Ok, but please don't post unsubstantive comments to Hacker News.

The Russian oligarchs have no say in any of this, they never have, people in the West still repeating this mantra almost 3 years since the war in Ukraine has started for good is a big part of the reason why the same West is close to military defeat there, they just refuse to acknowledge how Russia really operates.

>acknowledge how Russia really operates.

Enlighten us then. How would suggest Russia should be treated?

Treated by whom?

> a big part of the reason why the same West is close to military defeat there

3 years of stalemate war right next door is not impressive at all - how far can Russia really project its power ?

The "never have" part certainly isn't true.

For a certain period of time, they definitely had significant influence.

They just refuse to acknowledge how Russia really operates.

By and large they have, actually, which is why one seldom hears the "oligarchs" mantra these days.

In other words -- though you're correct in response to the flagged commment, in the bigger-picture sense, you're railing against a straw man.

In military/strategic issues they certainly never had anything to say, not even during the dreadful ‘90s.