Land of denial

Amber, she/her. A place where RWBY v7 ch12 didn't happen. Ever. For my rare calligraphy projects look #calligraphy, for my writings look #my writing. Header by Shana, profile pic by biqrow

[stele3]

For context: the Wagner PMC has been an important part of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Recently, however, the owner of the Wagner group, which has operated illegally in Russia (the country has laws against mercenary units), has clashed with the Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, accusing him of lying to Putin.

The owner of the Wagner private military contractor Yevgeny Prigozhin said Saturday that his forces have driven into the Russian city of Rostov facing no resistance.

Prigozhin said that Wagner field camps were struck by rockets, helicopter gunships and artillery fire on orders from the chief of the military’s General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov. He charged that Gerasimov issued the order after a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, at which they decided to destroy Wagner.

He said Wagner troops were greeted by border guards as they moved into the Rostov region and are now driving into the city of Rostov. He said young conscripts at checkpoints stood back and offered no resistance, adding that his forces “aren’t fighting against children.”

“But we will destroy anyone who stands in our way,” he said. “We are moving forward and will go until the end.”

(Source)

[sierralavandulaart]

I finished this faster than I thought I would...another fanart inspired by SilverPurity's Overboard

Overboard - Chapter 10 - SilverPurity - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own]

[sierralavandulaart]

Here is another fanart inspired by the amazing SilverPurity's fanfic Overboard. This time the attached link goes to the chapter it's influenced by. Overboard - Chapter 17 - SilverPurity - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own]

[sierralavandulaart]

My first fanart in a while. This little piece is inspired by SilverPurity's fanfic Overboard.

Here is a link to the fanfic in question:

Overboard - Chapter 1 - SilverPurity - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own]

[amber-aglio]

(I'm very sorry that the only times I ever post here anymore are to complain)

Every time I see people suggesting that "think of the kids" should be taken at face value as an innocent and not at all a slippery slope statement, I die a little inside and also want to hit something.

In 2013, russia passed a law forbidding "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships" among minors under the banner of "protecting children from harmful influences". The vote was almost unanimous with a single person refraining.

Mere days after that followed a law forbidding same-sex couples from adopting children "to avoid artificial imposing of non-traditional sexual behaviors" (yep, that was a quote from the presidential website that accompanied the law).

Basically the 2013 law meant that any queer support in public (where "children could see it" was outlawed. Any queer media had to be labelled 18+. There was no clear definition of what constituted as "propaganda".

In 2020 a new law was suggested and a few hours ago it was passed. Now queer "propaganda" is forbidden among all age groups. Queer lit in russia is going to die (as if authors haven't already been persecuted). Same for movies, but it's probably the publishing industry that's going to be hit hardest. Obviously, any educational context for queer discussions is also not going to fly.

And again, there is no clear definition of what is considered propaganda, so it's likely going to become another tool for political persecution. In the law, queer content is placed alongside pedophilia as a crime of equal seriousness. This is the "think of the children" we have.

For now it is an administrative law (a misdemeanor, if I figured out the terminology right). The punishment is only a fine - of up to what is probably equivalent to 8 months salary for a lot of my peers. However, after the first reading of the current law it was suggested to make it a crime, and the only reason why that hadn't already been implemented is because criminal and administrative law is codified a differently. It is projected that that law might get passed as soon as this winter (lawmaking has been increasingly rapid since the start of the war).

And that, my friends, will be how we get from "don't impose gross stuff on kids" to going to jail for being open about your queerness.

[amber-aglio]

Welp

Martial law, anyone? Mobilized recruits dying even before reaching the front lines (of illness because they weren't actually fit to be in the army, of suicide and murder)? All the desperate measures that won't achieve anything besides getting even more people killed?

There have been reports that putin's aides are too afraid of him to report the true state of things, and the more time goes on, the more inclined I am to believe it

And unrelated (I think) but holy shit am I tired of my life getting so much worse every time I think things are... not good, but at least stable

[amber-aglio]

Now that I'm facing actual, tangible opportunity to relocate to another country, I'm suddenly also faced with the fact that I a) Cannot make huge life-altering decisions in 3 days and b) Cannot find it in myself to just ditch everyone I care about

Is this what's best for me? Probably. But also the idea of taking that chance is absolutely excruciating

[amber-aglio]

Also isn't it wonderful that in so many countries family reunification visas apply to spouses, but not siblings?

[amber-aglio]

Now that I'm facing actual, tangible opportunity to relocate to another country, I'm suddenly also faced with the fact that I a) Cannot make huge life-altering decisions in 3 days and b) Cannot find it in myself to just ditch everyone I care about

Is this what's best for me? Probably. But also the idea of taking that chance is absolutely excruciating

[amber-aglio]

Well, I guess it finally happened - partial mobilization is starting. Add to that the law changes with harsher punishments for deserting and voluntary surrender... And the fact that now any person on military registration (which, you know. Pretty much all men?) has to get permission from the military commission to go abroad...

And that as soon as "referendums" are done any military action on the "joined" territories will be taken as a direct attack on russia...

With every announcement, with every speech it's becoming so clear that they never saw Ukraine as a sovereign country. They feel entitled to its territory, its people, and I honestly feel sick reading it.

So much that I want to write and none of it coherent. I'm so tired of being angry all the time.

[amber-aglio]

Every once in a while I get violently yanked out of the liberal queer (or at least ferociously accepting) bubble I've built around myself and get a glimpse of what the majority of the country thinks like.

Just spent an hour of work time crying because I checked someone's social media only to find he was vocally, violently homophobic

Like this is fine. I'm fine. You shook my hand and were nice to me and you also think I should die the most cruel and agonizing death for not being straight. Cool. Nice to know where we stand.

[amber-aglio]

Has been going on for a few days now, not sure if it will stick, but... Government started blocking vpn protocols

[amber-aglio]

Official confirmation from our censorship agency: "According to the law "on communications", means of bypassing illegal content are considered a threat. Centre of monitoring and regulation of public communication network is taking measures to restrict usage of VPN services on the territory of russian federation that break russian law"

[amber-aglio]

Has been going on for a few days now, not sure if it will stick, but... Government started blocking vpn protocols

[amber-aglio]

Meanwhile in russia: again

I guess it’s been a while since I posted updates. Sorry? After the news of Bucha it’s been... a struggle to say anything (and other towns and villages around Kyiv - Bucha is just the one that got most known, but it seems that the situation is roughly the same in many places, and every day there are more accounts of the inhumane atrocities russians have commited). (If you’ve never seen the images from Bucha - you can find some of them here. And here. And here is an investigation-reconstruction of the events, including the debunking of the russian version of them. Obvious warnings for violence, destruction and dead bodies)

I cleaned out my russian social media recently. Now it’s very empty - the pro-war people have all been removed, and the anti-war people can’t post anything explicit without getting banned.

To get the idea of how much you can’t talk about war being a war, people have been taken into custody for:

- holding up empty signs or signs like “*** *****” (”no war” but fully censored)

- quotes from the russian classics denouncing war

- quotes from the current president denouncing war

- signs saying “stop fascism” (I’m not joking. They said it “discredits the russian military”. Again, not joking, I don’t think police thought through the implications.)

- anything even remotely in blue and yellow

A teacher lost her job and was fined for trying to talk to her students - something around 14yo - about the war. The students recorded her and told the police.

Universities are forced to promote the “official information”. Students and professors who disagree risk losing their places.

The hunt on the independent media also continues, more and more media and people are added to the “foreign agents” register. Human rights orgs and charities are struggling because of donations getting cut off due to payments being difficult across the border.

It feels like every time I go out, there are more cops on the underground. Will never stop being terrifying.

So... you know. Same old, same old. Started making an immigration plan (not anywhere near the possibility skill-wise or financially, but it’s very obvious that things are only going to get worse).

[amber-aglio]

Meanwhile in Russia, part n+1

Since I’m currently looking for a job, I kind of have a front view of exactly what’s going on in some places, and particularly banks. Now, I don’t actually want to work in a bank. But. (Bear in mind that some of this is my own speculations made from interviews and offers)

Tens of thousands of IT specialists have left the country. The banks under sanctions are facing a crisis that isn’t helped by the lack of manpower and current usage of foreign software that’s not going to be supported/available anymore.

So they’re getting really desperate, on the one hand, just sending out interview invitations without waiting for CVs to be sent to them. On the other hand, they seem to be targeting people who used to work in industries heavily affected by the sanctions and companies leaving the russian market. Not sure, but it’s quite likely they’re also targeting people willing to work for small pay.

Basically, the trend I’m seeing with already multiple banks (all under sanctions) that have contacted me, is that they’re willing to hire almost anybody without careful screening and let them work almost immediately, and also that they’re offering a pretty large wage for what someone in my position could expect, but that’s actually really low for the position they’re looking to hire for.

I dunno. I don’t actually have any kind of conclusion. Just... the banking sphere in russia is a hot mess both inside and outside and it’s probably only going to get worse.

[amber-aglio]

News from the Hague

Today the International Court of Justice announced a ruling ordering for russia to suspend all military operations in Ukraine. I honestly have no idea if that will have any effect, but at least for now, that order is legally binding for russia. If the government will obey or will keep alienating the rest of the world - remains to be seen.

You can read the full court document on the ICJ website here.

[amber-aglio]

Meanwhile in russia, March 15

And there we have it, neonazis are marching in support of the “denazification special operation” in Ukraine. Anyone surprised? (The local news described the group as a “patriotic movement”. It’s actually an ultra-right movement with fucking svastika in their official symbol)

Waiting for the decision from the Hague tomorrow...

[amber-aglio]

So much is going on and literally none of it is good