this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2025
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[–] Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 55 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Random af...

So reporters with Russian state media happened across this guy and commented on his old Soviet bike. The guy mentions he's struggling to get parts because of the war, and Putin himself gifts him a new bike??

[–] Blackfeathr@lemmy.world 44 points 4 months ago

Yeah this don't pass the sniff test. Definitely a plant.

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world 42 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I mean, the guy worked for the Russian embassy stationed in Alaska. It's not even a consisparcy that this was staged PR propaganda.

[–] Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 4 months ago

The real test is if he still has the bike after the photo shoot.. As an employee of the Russian government, he is unlikely to complain.

[–] okwhateverdude@lemmy.world 50 points 4 months ago (1 children)

The only thing I can think of when I read this dumb propaganda story

[–] ms_lane@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Poor Xerxes, lowered to comparison with mafia don.

[–] Goldholz@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 4 months ago

Atleast xerxes won battles and could invade anatolia. Putin cant even invade ukraine without using child soldiers and warcrimes

[–] xxce2AAb@feddit.dk 26 points 4 months ago (1 children)
  1. Make it the centerpiece of a new communal pissoir.
  2. Charge for admittance.
  3. Donate the money to Ukraine.
[–] apfelwoiSchoppen@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

*probably filled with polonium.

[–] xxce2AAb@feddit.dk 4 points 4 months ago

"Gasoline is special Russian blend, da? Should take road-trip. See all of Canada."

[–] DarkCloud@lemmy.world 21 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Sounds like Russian State media picked him because he was under the impression a factory was in Ukraine. Or more likely he agreed to play a role in some scripted state media propaganda. Russian television likes to interview every day people who are pro-invasion in order to make the war seem popular, or Putin seem right:

The unexpected gift by the Russian leader came after reporters with Russian state television Channel 1 met Warren by chance on the streets of Anchorage ahead of the summit.

The reporters stopped to admire Warren's bike, which is manufactured by Ural, whose original factory was founded in 1941 in what was then Soviet Russia.

Warren told a reporter, Valentin Bogdanov, that he struggled to obtain spare parts for the bike, including a new starter, because the manufacturing plant is "located in Ukraine."

"So for you, if they resolve this conflict here in Alaska, I mean Putin and Trump, it will be good?" Bogdanov asks Warren.

"Yes, it will be good," the Alaskan replies. Ural, which is headquartered in Washington State, says that all of its motorcycles are assembled in Kazakhstan.

The company pulled all its production out of Russia after the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine.

Ural did not immediately reply to a request for comment outside working hours in the U.S.

[–] ChetManly@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)

No way that man is ever getting a gov clearance.

[–] octopus_ink@slrpnk.net 11 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)
[–] ChetManly@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I was just making a joke that there is literally a section on the SF-86 (Questionnaire for National Security Positions) that asks you about your foreign financial interests and specifically enumerates gifts. I doubt anyone in the current cabinet had to do any of that and got their access via a hand wave after putting their lips on Trumps asshole.

[–] octopus_ink@slrpnk.net 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Oh sorry, sometimes I'm on a hair trigger with that stuff! 🙂

[–] ChetManly@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

No worries and you aren't wrong ;)

[–] Davel23@fedia.io 3 points 4 months ago

Nah, he'll just be made Secretary of State or something.

[–] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 5 points 4 months ago

I'd drive it, but have it painted yellow and blue

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 months ago

This will be referenced in the future when Putin wants to pull a Crimea on Alaska. "There are Russians there that want to be part of Russia again!"