Live data from Hacker News

Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

bbc.com

101–110 of 371 posts

Re: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

#101

If you ever wonder about the extent of Russia's online efforts consider that the comments on this HN thread might be part of things. Not saying anything in here is good/bad/other but you rarely see this level of flagged and down-voted comments in a HN thread.

> you rarely see this level of flagged and down-voted comments in a HN thread.

Did you somehow miss all the Apple vs Epic posts over the last few weeks?

Re: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

#102
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 4 years break Right...

Wasn't he the 'prime minister' during those 4 years? I thought he more or less just switched positions with Medvedev for those 4 years.

Yes, while they did a little bit of Constitutional refactoring.

Re: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

#103
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not easy to obtain or synthesize. Terrorists prefer simpler approaches.

> Terrorists prefer simpler approaches. that is a very dangerous assumption to make.

It is well grounded in facts. 80 people in Nice were murdered by something everybody had access to. The most sophisticated attack was plane tickets and boxcutters.

Re: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

#104

Maybe I'm too skeptical, but this seems a bit too obvious to me. Why would you try to poison someone with no real threat to you and risk him becoming a martyr, using a method that immediately brings you to mind, with a nerve agent that is also strongly linked to you?

FWIW, I agree, even though it seems to be an unpopular opinion. I don't have a strong opinion on that, and honestly I don't really care, but it looks way too weird. I mean, people mention Litvinenko and Skripal. With Litvinenko there really was no doubt with regards to both if he was assassinated and why he was assassinated. Whole story with Skripal was weird, it was a huge scandal which very much served UK (or anybody who would like to blame Russia for anything), and wasn't any use to Russia, all the "investigation" was really shady and nothing was really proven. But ok, given the fact Skripal was ex-GRU, and all such agencies have a specific "culture" (i.e. people there really don't like traitors), I'm willing to believe getting revenge was a personal thing for his ex-coworkers, possibly quite high in the government as well.

But I cannot imagine why would anyone do that to Navalny. First of (and this is very much arguable, but I'm just saying what is my opinion), I don't think he is any threat to Putin&friends. He has some supporters, but "opposition leader" is waay too generous, he isn't even treated very seriously by people who are against Putin, much less by Putin. So, some mundane harassment like police raids to his office... sure, why not? But assassinating him very publicly like that, when he wasn't even "in the news" (figuratively speaking) for some time? I have no idea, why would "the government" want it. He isn't anything new, he has no real power. And unlike Litvinenko or Skripal he isn't ex-GRU/FSB, so he isn't a "traitor" to any "interesting" agencies. Basically, I don't see why would his "enemies" (i.e. Putin&friends) even care about him.

Re: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

#105

As far as I'm concerned, the Germans are about as trustworthy as Russia. They are currently closing the investigation around the Breitscheidplatz[1] terror attack, which has uncovered massive tampering with evidence and more open questions than answers. And let's not forget their history of false flag attacks.[2] Most of you will likely disagree, based on their current public image vs. Russia's, but ask yourselves wh…

[dead]

Re: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

#106

If you ever wonder about the extent of Russia's online efforts consider that the comments on this HN thread might be part of things. Not saying anything in here is good/bad/other but you rarely see this level of flagged and down-voted comments in a HN thread.

So let's drink to this comrades. I know I do; with all the trucking Russians everywhere. Novojstai! Let's drink buddies. Let's run the planets to the grounds. Davoi!. Let's drink vodka(s). Trucking russians.....

EDIT: I literally drink heavily due to the fucking russians. Russia and china should be nuked to the ground. Fucking basic tactics. Fuck these pieces of shits.

oh lol Dang is a russian operative. What could be better. My fucking post is flagged already. What could be worse. Fuck this network; ruled by russia and china, it seems. ADIOS. Good win fuckstar communist cockholes.

Re: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

#107

As far as I'm concerned, the Germans are about as trustworthy as Russia. They are currently closing the investigation around the Breitscheidplatz[1] terror attack, which has uncovered massive tampering with evidence and more open questions than answers. And let's not forget their history of false flag attacks.[2] Most of you will likely disagree, based on their current public image vs. Russia's, but ask yourselves wh…

A NATO member is as trustworthy as a country actively trying to destabilize democracy around the world? One who has brazenly done this sort of attack before and has a very obvious recent history of silencing dissidents? I'm all for some healthy skepticism, but this is ridiculous.

Re: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

#108

As far as I'm concerned, the Germans are about as trustworthy as Russia. They are currently closing the investigation around the Breitscheidplatz[1] terror attack, which has uncovered massive tampering with evidence and more open questions than answers. And let's not forget their history of false flag attacks.[2] Most of you will likely disagree, based on their current public image vs. Russia's, but ask yourselves wh…

It is remarkable that Germans for the most part are unwilling to look for signs of corruption in their government. I recall the conversations that I've had with regular German working stiffs around 2012-2014, chatting about the new Berlin Airport and how that showed symptoms of government corruption. The good folks of Germany started admitting to the possibility of corruption only when the media in Germany began to investigate the situation and uncover problems.

Re: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

#109
post #87
post #43

This is the second time they've done this, IIRC. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Skripal It's pretty much the ultimate flex, no? "We can kill anyone we want in any country, and you can't do shit about it."

Who is they?

A Russian defector, poisoned by Russian intelligence agents using a chemical only the Russians have? Who do you think?

Re: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok

#110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And that billionaire just happens to have access to a Russian Military Chemical Weapon?

Yes. In the '90s Soviet nuclear submarines were being sold on the black market. Putin's grip isn't as tight as you think. I'm not denying that Navalny was poisoned with Novichok. The question is who ordered it. I'm not convinced it was Putin.

This seems like semantics, was it Putin that signed the order or did one of his henchmen? Don’t matter. This is the Nth novichok poisoning too. Putin is either complacent or participant.
Post reply on HN