20 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.
saiya-jinSep 2022Strongly recommends
I really don't think he is facing any kind of true rivalry here. Read up a bit (ie [1] is fantastic since its from 2018 but still 100% valid) on the structures of power and ingrained potential (and limits) of corruption that he gives to those under him. Its not like there is any democracy, other hawks/oligarchs with big ego need to shut up and follow within their constraints or they are murdered or imprisoned, usually pretty visibly, sometimes with whole families. He did it in very smart way, I leave him that (plenty of KGB experience to learn from). Hitler and other dictators were proper amateurs compared to how Russia is run today. Nobody on their own has enough power to stand against him. He has a separate branch of paramilitary forces (on top of Wagner, GRU and KGB forces) that answer only to him and is there only to protect him. What it would require is massive conspiracy and cooperation of literally all of his underlings to topple him down, which is unrealistic to ever happen. Lone shooter/poison deliverer from his closest circle may have the best chance, but I presume he has multiple safeguards there too. [1] ▶ this video
in “President Putin has announced a partial mobilization in Russia” · View on HN
palmetieri2000Jul 2022Strongly recommends
This videogame review from a YouTube channel called Warlockracy is actually also a really interesting perspective on at least some aspects of Russian subcultures and their prominence, I found it a surprisingly insightful social commentary wrapped up in an entertaining vid. 1. [link] (~45mins) The second video is more serious but also rather interesting (clips from it became very popular at the beginning of the Russian invasion into Ukraine). It is a lecture from a Finnish University Professor whom spent most of his career in Intelligence specializing in Russian relations and now teaches intelligence and security. He talks extensively about the corruption hierarchies in Russia as well as Putin and Propaganda, well worth a watch (and more recent videos have been released since found on the same channel). 2. ▶ this video (~60mins) Operating under the assumption that the video isn't misrepresenting the cultural aspects of Russia I think we would both be surprised at how "cartoonish" things can be.
in “A chess robot in Moscow has broken the finger of its human opponent” · View on HN
asdsweMar 2022Strongly recommends
I highly recommend this lecture by Finnish army intelligence expert to those looking to understand the deeper roots behind Russia's actions. Lecture in Finnish, but it has English subtitles. Truly wakening stuff, it really helps you to understand the situation much better. ▶ this video
in “Fire extinguished at Ukraine nuclear power plant, Europe's largest” · View on HN
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kr433223Mar 2022Strongly recommends
I highly recommend this lecture by a Finnish military intelligence expert for anybody looking to understand Russia's actions better. It was very enlightening at least to me, goes in depth to how Russia's history has shaped its culture and thinking in bad ways. English subtitles available. ▶ this video Based on the lecture it's evident that the Russian government only respects force. Soft measures will only encourage them.
in “Putin says Western sanctions are akin to declaration of war” · View on HN
mikkomMar 2022Strongly recommends
Evaluation of Russia by Finnish Intelligence Colonel (subtitles) ▶ this video I think this is something you should watch if you are interested in how russia works. It's very straight talk and clarified russian mindset a lot for me at least.
in “Inside Putin's Circle” · View on HN
waihtisMar 2022Strongly recommends
Suggesting Russians are playing a rational game here? I think the cover has been pulled on the Russian "master strategy".. it's literally a hierarchy of terror and lies, where everyone will do whatever it takes to please the irrational autocrat. I have been spamming this lecture everywhere since the war started and again I think anyone who's still questioning the Russian operative reality should watch it: Evaluation of Russia by Finnish Intelligence Colonel (subtitles) | December 3, 2018 ▶ this video
in “Finnish govt agency warns of unusual aircraft GPS interference” · View on HN
lcnPylGDnU4H9OFJan 2024Recommends
> a shameless willingness to disseminate partial truths or outright fictions I remember an informative presentation about Russian history and culture which seems to go along with this, in particular the bit about "two words for the truth and three for the lie". ▶ this video (time-stamped at the relevant portion but the whole talk is good)
in “An illustrated guide to post-Orwellian censorship (2021)” · View on HN
lapphiNov 2023Recommends
For anyone curious as to why crime in Russia seems to be so ingrained into the culture, this lecture from a finnish intelligence officer is quite informative. ▶ this video
in “Who's Behind the Swat USA Reshipping Service?” · View on HN
Quekid5Aug 2022Recommends
I think this talk shows that it's probably a bit more complicated than that: ▶ this video Unless you happen to understand Finnish, subtitles are mandatory (and very accurate AFAICT). There is a link to a dubbed version in the comments if that is preferred.
in “Mikhail Gorbachev has died” · View on HN
eveningcoffeeJun 2022Recommends
Quite contrary. She provides much insight into the issue and all these points are worth consideration and discussion. Western politician try to project their view of the word on the other party and fail to see the issue from other point of view. People who have more intimate knowledge about Russia, for example Finns (1), can provide much more valuable insight. Especially so Russians with even more intimate knowledge about Russia. (1) Martti J. Kari (former intelligence Colonel in the Finnish Defence Forces) gives a lot of insight ▶ this video Complementary material from Western point of view by historian and Holocaust researcher [link] I recommend to read especially this [link] Also Kamil Galeev from Russian Republic Tatarstan provides a lot of interesting insights [link] Perhaps the most interesting read from him is [link]
in “What the West (Still) Gets Wrong About Russian President Vladimir Putin” · View on HN
simonhApr 2022Recommends
Very interesting taken alongside this strategic analysis of Russian thinking by a former Finnish intelligence officer, from 2018. He's approaching the topic from a bit of a different angle, but coming to very similar conclusions. There are subtitles in multiple languages. ▶ this video
in “War of memes: Why Z-war won't end with peace” · View on HN
jnsaff2Mar 2022Recommends
Bullshit. The country is not 140M slaves without any agency. The system is effective, but people are complicit. Why they still are, I don't know. I grew up on soviet union and we escaped the first chance we got. But them behind the border decided to accept whatever they did. A little explanation from our neighbors who also have to put up with the russian threat all the time ▶ this video
in “Norwegian developer job board for Ukrainian refugees” · View on HN
MoruMar 2022Recommends
I think you need to watch this one[0], it's an explanation of what you are seeing. In general, that is the propaganda doing it's job. It's similar to all countries, we all have our propaganda and our view of our situation in the world. Russias is the classical "It's us against them! And we are surrounded by our enemies!". I'm sure North Korea is about the same only worse. [0] ▶ this video
in “Mariupol's devastation: AP journalists document war's toll” · View on HN
CRConradMar 2022Cites it
Unfortunately the translation is not quite perfect. Hilarious bit, when he talks about the opera A life for the Czar: [1] "...for the Tsar to be saved from the gut..." No, from a swamp, I would think. (Unless it was the Biblical Czar Jonah?) Understandable, though: The Finnish for "swamp" is "suo"; for "gut", "suoli". Due to the agglutineration(?) Finnish grammar is based on, "a bit of gut, some entrails" becomes "suol-ta", while "from [a|the] swamp" becomes "suo-lta". Both of course spelled without the hyphen I put in here for illustrative purposes, and "suolta" pronounced identically in both cases. But still, which would a Czar need saving from -- a swamp, or someone's gut?!? So, TL;DR: IMO the subtitles are somewhat weak on concluding the correct wording from context. Oh, and I can't access your link at all. Locked/blocked/taken down? Perhaps there's a time limit on this ghostbin thingy? [EDIT:] Changed my somewhat un-charitable "the translation is far from perfect" to "not quite": They got "Laiska Jaakko" ("Lazy Jacob"[2]) --> "Jacob de la Gardie" right[3], bravo! [/EDIT] ___ [1]: ▶ this video [2]: [link] [3]: ▶ this video
in “Finnish govt agency warns of unusual aircraft GPS interference” · View on HN
frabbitMar 2022Critical
▶ this video After he has already kicked off with the dubious statement that during the Mongol occupation "the only ways to survive were lying, corruption and violence" he follows up with the flat out bonkers statement: "[...] as the Mongols who had previously ruled the country merged into the leading layers, which is still visible. When looking at genetic inheritance they are pretty, pretty dark eyes for example. There are not many flax heads in Russia." I hope no one flags the OP. I want this post to stay up so that we can all be aware of the racist, Russophobe undercurrents to much of the criticism of Russia's violent, unjustifiable aggression against the people of Ukraine.
in “The implied poor Russian Army truck maintenance practices” · View on HN
frabbitMar 2022Critical
The more I watch this the more I distrust the presenter. Lines like¹ "'A little warfare in the border areas is needed to maintain a patriotic spirit.' This was said in the 1800s century, bu this could have been said in the 2010s or 2018" is wholly unconvincing. It appears that the presenter is projecting his racist animus, inserting words into the mouths of his perceived adversaries and generally carrying on in a non-intellectual, unintelligent manner which seeks not to understand, but to caricature. Again, what on earth is the academic institution allowing this drivel to be associated with their name? Why does YouTube take down other racist, hate speech videos while leaving this one up? (I am completely against taking any videos or posts down for any reason, but the selective nature of their actions suggests that some racism and misinformation is deemed not just acceptable to them, but even palatable.) 1. ▶ this video
in “The implied poor Russian Army truck maintenance practices” · View on HN
frabbitMar 2022Critical
This video is the gift that keeps on giving¹. "The notion of lie and truth works differently in Russia. Examples: The Terijoki government (Russian attempt to make puppet government to Finland in 1939) had a story that the working population of Finland was tired of the Mannerheim-Tanner (Marshal of the Finnish Defence Forces in the 1939) fascist junta and formed a government to liberate the Finnish people then when the Russians attacked they found out it wasn't quite the same as what the propaganda [had said]." What is he insinuating here? This is in a section which does a "fifty words for snow in eskimo" attempt to claim that Russians are linguistically programmed to be liars. He has just discussed a picture which shows the "technological backwardness of Russia" in which the saviour is the German steamship coming up the the river in the far distance. Is he suggesting that all Finns were favour of the collaboration with the NAZIs². This is really weird. Then he goes on to mix in the Russian poisoning of Skripal, some probably true information about Russian forces operating in Donbass and Crimea with some never-before-heard conspiracy theory about all the people on MH17 being dead already and the hotly disputed DNC and Clinton were hacked by the GRU. Basically a hodgepodge of whatever he wants to believe, all cherry picked with the intent of his stated aims of showing that the Russian leadership are genetic Mongols who have linguistically programmed their boyar and working clas
in “The implied poor Russian Army truck maintenance practices” · View on HN