Trump: "Zelensky started the war ..." It's gonna be a long 4 years

Pool_Shark

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From their perspective they're protecting their kin, not invading another country. Donbas and Luhansk and most of the eastern part of Ukraine are primarily Russian speakers.

Historically, the land east of the Dniepet had been closely aligned with Russia:

After **Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible)** came to power in 1547, the regions of **Kiev** and the surrounding territories (modern-day Ukraine and Belarus) experienced significant changes due to the shifting political landscape of Eastern Europe. While Moscow was consolidating its power and expanding its influence, Kiev and its surrounding regions were caught in a struggle between competing powers, including the **Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth**, the **Ottoman Empire**, and the **Crimean Khanate**. Here’s an overview of what happened in Kiev and the surrounding regions during and after Ivan the Terrible’s reign:

---

### 1. **Kiev under Polish-Lithuanian Rule**
- **Polish-Lithuanian Dominance**:
- By the time Ivan the Terrible came to power, Kiev and much of modern-day Ukraine were part of the **Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth**, a powerful state formed by the union of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1569.
- **Cultural and Religious Pressure**:
- The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth promoted **Catholicism** and sought to integrate the Orthodox population of the region into the Catholic Church. This led to tensions between the Orthodox majority and the Catholic authorities, particularly after the **Union of Brest** (1596), which created the **Uniate Church** (Eastern Catholic Church) in an attempt to reconcile the two faiths.
- **Rise of the Cossacks**:
- In response to religious and social oppression, the **Cossacks** (semi-autonomous warrior communities) emerged as a powerful force in the region. They became defenders of Orthodox Christianity and played a key role in resisting Polish-Lithuanian rule.

---

### 2. **Ivan the Terrible’s Expansion and Influence**
- **Focus on the East and South**:
- Ivan the Terrible’s primary focus was on expanding Moscow’s territory to the east (conquering the **Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan**) and securing the southern borders against the **Crimean Khanate**. While he did not directly control Kiev, his policies indirectly influenced the region by weakening the Crimean Khanate, a vassal of the Ottoman Empire that frequently raided Ukrainian lands.
- **Livonian War (1558–1583)**:
- Ivan’s **Livonian War** against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden aimed to gain access to the Baltic Sea. Although the war ended in failure for Moscow, it highlighted the growing rivalry between Moscow and the Commonwealth, which would later impact Kiev and Ukraine.

---

### 3. **The Cossack Uprisings**
- **Resistance to Polish-Lithuanian Rule**:
- Throughout the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the Cossacks, particularly the **Zaporozhian Cossacks**, led numerous uprisings against Polish-Lithuanian rule. These uprisings were driven by demands for greater autonomy, religious freedom, and an end to serfdom.
- **Khmelnytsky Uprising (1648–1657)**:
- The most significant of these uprisings was the **Khmelnytsky Uprising**, led by **Bohdan Khmelnytsky**. This rebellion resulted in the establishment of the **Cossack Hetmanate**, a semi-autonomous state that aligned itself with Moscow through the **Treaty of Pereyaslav** (1654).

---

### 4. **The Treaty of Pereyaslav and Russian Influence**
- **Alliance with Moscow**:
- In 1654, the Cossacks, seeking protection from Polish-Lithuanian and Ottoman threats, signed the **Treaty of Pereyaslav** with Moscow. This treaty marked the beginning of Russian influence over Kiev and the surrounding regions, although the Cossacks retained significant autonomy.
- **Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)**:
- The Treaty of Pereyaslav led to a prolonged war between Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The war ended with the **Treaty of Andrusovo** (1667), which divided Ukraine along the Dnieper River. The **Left Bank** (east of the Dnieper) came under Russian control, while the **Right Bank** (west of the Dnieper) remained under Polish-Lithuanian rule.

---

### 5. **Kiev under Russian Control**
- **Integration into the Russian Empire**:
- Over time, Moscow gradually reduced the autonomy of the Cossack Hetmanate and integrated the region into the **Russian Empire**. By the late 18th century, under **Catherine the Great**, the Hetmanate was fully abolished, and Kiev and its surrounding regions became part of the Russian Empire.
- **Cultural and Religious Impact**:
- Russian control brought significant cultural and religious changes, including the promotion of Russian Orthodoxy and the suppression of Ukrainian autonomy and identity.

---

### Conclusion
After Ivan the Terrible’s reign, Kiev and the surrounding regions became a battleground for competing powers, including the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Ottoman Empire, and the rising Russian state. The **Cossack uprisings** and the **Treaty of Pereyaslav** marked a turning point, leading to increased Russian influence over the region. By the late 17th and 18th centuries, Kiev and much of Ukraine were firmly under Russian control, setting the stage for the region’s integration into the Russian Empire.
You have to go back to the 16th century to make your argument valid :heh: I'm talking about today's world.

Trump is putting the US in a position where our only allies seem to be Russia and China :snoop: this shyt is downright stupid and treasonous.

I don't even know that much about politics and can call it. Dark times up ahead, but maybe things were bad already and this is just a culmination off that. That crap that we were trying to hide has pushed itself to the main stage.
 

bnew

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Russia has everything, they cover 17% of all land in the world
I asked you what they had that they world didn't.

a.i generated:

Russia possesses two resources that the rest of the world does not have in the same form:

1. **Shungite**
- **Description**: A rare, carbon-rich mineral found primarily in Russia’s Karelia region.
- **Uniqueness**: While trace amounts exist elsewhere (e.g., Finland), Russia is the only country with significant, industrially viable deposits.
- **Uses**: Employed in water purification, cosmetics, and other applications.

2. **Lake Baikal**
- **Description**: The world’s deepest and oldest freshwater lake, located solely in Russia.
- **Uniqueness**: Holds about 20% of the planet’s unfrozen freshwater, a feature no other country possesses.
- **Significance**: Valued for its water volume and ecological importance.

These resources are exclusive to Russia, meeting the question’s criterion. Other notable Russian resources, such as oil, gas, or palladium, while abundant, are not unique since they are found in other parts of the world.

**Resources the Rest of the World Has That Russia Also Shares**:
- **Oil**: Found in countries like Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Canada, alongside Russia’s vast reserves.
- **Natural Gas**: Abundant in Qatar, the United States, and Iran, in addition to Russia’s significant supplies.
- **Coal**: Mined in Australia, China, and the United States, as well as in Russia.
- **Palladium**: Produced in South Africa and Canada, besides Russia’s leading output.
- **Diamonds**: Extracted in Botswana, Canada, and Australia, in addition to Russia’s deposits.
- **Timber**: Available in Brazil, Canada, and Scandinavia, alongside Russia’s extensive forests.

These examples illustrate that while Russia is a major producer of many resources, they are not exclusive to it, as they are also present globally.
 

Eternal Tecate

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You have to go back to the 16th century to make your argument valid :heh: I'm talking about today's world.

Trump is putting the US in a position where our only allies seem to be Russia and China :snoop: this shyt is downright stupid and treasonous.

I don't even know that much about politics and can call it. Dark times up ahead, but maybe things were bad already and this is just a culmination off that. That crap that we were trying to hide has pushed itself to the main stage.

The Ukranians are the ones that have to go back that far to justify "independence".

America is a mob that's been shaking down everyone around the world for a century off the strength they built off of being dikks to everyone after world War 1 and not forgiving any loans. It's a financial empire that benefits nobody but the financial elite. It's a banking cartel.

But like all ponzi schemes, time eventually goes on, and the physical strength you got your financial strength from (America's productive capacity built up during the 19th century) gets offshored, and the scheme becomes increasingly reliant on hot air, promises of the future, utopian projections fed to people that don't understand math, financial gains becoming more and more abstract, manufacturing literally going out of sight and out of mind, the economy nothing to anyone but numbers on a screen, and everyone realizes the castle is made of sand. 50 years can be washed away in a blip, in a second really, a single click, because finance is purely abstract.

Trump knows the empire is collapsing, already started collapsing a while ago, and is trying shyt to make it stop. He doesn't fully understand the mechanism that caused the collapse, but is at least acknowledging there's a problem. The only good that can come of his presidency will be unintentional. But the chaos will create openings, opportunities. If you're anti-US empire this all going great. If you're pro, and you're not in the elite financial class, you need to rethink your understanding.
 

Eternal Tecate

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I asked you what they had that they world didn't.

a.i generated:

Russia possesses two resources that the rest of the world does not have in the same form:

1. **Shungite**
- **Description**: A rare, carbon-rich mineral found primarily in Russia’s Karelia region.
- **Uniqueness**: While trace amounts exist elsewhere (e.g., Finland), Russia is the only country with significant, industrially viable deposits.
- **Uses**: Employed in water purification, cosmetics, and other applications.

2. **Lake Baikal**
- **Description**: The world’s deepest and oldest freshwater lake, located solely in Russia.
- **Uniqueness**: Holds about 20% of the planet’s unfrozen freshwater, a feature no other country possesses.
- **Significance**: Valued for its water volume and ecological importance.

These resources are exclusive to Russia, meeting the question’s criterion. Other notable Russian resources, such as oil, gas, or palladium, while abundant, are not unique since they are found in other parts of the world.

**Resources the Rest of the World Has That Russia Also Shares**:
- **Oil**: Found in countries like Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Canada, alongside Russia’s vast reserves.
- **Natural Gas**: Abundant in Qatar, the United States, and Iran, in addition to Russia’s significant supplies.
- **Coal**: Mined in Australia, China, and the United States, as well as in Russia.
- **Palladium**: Produced in South Africa and Canada, besides Russia’s leading output.
- **Diamonds**: Extracted in Botswana, Canada, and Australia, in addition to Russia’s deposits.
- **Timber**: Available in Brazil, Canada, and Scandinavia, alongside Russia’s extensive forests.

These examples illustrate that while Russia is a major producer of many resources, they are not exclusive to it, as they are also present globally.

Exclusivity isn't what's important. Supply is.

As of my knowledge cutoff in October 2023, Russia is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of natural minerals and commodities. Its vast territory contains significant reserves of oil, natural gas, coal, metals, and other resources. Below is an overview of Russia's predicted supply of key natural minerals and commodities:

### 1. **Oil and Natural Gas**
- **Oil**: Russia is one of the top three oil producers globally, alongside the United States and Saudi Arabia. It holds some of the largest proven oil reserves, primarily in Western Siberia, the Urals, and the Arctic. Despite geopolitical challenges and sanctions, Russia is expected to maintain significant oil production and export capacity in the coming decades, though long-term predictions depend on global energy transitions and technological advancements.
- **Natural Gas**: Russia has the largest proven natural gas reserves in the world, with major fields in Siberia and the Yamal Peninsula. It is a leading exporter of natural gas, particularly to Europe and China. The development of new pipelines (e.g., Power of Siberia) and LNG projects ensures Russia's continued role as a major gas supplier, though diversification of energy sources in Europe may impact demand.

### 2. **Coal**
- Russia is a major coal producer and exporter, with significant reserves in Siberia and the Far East. While global coal demand is expected to decline due to climate policies and renewable energy adoption, Russia is likely to continue supplying coal to Asia and other regions where demand remains strong.

### 3. **Metals and Minerals**
- **Nickel and Palladium**: Russia is a leading producer of nickel and palladium, critical for stainless steel and catalytic converters, respectively. The country's Norilsk Nickel is one of the largest mining companies globally. Demand for these metals is expected to grow due to their use in electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies.
- **Aluminum**: Russia is a major aluminum producer, with companies like Rusal playing a significant role in global markets. The country's supply is expected to remain stable, though geopolitical factors could influence trade dynamics.
- **Gold**: Russia is among the top gold-producing countries, with significant reserves in Siberia and the Far East. Gold production is expected to remain robust, driven by both domestic and international demand.
- **Iron Ore**: Russia has substantial iron ore reserves, supporting its steel industry. While production is expected to continue, global market fluctuations and environmental regulations may impact output.

### 4. **Other Commodities**
- **Diamonds**: Russia is the world's largest producer of diamonds by volume, with major operations in Yakutia (Sakha Republic). The country's diamond supply is expected to remain strong, though synthetic diamonds could impact long-term demand.
- **Potash and Fertilizers**: Russia is a key exporter of potash and other fertilizers, essential for global agriculture. Its supply is expected to remain critical for food production worldwide.

### 5. **Challenges and Uncertainties**
- **Geopolitical Factors**: Sanctions, trade restrictions, and geopolitical tensions (e.g., the Ukraine conflict) could impact Russia's ability to export commodities and access global markets.
- **Energy Transition**: The global shift toward renewable energy and decarbonization may reduce demand for fossil fuels, affecting Russia's oil, gas, and coal sectors.
- **Infrastructure and Investment**: Developing new reserves, particularly in remote regions like the Arctic, requires significant investment and advanced technology, which could be constrained by sanctions and economic pressures.

### Conclusion
Russia is expected to remain a major supplier of natural minerals and commodities for the foreseeable future, given its vast resource base. However, its role in global markets will depend on geopolitical developments, energy transition trends, and its ability to adapt to changing economic and environmental conditions. For the most accurate and up-to-date predictions, consult recent reports from organizations like the International Energy Agency (IEA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), or industry analysts.
 

bnew

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1/30
🇺 joncooper-us.bsky.social
Let this sink in.

bafkreiake2ky2kpoikt7ipmkbaart2erkuarzhro52ha3g3qflh6guu5qe@jpeg


2/30
🇺 nimbhuz.bsky.social


3/30
🇺 gjssmudge51.bsky.social
That is so accurate and it is a tragedy

4/30
🇺 marcelmich.bsky.social
That hurts. Bluesky

bafkreibrsz3uoneg5seg7ensqhz4kx4wfiiikjtyjd6fbwkz7oezezvafq@jpeg


5/30
🇺 curiousearth.bsky.social
🤣🤣

6/30
🇺 empressmusings.bsky.social
We can not allow the convicted felon and adjudicated sexual rapist sociopath 🤡 and his minions to succeed with this crime against humanity. We must stand with Ukraine 🇺🇦

bafkreiep5xanh3yghiur2vuswcvwws2g7pqjrtnpnwufe2zx2zisiuixaa@jpeg


7/30
🇺 stophate67.bsky.social
Amen! 💙

8/30
🇺 guarddemocracy.bsky.social
REAL AMERICANS

bafkreicf667mmqwr4hkviby5awrtw4zwzwwp3qcmq6xqw4qzavp5apvpbu@jpeg


9/30
🇺 conspiranon.bsky.social
In the evangelical school I came to be familiar with the evangelical view of education — or, to be more precise, their contempt for education. "The goal of these evangelical schools was not a “better form of education” but denial of education."

Conspiranon (@conspiranon.bsky.social)

Conspiranon (@conspiranon.bsky.social)

bafkreicgfhegzon7vu3xbunfp5jstuky6zrakh2nxqkjxplk2xypwfsozq@jpeg


10/30
🇺 truonly.bsky.social
Without firing a single shot! Amazing how fear and ignorance makes it so easy for dictators .

11/30
🇺 stosh44.bsky.social
True!

12/30
🇺 pasandy.bsky.social
To be fair, they had inside help in America. Our President is their agent.

13/30
🇺 sinkinatarpit.bsky.social
Tulsi gabbard (or wtf) too

14/30
🇺 santa-guy.bsky.social
Exactly! And it was an inside job!

15/30
🇺 therealnostradamus.bsky.social
Pathetic. True.

Technically, 1/3rd... but we have 1/3rd of the population that is oblivious and didn't vote.

16/30
🇺 c64cade.com
technically 2/3rds then.

17/30
🇺 cmyskill.bsky.social
Had to read it twice, but dang, 🤦‍♀️it's true

18/30
🇺 jaybobcat.bsky.social
Sure but stop with the "half" BS, it was around 30% of registered voters who put Trump in the White House.

19/30
🇺 drccooper.bsky.social
Those who didn't vote put Trump in the white house just as much as those who did.

20/30
🇺 socalvillaguy.bsky.social
Pete Hegseth conquering a fifth of tequila is even faster.

21/30
🇺 anylu77.bsky.social
I wonder why? Bluesky

bafkreign4rb63e2zjnxkqu3ihabc722nfvdoqnjkpvregsdvded4vubr4y@jpeg


22/30
🇺 chip1950.bsky.social
Why? The world has treated the man-baby so badly, so he seeks retribution.

23/30
🇺 robling126.bsky.social
Yup, the whining man baby who cries constantly about everything being unfair to him. He cheats, steals, lies, destroys & betrays our country, etc., but hasn't faced a single consequence in his entire life. So unfair! 🤬

24/30
🇺 gloriapissedoff.bsky.social
Truth

25/30
🇺 milo25.bsky.social
🤷‍♀️

bafkreid5bisqypcb2reaqmjrpnnnpvbto6ro4e3zlhb7xmqluss2fxdhjm@jpeg


26/30
🇺 chrisleeworld.bsky.social
This is where we are now.

bafkreignu32g344os44jgthpydyft7zoioprn7nmzwx2wnub5dq45dbpmu@jpeg


27/30
🇺 aldanhewell.bsky.social
I have all the cards. I have Blue Eyes White Dragon, Pikachu and Mr Bun the Baker.

28/30
🇺 doommustard.bsky.social
I really need you to stop. you keep letting him tell you that he won, and you believe it, which is why he's winning. He only has the power he does because we believe he does, but he doesn't have the logistics set up to enforce that power. This is the complying in advance they told you not to do!!!

29/30
🇺 autumnleaf22.bsky.social
Words matter so you’re right. We are Americans, strong and mighty.

30/30
🇺 michaeljamesa2.bsky.social
And Russia didn't lose a soldier, or spend any money, to get almost 50% of our country to bow down. How the mighty have fallen thanks to the orange mussolini!

To post tweets in this format, more info here: https://www.thecoli.com/threads/tips-and-tricks-for-posting-the-coli-megathread.984734/post-52211196
 

3rdWorld

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up in here

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The Ukranians are the ones that have to go back that far to justify "independence".

America is a mob that's been shaking down everyone around the world for a century off the strength they built off of being dikks to everyone after world War 1 and not forgiving any loans. It's a financial empire that benefits nobody but the financial elite. It's a banking cartel.

But like all ponzi schemes, time eventually goes on, and the physical strength you got your financial strength from (America's productive capacity built up during the 19th century) gets offshored, and the scheme becomes increasingly reliant on hot air, promises of the future, utopian projections fed to people that don't understand math, financial gains becoming more and more abstract, manufacturing literally going out of sight and out of mind, the economy nothing to anyone but numbers on a screen, and everyone realizes the castle is made of sand. 50 years can be washed away in a blip, in a second really, a single click, because finance is purely abstract.

Trump knows the empire is collapsing, already started collapsing a while ago, and is trying shyt to make it stop. He doesn't fully understand the mechanism that caused the collapse, but is at least acknowledging there's a problem. The only good that can come of his presidency will be unintentional. But the chaos will create openings, opportunities. If you're anti-US empire this all going great. If you're pro, and you're not in the elite financial class, you need to rethink your understanding.
Bullshyt. Creating openings and opportunities for who?

Trump is only concerned with amassing power. He wants to be the most powerful man on the planet. His aim and the aim of his compatriots is to turn the US into a one party state. He is aligning with other dictators and while also attempting to erase any means for opposition to return to power. These two things go hand in hand. He is trying to normalize dictatorship.

Once they have established their permanent rule they will absolutely continue to attempt to exert their power over the rest of the world. This is not an end to the US empire, this is just a realignment. "Elections" will be a ruse while the GOP will continue to expand their position. Dismantling progressive ideals and advancing the power of the wealthy is their ultimate goal.
 

Json

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Nkrumah Was Right

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From their perspective they're protecting their kin, not invading another country. Donbas and Luhansk and most of the eastern part of Ukraine are primarily Russian speakers.

Historically, the land east of the Dniepet had been closely aligned with Russia:

After **Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible)** came to power in 1547, the regions of **Kiev** and the surrounding territories (modern-day Ukraine and Belarus) experienced significant changes due to the shifting political landscape of Eastern Europe. While Moscow was consolidating its power and expanding its influence, Kiev and its surrounding regions were caught in a struggle between competing powers, including the **Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth**, the **Ottoman Empire**, and the **Crimean Khanate**. Here’s an overview of what happened in Kiev and the surrounding regions during and after Ivan the Terrible’s reign:

---

### 1. **Kiev under Polish-Lithuanian Rule**
- **Polish-Lithuanian Dominance**:
- By the time Ivan the Terrible came to power, Kiev and much of modern-day Ukraine were part of the **Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth**, a powerful state formed by the union of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1569.
- **Cultural and Religious Pressure**:
- The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth promoted **Catholicism** and sought to integrate the Orthodox population of the region into the Catholic Church. This led to tensions between the Orthodox majority and the Catholic authorities, particularly after the **Union of Brest** (1596), which created the **Uniate Church** (Eastern Catholic Church) in an attempt to reconcile the two faiths.
- **Rise of the Cossacks**:
- In response to religious and social oppression, the **Cossacks** (semi-autonomous warrior communities) emerged as a powerful force in the region. They became defenders of Orthodox Christianity and played a key role in resisting Polish-Lithuanian rule.

---

### 2. **Ivan the Terrible’s Expansion and Influence**
- **Focus on the East and South**:
- Ivan the Terrible’s primary focus was on expanding Moscow’s territory to the east (conquering the **Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan**) and securing the southern borders against the **Crimean Khanate**. While he did not directly control Kiev, his policies indirectly influenced the region by weakening the Crimean Khanate, a vassal of the Ottoman Empire that frequently raided Ukrainian lands.
- **Livonian War (1558–1583)**:
- Ivan’s **Livonian War** against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden aimed to gain access to the Baltic Sea. Although the war ended in failure for Moscow, it highlighted the growing rivalry between Moscow and the Commonwealth, which would later impact Kiev and Ukraine.

---

### 3. **The Cossack Uprisings**
- **Resistance to Polish-Lithuanian Rule**:
- Throughout the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the Cossacks, particularly the **Zaporozhian Cossacks**, led numerous uprisings against Polish-Lithuanian rule. These uprisings were driven by demands for greater autonomy, religious freedom, and an end to serfdom.
- **Khmelnytsky Uprising (1648–1657)**:
- The most significant of these uprisings was the **Khmelnytsky Uprising**, led by **Bohdan Khmelnytsky**. This rebellion resulted in the establishment of the **Cossack Hetmanate**, a semi-autonomous state that aligned itself with Moscow through the **Treaty of Pereyaslav** (1654).

---

### 4. **The Treaty of Pereyaslav and Russian Influence**
- **Alliance with Moscow**:
- In 1654, the Cossacks, seeking protection from Polish-Lithuanian and Ottoman threats, signed the **Treaty of Pereyaslav** with Moscow. This treaty marked the beginning of Russian influence over Kiev and the surrounding regions, although the Cossacks retained significant autonomy.
- **Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)**:
- The Treaty of Pereyaslav led to a prolonged war between Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The war ended with the **Treaty of Andrusovo** (1667), which divided Ukraine along the Dnieper River. The **Left Bank** (east of the Dnieper) came under Russian control, while the **Right Bank** (west of the Dnieper) remained under Polish-Lithuanian rule.

---

### 5. **Kiev under Russian Control**
- **Integration into the Russian Empire**:
- Over time, Moscow gradually reduced the autonomy of the Cossack Hetmanate and integrated the region into the **Russian Empire**. By the late 18th century, under **Catherine the Great**, the Hetmanate was fully abolished, and Kiev and its surrounding regions became part of the Russian Empire.
- **Cultural and Religious Impact**:
- Russian control brought significant cultural and religious changes, including the promotion of Russian Orthodoxy and the suppression of Ukrainian autonomy and identity.

---

### Conclusion
After Ivan the Terrible’s reign, Kiev and the surrounding regions became a battleground for competing powers, including the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Ottoman Empire, and the rising Russian state. The **Cossack uprisings** and the **Treaty of Pereyaslav** marked a turning point, leading to increased Russian influence over the region. By the late 17th and 18th centuries, Kiev and much of Ukraine were firmly under Russian control, setting the stage for the region’s integration into the Russian Empire.

Why bother. Most Americans don’t read history. 60 per cent of Americans have a 3rd grade reading level or below!

Use burgers as a metaphor/analogy instead.
 

Eternal Tecate

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Bullshyt. Creating openings and opportunities for who?

Trump is only concerned with amassing power. He wants to be the most powerful man on the planet. His aim and the aim of his compatriots is to turn the US into a one party state. He is aligning with other dictators and while also attempting to erase any means for opposition to return to power. These two things go hand in hand. He is trying to normalize dictatorship.

Once they have established their permanent rule they will absolutely continue to attempt to exert their power over the rest of the world. This is not an end to the US empire, this is just a realignment. "Elections" will be a ruse while the GOP will continue to expand their position. Dismantling progressive ideals and advancing the power of the wealthy is their ultimate goal.

The wealthy can't get any more powerful. The wealthy haven't taken an L in 50 years. The wealthy have been spiking on our faces nonstop every moment I've been alive.

The only thing that can stop the wealthy, the few, is a central authority, the one, backed by the people, the many. If you want to fight the wealthy you need a leader strong enough to fight them off. They strength comes from their level of popular support.

Trump doesn't have enough popular support to be that guy, nor does he have the desire to hurt the wealthy (himself included). However, his bull in a China shop act right now is more damaging to the wealthy than anything I've seen in my life.

The opening is for anyone capable of amassing real popular support, legitimate authority, enough to enforce laws to disenpower the elite financial class (oligarchs, landlords, the ancien regime, hedge fund managers, whatever you want to label them). Elections already are shams, the wealthy already have unlimited power. The opening is for people to finally pull the wool from their eyes.
 
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