this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2025
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[–] Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 38 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

Are you suggesting someone starts WW3 by shooting Putin down? Because that's what would happen.

Would it though? If you cut the head off the snake, will (can?) the body keep following its orders?

It'd definitely be chaos and there's a good chance there would be some war. But I'm not so sure how much of that would be retaliation against the US vs an in-fighting power grab within Russia.

[–] thatonecoder@lemmy.ca 3 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Sadly, in Russia, Putin is not the worst — whoever becomes leader after him (assuming Russia does not democratize) will most likely nuke all of us.

[–] highlow@lemmy.world 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

I more place odds on Trump nuking part of the US than Russia

[–] Bloomcole@lemmy.world 1 points 1 minute ago

I would like that

[–] Lawelen@fedia.io 1 points 9 hours ago
[–] keyhoh@piefed.social 12 points 19 hours ago (4 children)

I think you need to look at it more in depth. Would there be a power struggle? Yes, most assuredly, but not instantaneously. But if it were the other way around, and Russia lopped off Trump's head, do you really think Maga wouldn't retaliate and would instead fight over the presidency first? It'd be simultaneous, as those with their fingers on the bombs would use them to show they deserve the role of leader through force.

[–] arrow74@lemmy.zip 12 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

In your scenario Vance would be the successor and MAGA would use the war to further their agenda. Kinda straightforward.

I'm unfamiliar with Russia's succession rules but Putin has been consolidating power and murdering anyone with potential to be his successor for decades. I could see how that would destabilize Russia more than the US.

Plus the Russian war machine ia not doing great in Ukraine. Doubt they could threaten western Europe or the US in any meaningful capacity. Nukes are always an option

there is still medvedev, who would pretty surely become russians president for sure if their faction can keep control.

[–] keyhoh@piefed.social -1 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

War isn't fought toe-to-toe anymore. It's done remotely. Yes the Russian military is garbage now. But if even 3% of their nukes successfully land, the casualties would be in the tens of millions, if not hundreds.

Russia may be inept, but the threat of their nukes is not to be underestimated. I severely doubt the Russians that follow Putin would say thank you and leave it at that. Power vacuums create worse conditions than the conditions under the tyrants. It would get much worse before it ever got better.

[–] Bloomcole@lemmy.world 1 points 24 seconds ago

es the Russian military is garbage now.

LOL that's why they're winning against NATO

[–] Cornelius_Wangenheim@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

And why exactly would they nuke the US? Do you think whoever wins the power struggle in Russia has a death wish or really wants to rule over a pile of radioactive rubble? The calculus of MAD isn't going to change.

They may assassinate Trump in retaliation, but that just means everyone wins.

[–] keyhoh@piefed.social 1 points 4 hours ago

Because they can't fight a ground war. You think American would just happily accept Trump's assassination and move on? And Russia would happily accept Putin's? There'd be terrible war, and since America would overwhelm Russia, the Russians would use their only ace in the hole and nuke America as they know America will show no quarter and they'd rather take as many with them before they go. You, and just almost all commenters in this thread, seem to underestimate the retardedness of the saber-rattling idiots that step in to fight to fill the void of the delusional dead leaders.

I'm done trying to talk sense in this thread. If you and every other pussy in this thread is as tough as their comments are, I implore you to head to Alaska and take these asshole leaders out. Either way, the world will be better off as there's be fewer idiots left to dumb down our species.

[–] rovingnothing29@lemmy.world 4 points 15 hours ago

Do the Russian buttons even work? I've been convinced they don't since My of 2022.

[–] CrimsonMishaps@lemmy.world 6 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Tacking onto to that. I’ve read that historically things get worse not better in a power vacuum after a supreme leader’s death. As Putin isn’t going to relinquish power prior to his demise and he has such total control over Russia, it’s going to get worse not better once he’s gone. I can’t imagine there’s a secret pro-democracy figure in the cabal that can wrest control of the military and state to transform Russia in the next era. It’s likely that the next leader is more antagonistic towards the west as they try to consolidate power and quell domestic unrest by asserting that “external forces” are oppressing Russia. Regime change is going to be destabilizing and dangerous.

[–] keyhoh@piefed.social -1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I'm glad there's one person with sense in this thread. Who would've thought my least popular comment in the Fediverse would be calling for caution over starting WW3?

These idiots here can forfeit their own lives if they want, but don't forfeit my little girl's life because you're too lazy to open a psychology and a history book. You don't assassinate world leaders on foreign soil and get away with it, scot free.

[–] Madagaskar_sky@lemmy.world 3 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I don't think anyone here is seriously in favor of killing him. Just jokes and crossed fingers.

[–] keyhoh@piefed.social 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

How often do you down vote online comments as a joke? Well I got a whole bunch of em in this thread. I'm sure war is all jokes to the people here. Smh

[–] Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 1 points 33 minutes ago* (last edited 23 minutes ago)

I'm rather surprised by the disproportionate voting as well. I was just playing devils advocate tbh.

For the record, I've not voted either way on anything in this thread. I will say, you seem to be taking this far more seriously than perhaps you should. This isn't the war room; it's a throwaway convo with strangers about hypotheticals...

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 3 points 17 hours ago

Don’t get our hopes up