Oscar Jenkins, 33, was convicted in a Russian-controlled court in occupied eastern Ukraine on Friday of fighting in an armed conflict as a mercenary.

Mr Jenkins, a teacher from Melbourne, was captured last December in the Luhansk region.

Prosecutors said he arrived in Ukraine in February 2024, alleging he was paid between 600,000 and 800,000 rubles (£5,504 and £7,339) a month to take part in military operations against Russian troops.

The article seems to claim that this guy is a mercenary, but someone in the comments is claiming that this guy is not a mercenary because he is a member of the UAF’s foreign legion. I don’t know if there is any additional context here that I am missing.

It sure seems to love selling American military secrets to Russia though.

And so do Americans. Like your argument that the colony controls America is that the colony does bad shit to America. But what part of America doesn’t fuck over America on the regular?

I’m not sure what your point here is. Whether or not the occupation allows American military bases, or whether or not they can get away with sinking the USS liberty is moot. Because the occupation literally is an American (and partly european) operation. Claiming that the occupied zone controls America is like claiming that south Africa controlled Britain.

why would the US care about gaza

Petrodollars, settler colonialism and imperial control. Israel and the Gulf monarchies are the linchpin of the petrodollar, aka the American government’s ability to run a massive trade deficit over decades with minimal inflation, something no other country can do. This gives the American government unlimited spending power (for its military).

There is also the geopolitical aspect of dividing the middle east, figuratively and literally, as well as having a forward base there to put pressure on Europe, Russia and China.

Finally, a huge number of “israelis” are really just American settlers. From the standpoint of the American bourgeoise, having a settler colony with a racialised underclass is very profitable, as this underclass (the Palestinians) are easily exploited workers. Furthermore, the American firms can test weapons on Gaza and their partnership with companies in the occupation yield them economic benefits.

Its not euros being salty about the defeat of nazism.

This is precisely the case. I’m sick of the casual racism and love for imperialism that even the most “left-wing” europeans will just say to my face because they think I am one of them. It is so fundamentally baked into every dominant ideology in europe that it feels like there is no possible escape.

This is the consequence of having an entire continent dedicate itself to colonialism and capitalism for 400 years. Both of these things become the total norm. People in europe don’t even understand what empire is, or what empires do, even the extent of their own existing empire.

I mean, look at Macron’s comments. He literally runs an old school colonial empire (that is thankfully collapsing under his reign). And yet he lectures other countries about “imposing capitals”. I don’t think he even realises he is being hypocritical here, because European ideology has redefined European imperialism as not counting as imperialism.

Unsurprising to see the euros be salty about the defeat of nazism/fascism.

“Many compare Moscow and Brussels, I’ve heard that … But Moscow is a capital that has been imposed whereas Brussels is a capital that has been freely chosen through our treaties,” said Macron.

Oh fuck off Macron, you little colonist man who still runs an empire.

Reduce gas imports?

Please reduce gas imports more. Cripple any semblance of industry and power you have left. You will only use industrial power for killing children in Gaza and maintaining policing infrastructure either way. Better to let the gas be used by Chinese and Indian consumers (unironically).