Putin's bikers the Night Wolves claim 'secret entry' into EU on way to Berlin despite ban

[uhnope]

Source: IB Times

Members of the Russian pro-Kremlin biker group the Night Wolves have entered the EU covertly on a controversial pilgrimage to Berlin to mark the end of World War Two. The group which has been pictured several times with president Vladimir Putin, wanted to re-enact the route of the Soviet Red Army's push towards Germany in the war.

It is aiming to be in the German capital in time for Victory in Europe day, which in Russia is commemorated on 9 May. The planned route was intended to pass through Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Austria.

Russian news agency Itar-Tass reported that they were refused entry to Poland but some had managed to get to EU state Slovakia, which borders Ukraine, with its leader Andrei Bobrovskiy telling the agency it would head toward the Czech Republic.

Polish broadcaster TVP Info quoted a biker who said that a handful of the group were allowed in Poland because they had German, Slovak and non-Russian passports.



Read more: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/putins-bikers-night-wolves-claim-secret-entry-into-eu-way-berlin-despite-ban-1558075

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The Night Wolves are funded by the Kremlin, receiving "several hundred million rubles a year" according to a report in 2013.
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[DetlefK]

1. Russia is mentally still trapped in the past.

According to a recent poll, 50% of Russians admire the genocidal tyrant Stalin.

Russia still thinks that the nations that came from the Soviet Union (which Russia had effectively transformed from a multinational alliance into a russian empire) are to be rightfully under Russia's influence.

Russia still has the same geopolitical strategy: buffer-zones. That's why Russia supports the secession of the ukrainian rebels in the face of Ukraine orienting itself towards the West but does NOT WANT TO annex Eastern Ukraine. The geopolitical strategy is to create buffer-zones and vassal-states that are under Russia's control but that are not part of russian territory. (Look at Georgia for another example.)

[fasttense]

2. It's all kind of silly

Since Russia is now merely another rotting capatalist country.

Why are we suppose to hate Russia now? They are no longer a communist threat. It's almost as if the "I hate Russia" crowd longs for the days of the USSR.

Didn't you hear, Capatalism won. We won the cold war. We don't need to hate and fear Russia anymore.

[MynameisBlarney]

4. I wouldn't call Russia a capitalist country

they seem to be more of a dictatorship run by the mafia, and said mafia is composed of former KGB .

And we don't need to hate them, but we don't gotta like or trust them either.

[fasttense]

5. And I wouldn't call the US a democracy

But it is a label we are stuck with.

[MynameisBlarney]

6. Technically, we're not a Democracy

We're a representative republic.
But I get what you're saying.

[daleo]

17. Old habits are hard to give uip

But the west has always had a certain paranoia about Russia, mixed with fascination. It goes back centuries.

[FailureToCommunicate]

3. Putin aside, why is this an issue? Russians have every right to celebrate VE Day. And without

Last edited Wed May 4, 2016, 01:45 PM - Edit history (1)

the Red Army's help, victory over Germany would not have been as swift or certain.

Russia was our ally then, and lost over TWENTY MILLION of it citizens in that war. I would think that leaves an impression on the nation and it's paranoia about un-friendly border states...

The Allies meeting at the River Elbe:

;

edited to correct typo of number of casulties

[Igel]

7. Because it's a weird sort of thing.

Illegal, on the one hand, because of travel restrictions some circumvented.

But also strange because the Night Wolves like their Nazi symbolism, from all the "wolf" imagery to the swastikas to the wolfsangel that they use for the word "Night" in "Night wolves."

Hard to say if they're there to glory in the USSR's or Russia's triumph over the Nazis or over the Germans, or to celebrate their taking up of Elijah's mantle.

[Downtown Hound]

8. Would you want a country that ruled over you with an iron fist

for nearly half a century rolling though in grandiose fashion bragging about how they liberated you when in reality all they did was replace one dictatorship with another?

Neither would I.

[uhnope]

14. thank you nt

[Journeyman]

9. Soviet military death estimates in the Great Patriotic War vary between 8.5 and 11 million. . .

civilian casualties range up to 20 million or more, depending on who's counting and when.

The total dead within the Soviet Union for the war, from all causes, is thus unknown, though 20 million is the number usually cited.


Though not the best source, here's one quick look at the comparative numbers:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties_of_the_Soviet_Union

[FailureToCommunicate]

10. Thanks for the correction. That's the number I meant to write.

Not enough:

[Journeyman]

12. I kind of thought so, and realized I should have acknowledged that just as I hit "post". . .

[840high]

11. Russia has every right. No issue for me.

[Downtown Hound]

13. They have every right to enter Poland, a country they oppressed for decades?

Um, no. It's actually for Poland to decide who enters their country. Not Russia.

[uhnope]

15. rock on nt

[pampango]

16. Perhaps a German motorcycle gang supported by Merkel should 'secretly enter' Russia to celebrate

the fall of the Soviet Union and the liberation of many eastern and central European countries?

Apparently Russia does not have a problem with 'secret entry' into a country for the purpose of celebration.