynamic has shifted: “Now it is more expensive to attack than to defend.”

However, the system is not foolproof. Despite the deployment of interceptors, Kyiv continues to experience Shahed strikes, and explosions remain a frequent occurrence. Interception rates have reportedly improved, but with systems still scaling up, real-world effectiveness remains incomplete.

Why Ukraine is using them​

Russia’s Shahed drones are slow, cheap, and launched in overwhelming numbers. In June alone, Russia launched over 5,000 Shahed-type drones, including as many as 728 in a single night—far more than traditional systems like Patriots can handle. Ukraine’s interceptors offer a cost-effective, scalable response to this flood of threats. Small, fast, and increasingly numerous, they are designed to match Russia’s production tempo. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently praised the system, stating that “hundreds of Russian-Iranian Shahed drones have been shot down this week” alone. Officials say interception rates, which had dropped due to higher-altitude attacks, are now back above 86%.

How many are coming​

According to Arsen Zhumadilov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Procurement Agency, the country has already signed contracts for tens of thousands of interceptor drones. “This is what we have already contracted and will continue to contract,” Zhumadilov said in a 14 July interview with Babel. “We will definitely contract everything that the state budget can afford.” He added that if domestic production capacity exceeds state funding, allied nations may help finance additional units to expand coverage.

Strategic impact​

Ukraine’s interceptor drone program is emerging as a flexible, affordable answer to Russia’s drone warfare campaign—and potentially a model for other nations facing similar threats. “Ukraine is massively scaling up its production of low-cost interceptor drones to stop Russia’s growing barrages of Shahed attack drones,” wrote David Hambling. At the recent G7 summit, Zelenskyy emphasized that this technology could serve as a global solution for defending against mass drone attacks—an increasingly relevant challenge in modern warfare.

We're already seeing the Trump Administration and the US Defense industry beginning to actually realize this and start to making biddy noises with Ukraine again, as they realizeUkraine is light years ahead on drone warfare.

https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/07...ome-over-kyiv-is-growing-and-moscow-feels-it/

 

[dingdongditchding]

Its time for the Republicans to STFU about all this, show evidence or STFU! I know the FBI and DOJ are stopping the evidence from being disclosed, but if Congress cant address it, STFU!

hahahahaha 3+ more years then it will be Vance-Gabbard. you dems will pick another ancient rich str8, cisssssssssssssssssssssssssss, rich white man

 

[ChloeTzang]

The problem with this idea is that whenever any society's sole purpose is focused on a never ending war, it's very dangerous to be their neighbor.

It is indeed. A Finland, the Baltic States, Poland, Ukraine, and all the conquored and decimated former states now part of the Russian Federation understand all too well. Better to destroy that society and make sure it's in no position to ever recover. "Muscovy," here we come. This will be more intense than the disintegration of the former state of Yugoslavia, and far less peaceful.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Ukraine and the United States to build joint facility for ammunition production​

Ukraine and the United States are joining forces to establish a joint facility for the production of specialized chemicals essential for manufacturing ammunition for the Ukrainian military. This facility will operate in the U.S. According to the press service of the public joint-stock company "Ukrainian Defense Industry," the agreement was finalized on July 11 during the International Conference on Ukraine's Recovery (URC 2025) held in Rome. The new facility will focus on producing chemical components utilized in ammunition production. Its U.S.-based location aims to ensure an uninterrupted supply and safeguard production from war-related risks.

"We are truly grateful to the United States for this support and new opportunities. The Ukrainian defense sector must gradually move from large-scale procurement to self-production to meet urgent needs," emphasized the CEO of "Ukrainian Defense Industry," Oleh Hulyak.

Present at the document signing were U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine, retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, Ukrainian Presidential Strategy Advisor Oleksandr Kamyshin, and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of "Ukrainian Defense Industry," David Lomjaria. Ukrainian Defense Industry officials noted that this initiative would address the shortage of specialty chemicals currently limiting domestic ammunition production capabilities. Additionally, it is seen as a step towards reducing critical dependency on external suppliers.

https://uawire.org/ukraine-and-the-united-states-to-build-joint-facility-for-ammunition-production

 

[ChloeTzang]

Kyiv’s Drones for US Weapons – Zelensky Says ‘Mega Deal’ at Work With Trump​

President Volodymyr Zelensky said a “mega deal” is in the works with US President Donald Trump for the US to purchase Ukrainian drones in return for Kyiv to purchase US weaponry. The proposed deal would see Ukraine selling battle-tested drones and technology – some capable of reaching deep inside Russia 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) from the Ukrainian border – in exchange for unspecified US weapons. The New York Post, in its interview with Zelensky, reported on Thursday that the proposed deal was part of the recent discussions between Zelensky and Trump. Zelensky said the deal would involve sharing Ukraine’s drone expertise with the US, drawing on lessons learned during Russia’s invasion.

“The people of America need this technology, and you need to have it in your arsenal,” Zelensky told the New York Post. Zelensky called it a “win-win” situation. “I think this is really a mega deal, a win-win, as they say,” he added. Zelensky said Kyiv is also ready to share the lessons learned with its other Western allies. “We will be ready to share this experience with America and other European partners,” he said, adding that Ukraine is also in talks with Denmark, Norway and Germany. The update follows Trump’s latest U-turn on Ukraine by resuming weapons deliveries to Ukraine and issuing a 50-day ceasefire ultimatum to Moscow.

The news also came as the US sought to bolster its own drone forces, with its Ukraine Envoy Keith Kellogg urging the US to learn from Kyiv’s experience during his recent visit to a Ukrainian drone factory. “I saw firsthand how Ukrainian-made drones are being built and developed. Incredible innovation, especially with drones. In this new age/type of war, they lead. Their speed of innovation and ability to recycle is impressive,” Kellogg wrote in his X update. “Our defense industrial base should take notice and adapt.”

Separately a US arms maker unveiled its modular analog to the Iranian Shahed drones on Wednesday, known as LUCAS, which it said had undergone successful testing and is set to enter production soon. Zelensky had also previously voiced a desire to purchase between $30 and $50 billion worth of US weapons in April after the Trump administration signaled a halt on weapons aid to Kyiv at the time. The US purchase of Ukrainian drones under the latest proposed deal could also be a much-needed boost for Ukraine’s domestic drone industry. In November 2024, industry representatives expressed frustration that government orders were insufficient to fill product lines, meaning that Ukraine had the means but not the funding to make the numbers of weapons it needs. The situation persisted well into June 2025, according to a Business Insider report – even as Ukrainian drone production soared by 900%.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/56504

 

[ChloeTzang]

Ukraine is redefining modern warfare by bringing the fight directly into Russian territory. Through precision drone strikes, sabotage operations, and internal resistance support, Ukraine targets Russia's military infrastructure, disrupting supply lines and weakening its war capabilities. This strategy marks a significant shift from traditional defensive tactics to proactive measures that challenge the Kremlin's authority.

In this video, we explore how Ukraine's innovative approach is impacting Russia's military operations. From the destruction of strategic bombers to the paralysis of railway networks, these actions signify a deliberate effort to undermine Russia's ability to sustain its offensive. We also examine the growing internal dissent within Russia, including ethnic uprisings and military insubordination, which further destabilize Putin's regime.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Ukraine's elite drone hunters strike back at Russian Shaheds​

Putin thought he was a badass but turned out to be a comedian.
Zelensky thought he was a comedian but turned out to be a badass

 

[ChloeTzang]

Sweden's SAAB AWACS aircraft now being used by Ukraine.....

Nice and informative on the SAAB AWAC's aircraft (Sweden transferred two to Ukraine, which gives then a huge edge).

The Saab 340 isn’t trying to compete with the massive American AWACS—it’s doing something smarter: providing real-time radar coverage and battle management right from Ukrainian airspace. No more relying on NATO intel from the sidelines. This is the next evolution in Ukraine’s air power.

From vectoring F-16s onto Russian fighters without turning on their own radars, to catching cruise missiles the second they’re launched from deep inside Russia, this little “canoe-on-top” aircraft is now the most dangerous bird in Ukraine’s skies. And it just might signal Ukraine’s transition from reactive defense to proactive air dominance.

In this video:
• What the Saab 340 AEW&C is and how it works
• The Erieye radar’s strengths—and its limitations
• How this system will enable ambushes, air superiority, and smarter SAM deployment
• Why Sweden giving away one of only two airframes is such a massive gesture
• How this could reshape NATO-style coordination for Ukraine’s growing Air Force

 

[dingdongditchding]

That is not true. My position is, it's time for Joe Biden and Ukraine to face reality. Unless we, NATO/US are ready for a ground war with Russia it's time to negotiate, which should have happened in the beginning before the country was destroyed and tens of thousands were needlessly killed. It's stupid to think the Russians are going to pack up and go home at this point. This is their southern border region we are talking about. I'll tell you right now, we'll be lucky if we can even get the Russians to negotiate at this point. They may decide to go all the way to the Polish border. They are building a big enough force to do it as well. Bigger than we can muster at the present. All of this because of some fat bitch in the State department, her deep state cronies, and Blackrock could bring down the Russian government and exploit the wealth of Ukraine.

I agree with most of your post. I guess we should just launch, get it over with. That is the only to --- win --- this war.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Ukraine's home-design and built BTR4 Bucephalus IFV

The BTR-4 "Bucephalus" armoured transporter') is an amphibious 8x8 wheeled infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) designed in Ukraine by the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau (SOE KMDB). Named after Bucephalus, Alexander the Great's horse, the BTR-4 is patterned on modern Western wheeled APCs such as the German TPz Fuchs. Ukraine manufactures these themselves and has been progressively equipping Uktainian Brigades with these, at about one Brigade a month...altho you will only see the odd snippet in the news about this.

 

[HisArpy]

It is indeed. A Finland, the Baltic States, Poland, Ukraine, and all the conquored and decimated former states now part of the Russian Federation understand all too well. Better to destroy that society and make sure it's in no position to ever recover. "Muscovy," here we come. This will be more intense than the disintegration of the former state of Yugoslavia, and far less peaceful.

Sounds like genocide to me.

 

[ChloeTzang]

That is not true. My position is, it's time for Joe Biden and Ukraine to face reality. Unless we, NATO/US are ready for a ground war with Russia it's time to negotiate, which should have happened in the beginning before the country was destroyed and tens of thousands were needlessly killed. It's stupid to think the Russians are going to pack up and go home at this point. This is their southern border region we are talking about. I'll tell you right now, we'll be lucky if we can even get the Russians to negotiate at this point. They may decide to go all the way to the Polish border. They are building a big enough force to do it as well. Bigger than we can muster at the present. All of this because of some fat bitch in the State department, her deep state cronies, and Blackrock could bring down the Russian government and exploit the wealth of Ukraine.

I agree with most of your post. I guess we should just launch, get it over with. That is the only to --- win --- this war.

Russians don't need to pack up and go home. They can die, as indeed they are. In point of fact, Putin has no intention of negotiating. He's all in on this and his life's on the line. Trump has given him 50 days for his summer offensive, he has around 160,000 "troops" positioned to be fed into the meatgrinder. They'll die. The Ukrainians will then launch a counter offensive. The Russian Army may well collapse at that point.

Whatever causal factors prompted Trump’s latest public zig-zag on Ukraine policy, for now aid flows have been restored and ten billion dollars worth of military support is supposedly queued up for delivery to Ukraine through NATO, once the Europeans front the cash. That will certainly help. The past few weeks have definitely proved that the war has entered another new phase, one where getting the drone fight right will prove decisive. Drones are opening up new avenues for both sides, and the ability to rapidly field comprehensive networked anti-drone systems at scale is one of those areas which is bound to set apart fading powers from rising ones across the globe.

Now, the Russians have their summeroffensives underway, starting with Sumy, which has already failed. Actually taking large towns, much less small cities on the scale of Sloviansk or Kramatorsk, it very likely too much for the the Russian Army at this point. The effort it took to storm most of Toretsk and Chasiv Yar, a process that only left the ruins a hunting ground for Ukrainian drones, does not bode well for the far larger urban assaults Moscow would have to wage. As for reaching the Polish border, that's laughable. It takes them weeks to gain one field. Months to take a village. They are on foot. Even should they collapse a Ukrainian defense line, they have no way to exploit it except on foot. That didn't work to well in WW1 and it won' work well here. Ukraine will follow their strategy. Keep inflicting huge losses on the Russians and falling back where needed.

What the Russians are down to is taking whatever ground is easiest to get at, aiming over time to bring important frontline towns within drone range on multiple flanks. Putin intends to make life in these areas uninhabitable, footage of ruins broadcast to the rest of the world. Once enough is destroyed, he imagines, Ukraine will be induced to give up devastated areas in negotiations. Putin can spin this as a triumph over all of NATO, setting the stage for an even more catastrophic war against Europe. Once strategy devolves into doing stuff because action equals winning, you’re done for. It’s like Hitler ordering grand offensives in late 1944 and even 1945 that stood close to zero chance of success. The ability to perceive what actions really matter gets lost: a fatal development when resources are limited. And as analysts who monitor satellite data keep on reporting, the old Soviet cupboards are just about bare.

The only question now is around WHEN Russian will implode. NOT when Ukraine will be defeated.

Putin has already lost his ability to throw numerous dense armored punches at the Ukrainians, which while costly and usually unsuccessful, still created problems that some Ukrainian teams at the front weren’t prepared to solve, forcing them to retreat. Glide bombs that the Russians need to clear Ukrainian positions are no longer nearly as accurate, and the jets that carry them have to drop at maximum range to avoid getting plinked by a Patriot, Aster, or even AMRAAM fired by a low-flying Viper twenty klicks on the Ukrainian side of the front line and assisted by those SAAB AWACS.

Those Lancet drones that the Russians need to neutralize Ukrainian armored vehicles can now be shot down by interceptors. Though Moscow is making good use of fiber-optic first person drones, especially as mobile land mines laying in wait along logistics routes, Ukraine is rolling out new fragmenting rifle ammunition and training in hitting moving aerial targets. Ground drones are beginning to arrive at the front in force, assisting with logistics and medical evacuation, sometimes carrying heavy explosives right up to enemy dugouts. The Ukrainians long ago gained effective superiority in artillery, despite having fewer shells to use than the Russians, thanks to the superior accuracy and range of 155mm howitzers and HIMARS/MLRS.

You're right about facing reality though. The Third World War has already started, like it or not, Ukraine is already fighting it, and everyone else will soon know what it’s like.

We should accept that, and do what's needed to secure a Ukrainian victory, thereby taking Russia out.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Sounds like genocide to me.

Not really. Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro are all still there. And happier too.

Same thing applies to the "Russian Federation." The real Russians are Muscovites, and everyone else will be a lot happier if they stick to Muscovy. Without the wealth they loot from the colonies they'll just be another Belarus.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Oh wow, the Biden Administration was valuing the M113s we sent to Ukraine at more than $500,000 apiece. When they're sold for scrap they're sold for about $200 apiece (still running). That $175 billion in aid to Ukraone is a hugely inflated number. Somebody needs to go back, correct the accounting and find out what happened to that money.

 

[MajorRewrite]

COWARD libs WILL NOT enlist NOR will they go over to YOU CRANE and ENLIST!!!!!!!!!! Z needs men in the trenches. MAN UP libs. Stop sending or wanting to send kids of the right wing (who do serve)

Lance, did you forget your meds again?

 

[ChloeTzang]

Ukraine may get 17 Patriot launchers initially sold to Switzerland—report​

Kyiv could soon receive 17 Patriot AA launchers that were originally earmarked for Switzerland. The U.S. Department of Defense has warned Bern of a delay in the delivery schedule. Swiss officials said that the change in delivery dates affects five Patriot batteries that were scheduled for delivery in 2026, as per an agreement reached in 2021. Under the contract, Switzerland was to receive 17 launchers, along with 70 GEM-T surface-to-air missiles, five AN/MPQ-65 radars, six MIDS-LVT data links, and five AN/MSQ-132 command posts.

According to the report, each of the five Patriot batteries likely includes three launchers, and the additional two launchers may have been purchased as spares.

It is still unclear how the United States will navigate the bureaucratic and legal challenges involved in transferring these air defense systems—originally ordered by Switzerland—to Ukraine. However, even the possibility of providing Ukraine with 17 launchers, roughly five batteries, and approximately 140 missiles, is significant as Russia continues to fire ballistic missiles at Ukrainian cities nearly every day.

https://english.nv.ua/nation/ukraine-may-get-17-swiss-patriot-launchers-report-50530639.html

 

[ChloeTzang]

Russia amasses 160,000 soldiers for new Ukraine offensive​

Russia could initiate an intensified summer offensive in Ukraine within days or weeks, possibly involving 160,000 troops gathered near the front line, CNN reported on July 17. The report suggests Russia aims to exploit a 50-day pause before potential U.S. sanctions.

Analysts note that over the past two weeks, Russia has strengthened its positions in the Pokrovsk, Kupyansk, and Kostiantynivka sectors. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, commented on the CNN report, stating that the Russian offensive has not stopped. “The intensity has varied, Russia’s army has been halted by Ukraine’s Defense Forces, and all the ‘new’ reports in the media are just the injection of additional reserves into an ongoing effort,” he said.

U.S. analyst Keir Giles from Chatham House wrote that the 50-day window provides Moscow with diplomatic maneuvering room. “The deadline of 50 days gives Russia plenty of time to concoct its own alternative plan, and once again outmanoeuvre Washington through a diplomatic ploy which Trump may well accept willingly,” he stated.

“Trump’s latest extension of his notional deadlines for Putin extends Ukraine’s suffering for the same arbitrary period.”

Of course it does. Trump is selling aid to Ukraine, but he's stalled so long that it will take a while to get there and in the meantime, he's given Putin 50 days to try and overwhelm the Ukrainian defences and force a surrender. Don't be fooled, he hasn't changed his spots. Trump is still assisting Putin. He's just makimg the noises he needs to keep the pro-Ukraine wing of the Republicans on side for now.

https://english.nv.ua/nation/russian-troops-may-launch-offensive-in-near-future-50530615.html

 

[Hel_Books]

How is it that all the western democracies, with their economies dwarfing that of the Russian Federation, somehow can't supply the Ukrainians with enough equipment to fend off the invasion?

Goodness, even those fancy Abrams tanks the Americans were so proud of didn't do so well on the battlefield!

 

[HisArpy]

Not really. Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro are all still there. And happier too.

Same thing applies to the "Russian Federation." The real Russians are Muscovites, and everyone else will be a lot happier if they stick to Muscovy. Without the wealth they loot from the colonies they'll just be another Belarus.

What about those "good Russians" you keep wanting to create?