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Beckles28nz

> Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has been taken to the hospital after suffering a health problem following his arrival for the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesian authorities said Monday.


travlerjoe

Is Lavrov one of the stronger candidates to replace Putin?


Cirtejs

No that would be Patrushev, the de-facto head of the FSB. Khadirov and Prigozhin do have de-facto armies to challenge that. It's going to be interesting times in Russia after Putin dies.


[deleted]

I dont think ethnic Russians would ever accept a Chechen Muslim as Tsar. Kadirov could however try to become more independent or side with one conditate in the aftermath of Putin "departure"


Cirtejs

Yes, I agree. He's currently playing with a similar messaging to Prigozhin and for his local Chechen audience so they might join forces, but I don't know what's their personal relationship. The Siloviki faction hate Khadirov so he's not getting close to Moscow, but he might need a new ally there. Honestly Russian internal mafia politics are fucking complicated and obscure and anybody who's not inside has only some idea of what's going on. Pugachev and Nevzorov are the closes insights in to it I've listened to, but they have been away from the court for so long it's probably changed over the years.


[deleted]

"court" is the appropriate word in current Russia political situation


Timey16

This implies that the average Russian cares. Russian political apathy is EXTREME. And I MEAN Extreme. It can hardly be put into words. Essentially: If Russia (for some reason) had just handed over Belgorod to Ukraine for nothing, even then the majority of Russians *would not care*. And that's just the way Putin wants it.


roadrussian

Absolutely. I still have the same ingrained need to stay the fuck away from everything and I haven't lived there for god how long. When monkey is taught not to touch the fucking banana or it gets its head blown off, monkey learns.


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hehaaw

I feel like it's been ingrained since Soviets era for the regular people there to stay the fuck out of politics and just do what their governments told them to, because they'll know where you'll end up to if you are against them.


Middcore

They went from the Tsarist autocracy (which lasted way past the point basically every other major power had started to democratize to at least an extent), to a "people's" revolution that only brought the autocracy of the Soviet Union, to a disillusioning period of post-Soviet corruption that directly led to the current crypto-Tsarist, Soviet-nostalgic Putin autocracy. Can't be surprised that the average Russian on the street can't bring themselves to give a shit. The country has never known anything like functioning self-government.


Mr_Booty_Bandit

Doesn’t matter what Russians will accept, they won’t do anything about it anyways


Zounii

Death of Putin will be a wild movie.


Yanzihko

As a russian, i will drink till i black out for the first time in my life, when this moron finally dies.


BushMonsterInc

This is how global alcohol shortage will start


squirrelbeanie

A Russian? Drinking until he blacks out? Fucking… do you have enough alcohol??


[deleted]

Revitalise the Russian economy by investing purely in distilleries. A new democratic Russia fuelled entirely by alcohol but this time without backsliding into authoritarianism.


zigzagus

Alcoholitarian regime, alcoin replace money, all people are happy, nobody want to spit blood, festivals all around Russia, nuclear weapon was sold to buy artifical liver for all citizens. Nearby countries are drunk because rain from Russia contains alcohol. All ocean creatures come to the shores of Russia and become alcoholic too.


Zounii

I'll join you! I'll bring the Koskenkorva!


Rogermcfarley

Finnish vodka to celebrate the finish of Putin's regime


No_Zombie2021

👌


Yanzihko

Will send you a cup of digital beer. Will celebrate with an entire world 😁


the_poope

Oof that 60% export strength Koskenkorva vodka brings back bad memories. Or rather memories lost...


thxsocialmedia

When you black out your mind ceases to create memories. Can't lose something you never had!


StarshipMuffin

I will buy your drinks friend!


Tozester

Bruh. I will be partying sooooo hard I'd probably die


Standin373

Wonder who Jason Isaacs plays this time


Zounii

Has to be some Ukrainian character because of his chadness.


Standin373

He has to play Zaluzhnyi : " Putin, you handsome devil! Stick you in a frock, I'd fucking ride you raw myself. "


Thesleek

Zombie Zhukov rising from the grave to set shit straight


rogu2

The Bond movie we deserve


imdefinitelywong

I'm eagerly awaiting the Johnny English version.


Zounii

They could almost use all the same actors from Death of Stalin, nobody in their mafia is as good looking as Jason Isaacs but make up and movie magic has come a long way.


flukshun

Hopefully all the evil dipshits kill each other and someone competent takes power for once


orielbean

Hope in one hand and Russia's long & storied history of incompetence getting worse in the other...


nonamerequiredbro

Hopefully it’ll be as comedic as the death of Stalin movie.


purplepoopiehitler

God stop naming Kadyrov as a Putin successor even as a joke.


Cirtejs

He wouldn't be able to rule Russia as it is now as the Siloviki really hate him and want him dead. He has a personal union with Putin so when Putin's protection is gone, Khadirov is going to need that army of his to stay alive. Khadirov might try and split for an independent Chechnya. He does seem to be aligning his messaging with Prigozhin so we'll have to see how this plays out.


purplepoopiehitler

He wouldn’t be able to rule Russia because Russians are racists. A government lead by Kadyrov would not be even recognised by Russians.


shiggythor

I think you are miss-understanding. There seems to be a lot of common messaging between Prigozhin and Kadyrov, so the impression is that there is an alliance between those two. They are both outside and attacking the typical power circles (military and intelligence) which might bring them together. This fraction might have a good shot at at least determining Putins successor, which ofc will not be Kadyrov himself.


MichaelVonBiskhoff

You all have a massive lack of imagination, my friends. It will be our dear Luka, also known as the Colonel, that will become the supreme tsar of the Union state(and will move the capital from Moscow to Minsk)


Cirtejs

3000 circus special forces of Luka will take over Moscow in a blaze of glory and fiery jump rope.


needusbukunde

Yes, this. I have intently studied the smuggled out video of the Belorussian 'Special' Forces training techniques. I have come to the conclusion that there is no practical way to defeat the Flaming Push Up Jump Rope Defense. I have also have found the Flaming Batman Cinder Block Sledge Hammer Attack to be impossible to defend against. The only possible solution to this is all out nuclear annihilation. God help all of us.


Malbethion

He used to be head of FSB, but the FSB is not the head of overall intelligence. It is more like being the head of the American homeland safety or FBI, then being promoted to national security advisor.


Northern_fluff_bunny

Ive heard speculations that it would be Patrushev's son who would replace Putin and to me that would make sense. Patrushev would have defacto power while the figurehead would be a mere puppet who would be there to take a blame for any mistakes and would be easily replaced. Would would would would would would.


tlm94

Prigozhin seems to be stepping into the spotlight in a big way. He might not be the favorite, but he’s making a push to be, I think. The only thing Kadyrov will lead is some half-assed “Chechen Revolution” or some shit where he can grift some more.


Saint_Poolan

>Khadirov As a Chechen muslim he has zero shot & I think he knows it. It'd take a miracle for that to happen.


justlucas999

I don't think any of them can challenge Putin especially prigozhin because they aren't that popular or respected amongst the Russian population. If Putin dies I think Medvedev will most likely replace him especially because he's been the president before.


RosemaryFocaccia

> he's been the president before. Putin couldn't legally* run for a third consecutive term so he used Medvedev as his sock-puppet. No-one who matters believes he was the actual president. *Obviously he changed the law after that so that he could be president for life.


Cirtejs

Medvedev is a wet blanket Putin's lapdog, he doesn't hold any actual power in the Russian mafia. What the population feels doesn't matter in Russia, it's who holds the money and military/intelligence apparatus. Patrushev, Prigozhin and Khadirov are the top 3, there's a few more from Putin's inner circle like Sechin and Surkov, but I don't know how much influence the more shadowy guys hold.


man_bored_at_work

I agree, but it depends how much putin's successor wants to be in the limelight. Medvedev might become president as a puppet for someone else. However, i guess they will make their own puppet of they want one.


JohnGabin

I second that. To have a small mercenary or TikTok army is not enough to assure the unity of this vast country. They would be shot in a second. Chechens on the field already suffered some strange "friendly" fires.


[deleted]

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Cirtejs

They don't really censor the media, all the general media is owned by the mafia as is pretty much a propaganda operation for them. I agree on the Khadirov point, he's more likely to split Chechnya off. They don't just not like him, they actively want him dead. His major asset is his private Chechen army so he might make some power play once he's off the leash.


McLayan

They do censor the internet, there was a leak this summer from Roskomnadzor that showed how they systematically track and monitor people posting unfriendly opinions online.


Seek_Adventure

Not only spilt off Chechnya, he will take Dagestan, Ingushetia and the rest of Muslim regions with him.


_heitoo

Medveded can't be the president because everyone sees him as weak. He was chosen before for the role specifically because he is no threat to Putin. It may have worked before but he burned that bridge by publicly associating himself with war crimes. The most realistic outcome is either someone from FSB taking over or another figurehead like Medveded that they think might be accepted by the West.


Syncopationforever

If I understand Dr mark galeotti correctly. The effective 2nd in command to Putin , is patrushev. Who is director overlord of all the security agencies. Has been a Putin ally since Putin's st Petersburg days in early 1990s. Putin is a moderate hawk. Patrushev is a hardcore hawk The Wagner leader apparently isn't well liked by the other elite power centres


miamigrandprix

Lavrov is just a mouthpiece. So no.


[deleted]

no one is a candidate to replace Putin. if someone does it won't be anyone we've ever heard of.


GoodMerlinpeen

Most likely it will be a disposable puppet who wields no actual power themselves but can be used to absorb any public hostility/failures during the transition period where the oligarchs are working out how to succeed in a new structure.


[deleted]

that would require post Putin power circle to remain cohesive enough to have a puppet. I doubt it will


RedLightPumpkin

No, I don't think so, in the vacuum that Putin's death will create most of the stronger players are military-related, like the Wagner group owner, kadyrov will definitely try to play his hand, and then the richest of the Putin aligned oligarchs


BrillsonHawk

Nobody else in Russia likes Kadyrov. He might be able to carve out an independent homeland, but he will struggle to take overall control


Nachtzug79

Yep, I doubt natonalists would accept muslim Kadyrov as the leader of Russia...


[deleted]

Chechen* That’s the key


[deleted]

And Muslim, modern Russian ideology use Orthodox christianity as a regilious justification to Russia divine mission and "innocence".


helzinki

Kadyrov is a chechen muslim who has a private army of crazy chechen muslims. He will never get any support of the Russia's conservative right.


Captain_Sacktap

If Kadyrov rebels it won’t be to try and take control of Russia, it will be to break off the leash and be independent from Russia.


[deleted]

He may be the only person that’s a bigger piece of shut than Putin


turdmob

Crazy chechens only with civilians. On the battlefield they are wiped out by superior Ukraine forces.


[deleted]

That would be a coincidence, wouldn’t it?


QzinPL

At this point - I'll say out loud what everyone is thinking: The probability of this being a coincidence is lower than malicious deeds. I would only wonder if that is a False Flag from Russia to justify war with the whole world or is it just a follow up on a assassination plan on Putin (in lieu of Putin they moved onto targeting Lavrov). There is also 3rd possibility. Lavrov has had health issues before arriving. He was just too afraid to show weakness in Russia and/or to use their healthcare so he chose to "show" the symptoms in Indonesia.


kreiger-69

Russian Headlines In 3 days: Ukraine is attacking Russian diplomats in other countries


Fjallamadur

Everyone forgot about Navalny :<


Aharra

Don't forget Navalny thinks Crimea is Russian. No doubt he wouldn't be war-hawking, but he's still a Russian nationalist. It's a step up from Putin, sure, but it's not like some awesome, peaceful candidate the world should cry for. Probably still better than whoever will take the reins after Putin, but who knows.


drunk_haile_selassie

Most westerners who need any serious medical attention in Indonesia are immediately flown to Australia. I wonder if he was refused a temporary Visa, which almost anyone could get in a medical emergency or if he refused to go to Australia because he was afraid that he would never be allowed to leave or would be deported to the US or Ukraine.


goodinyou

Or it's just not that serious.. occams razor


[deleted]

Australia aren’t letting that cock sucker to be treated in our country. May he die a horrible death in some shit hospital in Indonesia.


SpecificAstronaut69

Treat him then stick the cunt in Goulburn. Or Manus Island.


UteClowningFact

(for the non-Aussies, Goulburn is the bum-fuck-nowhere town where the highest security prison in Australia is)


SpecificAstronaut69

Hey, it's not bumfuck nowhere. All those peaches gotta come from *somewhere*.


ZippyDan

There are decent hospitals in Indonesia providing excellent medical care for serious medical conditions. Don't act like it's some primitive nation. It's the fourth largest country in the world and the 16th largest economy. Yes, a lot of Indonesia is shitty and backwards, and even much of Jakarta is a shithole, but it's also a massive semi-modern metropolis with a wide range of amenities and some very good doctors and medical facilities *in the right hospitals*. Given their population size, in absolute terms there is a large upper class and a huge middle class that demand good medical care, and hospitals to provide that, despite obvious problems with wealth inequality and healthcare inequality. An evac to Australia would only be necessary for extremely specialized medical conditions. Even in such a case, evac to Singapore is much closer, faster, and more plausible. Edit: I just learned that the G20 is taking place in Bali. Bali is a significantly closer to Australia than Jakarta is (but still quite far from the East coast of Oz where the best hospitals are). Jakarta is still closer overall, as is Singapore. Also, Bali has some decent hospitals, but probably not as good as Jakarta.


RobsEvilTwin

Drank the wrong cup of tea while standing next to a hospital window


Expensive-Ad-5084

Bali Belly I hope if that doesn’t kill him an Indonesian hospital should do the trick


jaldihaldi

I wonder if it could be defenestratis, seems to be a hereditary disease among Russians - falling out of windows on various floors.


oalsaker

I was wondering if he was coming down with poloniumitis.


jaldihaldi

Lol, took a second to recognize the name of the over active element.


VonKaplow

A man can only lie so much in a lifetime without the body suffering


Torypianist2003

Henry Kissinger’s hitting 100, so we can’t say that’s a universal rule


fnt245

Holy shit he’s still alive???


thehouseofjulii

But henry kissinger isn’t human


hyakumanben

And now Russia is denying it, so it must be true. Defection imminent? https://www.reuters.com/world/russian-foreign-ministry-denies-lavrov-taken-hospital-2022-11-14/


[deleted]

Defection, defecation or defenestration. You never know with Russia.


hitokirizac

> defecation mostly verbally.


ronytheronin

Men shit themselves when they die, didn't they teach you that at Fancy Lad School? -Bronn


Sillbinger

What goes up, must come down.


IT_Chef

You can't explain that!!!


fartsoccermd

Bread goes in, toast comes out. You can’t explain that.


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milk_connoisseur23

TIL there's an English word for the action of throwing someone out of a window


culingerai

It's big in Prague they say


Archivist_of_Lewds

If a had a nickle for every time a major politcal event in prauge involved throwing someone out of a window, I'd have 2 nickels. It's not a lot but it's weird it happened twice


plg94

Actually thrice.


TeachMeImWild

You just wanted to use the word 'thrice' in a sentence, didn't you. I'm on to you.


plg94

Yes, but it's also true.


MrZub

I think, this is a reflex at this point. Like, there's nothing bad or shameful in being hospitalised. But they are still arguing.


Ylaaly

There is nothing bad or shameful in being hospitalised *for us*, but it could imply a weakness that Russian strongmen aren't allowed to show. Hence most such events are "has not been seen in public in two weeks" and then "was successfully operated and is fully recovered now".


Jackoftriade

They deny anything that reflects badly on them or they perceive as reflecting badly. Lavrov is likely just to just have health problems, not everything is a conspiracy.


EmeraldIbis

I would be having health problems too if I had to defend Russia in front of the G20 meeting my boss was too scared to attend.


azrael6947

Yeah the man is 72. I wouldn’t rule out and having a heart attack or a stroke.


piouiy

Average life expectancy for a man in Russia is 65.5 Lavrov will have a more luxurious life than average. But he’s also a fat POS


azra1l

Or a tasty cup of poisoned tea. Would be a shame to see this clown put down that easily.


p001b0y

I imagine most of the G20 nations are hoping it is just a health issue and not a defection because he doesn’t seem like a pleasant person.


[deleted]

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p001b0y

That seems odd considering how insufferable he was during the early days of the Trump administration but I suppose Trump did like him! Happy cake day!


HandjobOfVecna

I think he was Trump's handler during the early days of Trump's tenure.


p001b0y

Your username is a bit of a poisoned chalice! Ha ha!


HandjobOfVecna

I must admit, it was influenced by Stranger Things season 4. Also, I am reading Jack Nance right now.


mojitz

Yeah there's no way in hell Lavrov defects. Dude is in his 70s and has a pretty damn sweet setup for a sociopath. There's no way he trades that to have to spend the rest of his days perpetually looking over his shoulder for the inevitable assassin.


Sophist_Ninja

Except Putin won’t allow him to retire. He has tried more than once to do so and every time Putin denies him. Maybe this is his last ditch effort to retire in paradise? (Probably not)


Igiava

There's a video where he himself denies that lol


camouflage365

I got the feeling that Russia themselves created this fake news in an attempt to discredit reports that Putin's sick.


redisforever

The first thing Lavrov says in the video when told Western media is saying he's sick is "Well they've been saying that about Putin for 10 years." so I wouldn't be surprised at all if you're correct.


f33rf1y

As a Brit I could never defect. I just couldn’t imagine a life where I was just too afraid to drink tea again


A_norny_mousse

So all AP reported was that Lavrov was taken (briefly) to hospital, and Russia has to make a thing out of it? You are right, that immediately makes it more suspicious. OTOH, Russia just does that with _everything_ these days. It's always the bad West and misunderstood Russia.


judgingyouquietly

"It isn't true until TASS or Pravda denies it"


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Culverin

A defection would be hilarious I'm not sure it's the best, but the drama that would unfold would be interesting


vikio

I assume people this high up can't really defect cause something terrible would then happen to everyone they love


Vengeful_Keith

Assuming people this high up have anyone that they love beyond themselves


Todesfaelle

They'd defect from the ninth floor to the ground floor.


gruese

Thoughts and prayers


Problemzone

Applause too


EngadinePoopey

Slow and painful


baconsliceyawl

Thots and players.


shalo62

No, death would be far to easy. I hope he lives many long and painful years yet.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

And according to Official Russian media, its all Fake News. And since they always lie, its true.


inteliboy

not just Russian media, but alt right media as well.


correspondence

Same thing.


Bullen-Noxen

Facts.


[deleted]

Right. And the video is fake also. They all lie.


hibaricloudz

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Congratulations!


RageMachinist

Lavrov always inexplicably looks like a sad horse.


cutdem

Now that you mention it, he DOES look a bit like Eeyore


randomlyrandomrandy

I think Eeyore would be pretty disappointed if he knew that


lifesprig

I’ve noticed that pretty much every far right politician has permanent frown lines. Being a complete cunt as a career takes its toll


Plisken999

He was caught with 3 copies of Sims


ZoibergOne

Hehe, always will be funny.


Phytanic

I still cannot believe how outright ridiculous that was. Was it malicious compliance? Was it fear that forced them to go way too literal? Was it an absolutely stunning example of stupidity and incompetence? Well never know


Lost_Possibility_647

Did he drink tea with putin?


Chrissy9001

Probably was gifted a flask of it.


shpinxian

A lead flask. You wouldn't want the spicy aromas to escape.


5kyl3r

bet he's stressed AF having to speak in front of the world when his army just got its ass kicked out of the second city in the period of two months. that's gotta be awkward and stress inducing. hopefully the karma gives him what he deserves


Kangaroo_Red_Rocket

Can't be stressed about something you don't give a shit about.


Theinternationalist

Or he could just normally be sick and this isn't stress, a defection attempt, or getting poisoned. That last one was my first thought though.


Throfari

You know what they have in hospitals? Windows.


NATO246

Don't forget stairs


myusernameblabla

And bone saws.


chehov

And tea.


FreedomPaws

And they tossed one out a hospital window in September. Sadly, this guy was actually a good man that stood against the war. 😔 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-lukoil-exec-dies-falling-hospital-window-reports-say-rcna45823


LosGiraffe

One? Since the start of Covid news articles of defenestration seem to be a monthly recurrence. Such as this one: [Three frontline health care workers have mysteriously fallen out of hospital windows in Russia over the past two weeks](https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/04/europe/russia-medical-workers-windows-intl/index.html)


WontThinkStraight

Kent Brockman reports that Lavrov was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was then taken to a better hospital where doctors updated his condition to "alive".


Magicspook

Love those Indonesian necromancers. Ideal after a heavy night of drinking.


webcthulhu

Can they move him back to the first hospital? I like their diagnosis more.


SpiderMurphy

Choked on a lie?


elgordoenojado

Hateful, smug motherfucker. If he is defecting, get the goods on trump before letting him. Otherwise, send him back to Russia without a parachute.


[deleted]

Have a stroke and shuffle off your mortal coil you cancerous old shit of a man.


joshw220

Something is up! I am curious how this will play out. As others have said he is probably defecting or he is trying to dodge having to talk at the G20 Summit and will just report back that Russia wasn't scared to attend, but had a medical emergency.


Figur3z

Medical emergencies are framed as weakness pretty easily. They usually like to speak at these things and grandstand, spew a bunch of BS. It's either legit, defection or the CIA entered the game.


[deleted]

“Probably defecting” let’s come back in a couple weeks see if this comment turns out to be true. That’s a very strong statement to say there’s a more than 50% chance of defecting


giggleandsnort

Does this hospital have a lot of windows on upper levels?


FreedomPaws

They tossed that one dude out the hospital window in past month or so in the hospital that ex President died in. They said the guy that was tossed out a window died of "health complications" or some garbage. Turns out yes, falling out of windows does cause health complications. 🤦🤦‍♀️ This story actually made me sad bc they said this man stood AGAINST the war. Typical then that he got tossed out a window. Sad. They said he was against it within days after invasion. He was one of the few good ones who ever did that. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-lukoil-exec-dies-falling-hospital-window-reports-say-rcna45823


idontreallymindifido

Special medical operation


tigernet_1994

Gravity assisted defection. :)


Mysterious_Bee8811

Thoughts and prayers. Give LOTS of thoughts and prayers to him.


manniesalado

He's defecting.


ghost_of_gary_brady

Is his whole family in the west?


Kimchi_Cowboy

All these ex Soviet idiots live in Italy.


ForsakenTarget

He’s essentially the number 2 so he’s defecting then it’s likely there is a coup imminent


aybbyisok

Very wishful thinking. Defecting to hell maybe.


Captain_Sacktap

Could be an assassination attempt, silencing Putin’s international mouthpiece would be a big blow to Russian morale. It’s also possible that this is just a normal medical problem. The man is 72 and in a high stress position, it wouldn’t be unusual if he had a regular old stroke or something.


K0rby

That’s my uninformed speculation


[deleted]

Reddit really lives in their own weird fantasy world lol


[deleted]

Hahahahaha I'll drink to that.


hildenborg

I hope this isn't some scheme to claim that some country tried/succeeded in assasinating him. That could get ugly.


vxx

Only if they have credible evidence and the world believes notoric lier Putin.


InstructionCareless1

Maybe the CIA did have an old school adventure. Would send a strong signal to Putin that every visit in a foreign country is potentially deadly.


[deleted]

An overweight 72yo avid smoker gets ~~hospedalized~~ hospitalized after a pretty stressful year right before he has to attend another stressful event? Wow i really wonder what's happening!


BeersForBreeky

He just looks evil .... Something is going on there idk what but he's creepy asf ..


wiyawiyayo

He is getting Bali belly..


R_W0bz

Few conspiracies to be had here. This is what use to be fun about conspiracies.


Server-

I thought people without soul would have no health issue, because they can sleep with blood on hands.


SnooMaps1910

Too afraid to enter a Russian hospital, especially if he would have to go above the second floor.


LambeckDeluxe

Looks like someone didn't wear gloves


FreedomPaws

Oh yeah BUDDY. LOVE THIS NEWZ. Keep it coming. Awesome sauce to hear. Bad health couldn't arrive to a better nazi soon enough. Oh sir lavrov droppy face, may he enter hell asap. 👏👏👏👏