Ukraine War Upd. EXTRA: Drop Mic Russian, Donbass Devushka, & RU Economy
Table of Contents 📖
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"The fewer fascists and weaponry we have in Russia, the better."
Hello Team!
Jonathan introduces the video as an extra update providing additional tidbits and nuggets to give viewers a greater understanding of the war in Ukraine. He explains the origin of his channel name "A Tippling Philosopher" as being from meeting friends at a pub to discuss philosophical subjects over beers.
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Drop Mic Russian
Jonathan shares a clip of a Russian vox pop where the interviewee says the "special military operation" is going to plan because the fascists and weaponry are being sent to Ukraine to be killed and destroyed there. The fewer of each in Russia, the better. Jonathan remarks this man is unlikely to have a certain future after such comments in Russia.
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Social Media Rage Farmers
Jonathan discusses how people like American Jackson Hinkle, who is pro-Russia and recently married a Russian woman, gain traction on social media by being contrarian and enraging people. He shares a clip from British comedian Russell Howard explaining how social media algorithms promote content that provokes rage as it drives engagement and makes the platforms more money. Jonathan questions whether these people like Hinkle genuinely believe what they are saying or if it is purely opportunistic.
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The Curious Case of Donbass Devushka
Another case of a pro-Russian social media personality is "Donbass Devushka", real name Sarah Bills. Pekka Kaloniemi from The Unintelligence Agency did a deep dive revealing her to be an American living in New Jersey with a history of substance abuse, neglecting her child, and lying about her background. She was platformed by many in the pro-Russia media sphere and used it to grift for money. Even after being exposed, she has moved on to other controversial topics to continue her grift. Jonathan notes these are the types of people targeted by Russian intelligence as useful idiots to spread propaganda.
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Sniper Training in Ukraine
Yuri Chornomorets, a Ukrainian theologian turned sniper and sniper trainer, discusses the process of training snipers in Ukraine. He notes the importance of selecting calm people with combat experience, ideally hunters skilled in stealth and camouflage. Shooting is only 20% of the job, with scouting, infiltration and exfiltration making up the bulk of sniper work. He is seeking donations to support the training program.
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Harvesting in Ukraine 2023
Anton Gerashchenko shares images of Ukrainian EOD teams "harvesting" a field full of mines and unexploded ordnance. Jonathan expresses amazement and concern at the dangerous work they are undertaking.
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Trouble with the Russian Economy
A viewer comment from Firmby88 discusses how the Russian ruble is being artificially propped up but is still steadily dropping in value. They predict it could be in its worst ever position in a year's time as Russia has "run out of cards to play". Jonathan notes that wars are often won by those with the deepest pockets and resources, putting Ukraine in a better position with Western support. Jonathan shares a clip from the YouTube channel Joe Blogs on the state of the Russian economy. It notes that Russia has lost $90 billion in annual income from natural gas sales to Europe. It can't easily pivot to selling to India/China as it lacks pipelines and LNG facilities. Sanctions have also cut off access to Western financing and expertise to build this infrastructure. Even if the war ended, Europe is unlikely to return to Russian gas having found alternatives. This represents a long-term sea change for the Russian fossil fuel industry.
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Wrap up
Jonathan wraps up, agreeing with Joe Blogs' assessment that the Russian economy is "screwed". He thanks viewers and signs off.
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