Eastern European Politics

As best I can tell the UK is also part of the “no flights over Belarus” groups. Which makes sense, Ryanair’s largest operating base is in the UK and it started in the U.K.

Wait really? I thought it was an Irish airline? The more one knows...

It’s legally an Irish airline, but it started in the UK and I think has always operated largely out of the UK.

I believe it’s status as an Irish company is likely for tax purposes.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-airlines-belarus-airspace-flights-roman-protasevich-14881388

Singapore Airlines is the first airline (AFAIK) to announce that they're rerouting all travel to ensure they don't go to Belarusian airspace.

This does raise a question, are airlines still avoiding eastern Ukraine due to the conflict there? If everyone has to dodge Belarus, eastern Ukraine and potentially still Iran than east-west flight paths are going to keep getting more awkward.

Going by Flightradar24 yes.

The EU reported that airlines coming from various EU member states (the airline company is from an EU state) should go around Belarusian airspace.

At the same time, Belarusian airlines have restrictions from flying over European airspace (I’m assuming that this is EU member state airspace).

Edited by Ominae on Mar 6th 2022 at 3:03:17 AM

Belarusian Transport Ministry publishes transcript of conversation between Ryanair pilot and Minsk dispatcher.

So an odd thing happened yesterday. Seems a (I presume Russian) reporter brought up an attempt to seize Snowden back in 2014 on Evo Morales' plane to the White House spokeswoman. Psaki is usually pretty good about comebacks, but she didn't answer and just moved on to the next person. Now the right is seizing on that and becoming apologists for Belarus about the whole affair.

Austrian Airlines and Air France are not allowed to enter Russia because their flight plans involve going around Belarusian airspace.

...i don't get it?

Me neither.

But Moscow vetoed their flight plans. They really want them to fly through Belarusian airspace.

I assume it's a way of posturing over Belarus' actions.

Basically that now that I've read more news on it.

I wonder if that will be on Biden's discussion list when they meet in Geneva...

How many years in prison does Roman Protasevich face?

Belarusian laws mandate that he be sentenced to 12 years under public disorder and social hatred charges.

What an utter joke.

Want to hear an even better joke? Lukashenko flat-out said his country is the center of Europe and that the EU are salty for having failed to oust him with a revolution because they know any shit they start with him will cause WW3.

Can the guy possibly be any more detached from reality?

Sadly, the reality that he and we live in is the reality where he receive complete (to the point that I think it's unconditional) support from Putin for some reasons so he can say and do almost anything and no one will do anything about it.

Seriously, Moscow forcing airlines to go through Belarusian airspace is simply too much. Why is Putin simping so much for Lukashenko? Do Lukashenko have some sort of incriminating blackmail materials on Putin? Weird shit...

Putin wants Lukashenko dependent on him. Before the election, the government in Belarus was doing some serious heavy flirting with the EU. And as a result was digging his heels in at some of Putin's wants and wishes.

Now Putin can get whatever he wants from him. Including more collateral for all the money Russia gives him.

So recently I've started an alternate historical fiction that covers from 1900s to 1940s.

In the process I've been looking into European history leading up to and during the World Wars. One of the bits that amused me in a dark way was how Poland was a punching bag of every big country. It waslike beating up Poland was kinda imperialist past-time or something.

Well, Poland did beat up Soviet Russia after WWI and they fought commendable against the invasion 1939. It was just Poland's misfortune that keeping it down was one of the few things Russia, Prussia and Austria could agree upon.

Italy really was bunching bag, but its' politicians were usually smart enough to find someone else who would bail them out.

Edited by Zarastro on May 31st 2021 at 3:09:59 PM

Poland, Ukraine and Hungary were always punching bags. The only exception off the top of my head past the Middle Ages was the seventeenth century, when Ukraine was Poland's punching bag and even that I only know of due to a certain popular historical drama.

Edited by amitakartok on May 31st 2021 at 6:23:53 PM

Poland was among Europe's most powerful countries until the 18th century. It won wars against the Ottomans, Russia and the Teutonic Order. Hungary was the scourge of Central Europe until 955 and it still produced fine generals afterwards.