Putin's Bikers on Red Army Victory Tour

[Syt]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32470726

Putin-backed bikers begin controversial ride to Berlin

An ultra-patriotic Russian bike club has begun a controversial ride to Berlin, even though Poland says it will not allow them to cross the country.

The Night Wolves want to retrace the route of the Red Army in World War Two, and visit memorials to the Soviet troops who died fighting the Nazis.

But Poland's prime minister called the trip a provocation.

The bikers are renowned for their staunch support of President Putin, particularly his policies in Ukraine.

The US has put the club on its sanctions list.

'Not provocative'

The group heading for Berlin joined a large crowd at the Night Wolves' headquarters in Moscow on Saturday for the annual launch of the season.

Their leather jackets were newly embroidered: "Routes of Victory, 1941-45".

"I don't think visiting war graves is provocative or aggressive," one of the men, Vladimir, told the BBC as a rock band played on stage.

"Ours is a friendly visit, and we're unarmed. The most important thing is to visit the graves and do something to tell our grandchildren about."

Another biker already has a Polish visa and says he informed the embassy of his plans when he applied.

"So what basis does the Polish government have for denying me entry now?" Viktor Keller wanted to know.

'An outrage'

The official reason is that the Polish authorities were not given sufficient notice of the trip and cannot guarantee the bikers' safety.

Russia's foreign ministry labelled that "a downright lie" and an "outrage".

But defiant statements aside, it remains unclear how the bikers can possibly reach the Reichstag by road now.

Their leader, known as "The Surgeon", suggested they may try to enter individually, via different crossing points. But even so, they could well be blocked at the border.

Now they have roared off towards Berlin, Russian state TV crews in tow, the Night Wolves will certainly cry foul if they are forced to return home.

But to Warsaw this war tour clearly symbolises a new era of muscle-flexing by Russia that makes it nervous.

I wonder if they planned to take an extended break before entering Warsaw.

[Martinus]

This is so stupid.

We should have just ignored them/let them through. If we wanted to be dicks about it, once they are in, we should have just done a thorough check instead to make sure their exhaust pipes meet EU emission standards and none of the bikers is DUI.

Poland is one of the most easily trolled countries in Europe.

[Syt]

I have to say, though, if Putin is a Bond villain, "The Surgeon" makes for a good henchman.

[Martinus]

Those fuck me eyes though. 

[Maladict]

Looks like Putin is offering him his dick on a plate in that last picture.

[Eddie Teach]

They need to find a chick.

[The Larch]

They do totally give the "Evil mastermind with his trusty henchman" vibe.

[DGuller]

Putin is becoming a cartoonish villain.  He's no longer a complex character who merely has no scruples when it comes to the means of fulfilling his huge ambitions.  He just sides with everything that is evil and fights against everything that is virtuous.

[alfred russel]

Poland is one of the most easily trolled countries in Europe.

It has been a while since I tested, but I seem to remember Poles were indeed quite easy to troll.

[alfred russel]

Putin is becoming a cartoonish villain.  He's no longer a complex character who merely has no scruples when it comes to the means of fulfilling his huge ambitions.  He just sides with everything that is evil and fights against everything that is virtuous.

Maybe he is a Darth Vadar type figure that appears evil, but deep down still has good in him. Don't forget what Bush saw when he looked into Putin's soul.

[Neil]

Putin was a man that could be worked with.  I feel that if the West was willing to play the give and take of diplomacy, Putin could probably be dealt with.  However, at this point, Putin is well aware that the West expects Russia to give whatever they ask, in exchange for nothing.  Did people really think that they could just carve countries out of Russia's sphere and that the Russians wouldn't react?

[Admiral Yi]

Putin was a man that could be worked with.  I feel that if the West was willing to play the give and take of diplomacy, Putin could probably be dealt with.  However, at this point, Putin is well aware that the West expects Russia to give whatever they ask, in exchange for nothing.  Did people really think that they could just carve countries out of Russia's sphere and that the Russians wouldn't react?

That's ridiculous.  At the very start of the Crimea crisis Obama in effect offered international recognition of the annexation in exchange for pulling out of the rest of Ukraine.

[Zanza]

We should just have let them go there. Who cares.

[Zanza]

Putin was a man that could be worked with.  I feel that if the West was willing to play the give and take of diplomacy, Putin could probably be dealt with.  However, at this point, Putin is well aware that the West expects Russia to give whatever they ask, in exchange for nothing.  Did people really think that they could just carve countries out of Russia's sphere and that the Russians wouldn't react?

We had carved countries out of their sphere for the last twenty years, so why not continue? Those Eastern bloc countries that joined the West in EU and NATO are much better off than those that didn't.

[grumbler]

Putin was a man that could be worked with.  I feel that if the West was willing to play the give and take of diplomacy, Putin could probably be dealt with.  However, at this point, Putin is well aware that the West expects Russia to give whatever they ask, in exchange for nothing.  Did people really think that they could just carve countries out of Russia's sphere and that the Russians wouldn't react?

That's ridiculous.  At the very start of the Crimea crisis Obama in effect offered international recognition of the annexation in exchange for pulling out of the rest of Ukraine.

Of course its ridiculous.  It is Neil.  And it is funny, in a sort of Ide-hyperbole-shtick kind of way.  Neil doesn't post stuff meant to be taken seriously.