I have been researching the MACRO economic dynamic in Russia quite deeply for the past six months. Essentially looking to discover not only what impact the western imposed sanctions might be having, but more broadly looking to see what happens to self-sustainability when essentially locked out from the world of commercial imports.
The research is fascinating, not simply because it is a unique opportunity, but also because national economic issues play a big role in the overall social dynamic. That said, I can say the social aspect is stunningly more interesting than the data driven outcomes. When you really dig deep into actual life of the ordinary people in Russia, far away from the geopolitical contexts, you get an entirely different perspective. My worldview of the average Russian person/family has completely changed.
There is a really good thread on how the western sanctions against Russia are having a much lesser impact than initially thought [SEE HERE]. On the economic side, one thing I would point to is how the economy is essentially an outcome of two facets: (1) the internal production strength, and (2) the service side of the ledger.
[READ HERE]
The author makes the accurate point that from a production side perspective, Russia actually has a larger economy now than Germany, the largest EU nation. The cause for this is “autarchy” or self-sufficiency. Indeed, as the timeline of the sanctions closes in on the second year completing, the Russian production economy is even stronger than when the sanctions began. Quite simply, they are making even more of their own goods now.
The sanctions hit what would typically fall into the service side of the economy, as well as financial and economic roadblocks. However, that aspect of the Russian economy was much smaller than most suspected and there were sanctions going back to 2014 which made the outcome of the 2022 western imposed restrictions less impactful.
I will be finishing my review of the economic data once Q3 is over, that will give me an entire year of data to share. However, the social stuff is even more fascinating.
I have a new understanding of why former NSA contractor Edward Snowden was so comfortable using Russia as the place to hide after his release of classified intelligence showing how the U.S. government was spying on Americans via social media and metadata collection.
I have mostly been looking at three areas in Western Russia. Kazan, Moscow and St Petersburg (formerly Leningrad). Of the three generally large metropolitan areas, St Petersburg is by far the most interesting. It’s beautiful there and the city is alive and vibrant.
In many ways you might compare Russia in 2023 to the USA in/around 1988. Life is just not complicated and far more socially engaged.
I’ll have more on this later, but if you are ever bored check out the Russian YouTubers who livestream broadcast “a day-in-the-life” type of activity. The infrastructure is in generally good repair, the people seem warm and friendly and there is a strong social value placed on family and kids.
There are certainly negatives and the cultural dynamic of the former USSR is still evident. Technologically they are somewhat behind in some details, but the overall cohesion of their value system is something I did not fully appreciate until I started down this road of research.
I can see why the average Russian could be wide-eyed during a visit to the USA and fascinated with the overall quality of life that might be considered indulgent. However, I can also see how reciprocally the average American could be wide-eyed and smiling at the overall sense of the Russian people.
Strip out the politics, and we are all much more similar than we are different.
Biden and Democrats Keep Murdering Ukraine’s Soldiers-
It’s Awful! Ukrainian Soldiers “Demining” deep Russian minefields with their bodies.
Russian artillery convoy stretching miles with new artillery/rockets heading to front.
“A Western official told CNN in an article published Tuesday that it’s “extremely” unlikely that Ukraine will make progress in its counteroffensive in the coming weeks that will alter the balance of the war with Russia.
“They’re still going to see, for the next couple of weeks, if there is a chance of making some progress. But for them to really make progress that would change the balance of this conflict, I think, it’s extremely, highly unlikely,” an unnamed senior Western diplomat said.
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) also spoke to CNN about the counteroffensive and said the briefings Congress has received on the assault are “sobering.” He said the situation was the “most difficult time of the war.”
Leading up to the counteroffensive, the Discord leaks and media reports revealed that the US did not believe Ukraine could regain much territory.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Western officials did not think Ukraine had enough weapons or equipment to dislodge Russian forces. But the Biden administration pushed for the assault anyway, as it rejected the idea of a ceasefire.
Ukraine is struggling to break through multiple layers of Russian defense, most notably vast minefields. The Wall Street Journal quoted a Ukrainian platoon commander in an article published Tuesday who said the Ukrainians are “demining the fields with bodies,” demonstrating the massive human cost.
“It’s awful,” the platoon commander said. Another Western diplomat told CNN that Ukraine hasn’t even gotten through Russia’s first defensive line.”
“Even if they would keep on fighting for the next several weeks, if they haven’t been able to make more breakthroughs throughout these last seven, eight weeks, what is the likelihood that they will suddenly, with more depleted forces, make them? Because the conditions are so hard,” the diplomat said.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/cnn-changes-tune-ukraines-counteroffensive-extremely-unlikely-succeed
But the Biden administration pushed for the assault anyway, as it rejected the idea of a ceasefire………..Sounds like Hitler.Their are still so many people pushing for Ukraine and believe they are winning or will!All I have to remember is the second half of the offensive by the Germans in WWII 900,000.0 against a start up 1.5M Russkies after getting their butts handed to them in the first half.Ukraine is doomed sadly for the young men being used as cannon fonder but the MIC/Cabal say walk into the meat grinder.
Until the likes of Ms Linda Graham pick up a weapon and join the frontlines, it’s all BS
Exactly. Unfortunately.
Been following this since it started. There’s plenty of info out there.
About to go on an epic rant because all this “stuff” became too much for me about 3 1/2 years ago. But then I thought why bother, nothing will be done and the miscreants will go on to “greater” things as always.
You’d think we would catch on eventually.
As some wise dude said, “Want the history of mankind? It’s one gang of monkeys beating the hell out of another gang of monkeys”. Sounds about right.
Thankfully, as water seeks its own level and rust never sleeps, the consequences of ignoring reality will hit really hard and when we can least afford it. I look forward to that day.
What is their oft repeated mantra? They will “fight to the last Ukranian.” They really don’t care how many Ukrainians they have to kill. Thier gravy train must be protected.
After they kill the last Ukrainian, they’ll start sending American soldiers.
Poland is busy putting several hundred thousand soldiers on the border with White Russia.
As forecasted long ago, the Poles are next to walk the plank.
But Russia will not be interested in preserving anything about Poland unlike they have been trying not to necessarily completely destroy Ukraine property.
Russia will not nuke the historically Russian Ukraine, but Poland would be another story.
Although there is the matter of Kaliningrad.
And all of their evil deeds!
You probably know C Joe, that the Ukies are not even reaching the first line of the Russian defense. Thier meat assaults are getting zeroed out in the grey zones trying to reach the first line
Exactly! It’s not that the Ukrainians haven’t penetrated the Russian first line of defense because they can’t even get close to the Russian first line of defense!
I understand this at the personal level. Some day when the Neocon wars are extinguished, I would like to visit beautiful St Petersburg.
Me too..
I did. It was awesome.
Me too in 94…..most ..but not all of the people were honest and hardworking. Adored their kids…and like Sundance said they were in awe of what we had here…but very content there. (Exchange program so we lived with families and then they came here)Now that Christianity seems to have had a resurgence, it must have had an effect on those that were raised Communist. I’d like to visit again it was truly a beautiful city.
Now we need to have a STRONGER resurgence of Christianity in our families AND in our public life!!!
I follow a Russian streamer Baklokov dot live.(English Speaking) He does not do politics but he is conservative. Lives in St. Petersburg but travels all over Russia. I have learned much about Russian history. He has been to the US.
Thank you.
I’d love to go during Christmas and New Year’s… coooold, yes… but most beautiful then.
One of the few cities that I really want to check out.
Why wait? I am personally planning to go as soon as I can swing it! I want to experience it before the door closes by the US.
Well, as someone whose earnings has fallen since the Fauci/Biden jab mandate, at present I am shepherding my resources for more immediate needs.
Someday…
In 2005 I spent 4 months in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Both are beautiful cities.
The people I met were extraordinary people.
Very kind.
Was in Yekaterinburg and Moscow in ’97 for an adoption and the host families and translator were awesome. The infrastructure was hurting in some aspects, but the people were genuine and working to improve their situations. Would be curious to see the same places today & how they are getting along.
It will be much nicer than Detroit, Chicago, Philly, NY, SF etc etc
THAT is a HUGE understatement!
Seriously, I remember wondering as a young child under my school desk, if Russian students were under their desks also. All the while thinking could we be the bad guys. I just didn’t know. Then our President got assassinated. I was devastated.
Our president got assassinated because he was thinking as you are
You do not need to watch all 20+ minutes to realize that San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit, Philadelphia, Saint Louis, New York City, et al. are embarrassments.
Moscow at night 3 weeks ago:
You do not need to watch all 20+ minutes to realize that San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit, Philadelphia, Saint Louis, New York City, et al. are embarrassments.
Moscow at night 3 weeks ago:
Sanctions? We don’ know notheeng about no steenkeeng sanctions!!!
No Trannies??? Ha ha must be Nice!
Those girls do not seem unreal! 🙂
I do not understand the doubling above, but…oh well! 🙂
I date a Russian woman attending University Cincinnati during my divorced years. Said most American men were fat. She was slim and fit and liked me partially because at that time so was I. Stunningly beautiful legs and her Russian girl friends also. Why such beautiful legs I ask? “Because Russian women walk everywhere. She thought nothing of walking 5 klicks in heels.
She told me one of the most deadly insults in Russia was to be called “uncultured”.
Women appear to outnumber men 10 to 1. With those demographics bearing down on you, even Lindsay Graham would have to say, “I do!”
I highly doubt those women would bother!
We have a problem “race” and problem political party
It’s not a race(s), it’s just “teens”, “youths” and the banksters (mostly of one tribe)
I want to know the story behind the girl riding with bareback pad in downtown Moscow!
They are not fat. No GMO food.
Are you tired of seeing Americans with 48 + inch waists waddling around? People 30 to 100 pounds overweight are numerous everywhere.
A few days ago I happened to drive past a woman literally 4 to 5 feet wide: she was sitting in and filling up a 3-person swing in her side yard, her stomach hung down to her knees in folds.
Easily 500 pounds, and she was not particularly old: late 30’s or 40’s.
I suppose you can find large Russians, but what is the percentage?
“...In 2016 Russia (with 23.1 percent) was ranked 70th in the world in the adult obesity chart while the U.S. was ranked 12th (36.2 percent)….”
See:
https://www.rbth.com/lifestyle/329974-obesity
Finland is the same, short on porkers! And the keep in shape, my friend goes walking a lot, and I do to when over there.
That was noticeable No Fat People and peaceful crowds without apparent Crime, assaults, etc.
genearly.substack.com
Yes. No shrieking, profanity, brawling – ending with random gunfire. If you get my drift.
They look healthy.
much less seed oils – canola, soy, omega 3’s – also
OK, let’s understand one thing… the Russkies are homogeneous.
Like back in ’90 when I first took my wife to the Old Country. It was during the Feasts of our part of the City… so my cousins took us to an evening/night party in one of the old squares… it was filled with people. having a great time, with bands…
My wife took a look around and told me: “Hey, they ALL look like you”.
Yep. They all looked like me.
Now, over in the US, it’s different. We are all different and yet alike. So, the people are all different and yet alike. And THAT is what I love about the USA.
Who would have tought, when I was a kid growing up, that someday I’d be in the US with an extended family that hails from three continents… I’d say that the Sun Never Sets on the people I’m nowadays related to.
Sure, there are some people.. some “groups of people” that have been made entitled by the Fascists in our Government, and they -and the Gov- are a problem, but the People… naw, they are fine.
Gotta go make dinner… japanese rice and stir Spam with yaki soba..
Oiishi des.
A Salud!
Nice story! Thank you! 🙂
Thanks…. or like when my wife took me first to HER Old Country.
They all looked alike too. 😉
The food was great.
Tonight’s stir fry was brilliant, if I may so. I mixed yaki soba with champuru…( minus the goya ). I think my cooking would be a hit in Russia too. 😉
Whoa! I was told the Russians were doing well. They’ve coming a long way since the 90s.
Didn’t they get the diversity memo?
recently brought 3,000 white african farmers to the motherland unlike usa
Live video shows much the same.
https://www.webcamtaxi.com/en/russia/saint-petersburg/metro-gostiny-dvor.html
Alex of the Duran is in Moscow. Here’s just your average night in Moscow 3 min video. He did one yesterday walking around talking about issues. Looking for it now. The area was beautiful.
https://theduran.locals.com/upost/4406273/eventyon-pasta-party-in-moscow
I have been watching his recent videos from Moscow and St. Petersburg which have shown many scenes from those cities. I am impressed with the cleanliness, the absence of homeless, the literal space for walking around, and the appreciation of Russians for their history and their monuments.
I do think though that there are a lot of alcoholics in Russia. Those cold winters and vodka!
Russians and Americans likely have more in common than Europeans and Americans. After the collapse of the Soviet Union we had an opportunity to assist Russia in getting on their feet economically and partner together to dominate the world both economically and militarily. Russia and the U.S. are the only major countries that can prosper without the need for any significant foreign trade. Together, we would be unstoppable. Unfortunately, our government under Bush 1 and Clinton decided stupidly that we should go it alone. How is that working out for us?
Oh, we assisted Russia all right…..LOL! Under a Harvard devised plan for the Soviet Union to move from communism to capitalism, we helped them right into poverty, cultural chaos, and plundered everything we could get our hands on. Americans and western Europeans made billions on Russia. When Yelsin put Vladimir Putin into the presidency, the country was close to economic collapse. His election in 2000 started a real comeback of the country.
In 2014, Sharon Tennison, an American who had worked in Russia over the previous 30 years, spoke of what she has seen as she traveled around Russia, “It is astounding to me how much progress Russia has made in the past 14 years since an unknown man with no experience walked into Russia’s presidency and took over a country that was flat on its belly.”
The US cannot forgive him that success. He is the most vilified human being in the western media.
“Shock Therapy” didn’t work. What a shock 😉
And Trump with no experience in politics did the same, butt they are deemed the evil ones.
The Davos banksters had it in mind to divvy up the continent for resource exploitation, like has been done for hundreds of years in Africa, but the Russian people have been fighting off invaders for a thousand years, so they failed.
Puting getting rid of the oligarchs was a major deal. Now the roles are reversed and the American oligarchs – Soros, Fink, wall street are bringing ruin to US.
You sure? I thought PDJT held that spot! They HATE the two of them!!!
Exactly as The Powers That Be planned for it to work out.
There are no accidents in politics.
Perfect! Yes!
The real, underlying problem is the Bankers, and all the corruption.
That being said, I STILL can’t stand demoncrats, who only want power and have been working on getting it for a LONG time!!!
Maybe cuz we still get like 50% of our uranium from Russia still? Could be a factor 🤷🏼♀️
Is that 50% that was previously sold via Uranium One?
One might be surprised at the number of Central European and Russians that
have headed back to or their homeland, or are planning to.
We have travelled a fair bit, and no longer care to. One exception would be taking a trip to Russia.
Maybe one day soon..
Greater Vancouver is home to tens of thousands of such individuals.
At the Canadian Trucker Rally’s the most vociferous anti Trudeau attendees were Czechs, Poles and Hungarians.
They have seen this “dance “before.
Cheers!
Agreed Dekester. One of my most memorable moments was an early morning Sunday. My wife and I were looking for truckers that were isolated and in need of the car load of supplies we had brought up. The police had ensured trucks were parked in small groups all over the city. It was a cruel tactic to wear down the truckers’ resolve. Nobody in govt understood the fortitude of their spirits. Hundreds of people stopped and gave out supplies and letters of thanks. Each trucker still has the hundreds of letters and pictures saved away.
At any rate we spent a Sunday morning with a group I believe from Hungary. They were heating red wine over a small propane heater. Sipping on it they told us of the communist overtones of Trudeau. Insightful time.
I met one women who had been at Tiananmen Square. Again. She did not need to be coached on freedom.
Russia seems to be a place where sanity still abounds. I’m so fed up some days with trying here in Canada. The grind of taxes upon taxes upon taxes makes me wonder why I work so viciously to get ahead.
Stay the course good sir
DD
Cheers to you!
“ Stay the Course “ if I remember correctly is the motto of a Carnoustie Scotland.
A course 5 miles from my hometown, and a course I played numerous times.
Attending truckers rally’s here in Greater Vancouver was a truly spiritual.
Cheers!
One of my closest friends, is from The Czech Republic. His family and several others ran from the Soviet Union, when they were behind the wall in the 70’s.
My friends parents and some of their community say the same thing. They hear the lies and the venom spewed by the Governments of the West. They have seen it, and heard it before, right? His father calls Castro Jr, is an outright Communist actor. 😉
Speaking of the truck protests…my own view of it is always a reminder to me, how far we have fallen.
The Convoy rolled through our little City, of 52,000 people, late one evening. It was -34 Celsius….
I will never forget that sight, for the rest of my life. There was easily 10,000 people lining highway 17, all with flags, waving in the air, and boxes upon boxes of supply’s sitting with them. Everyone seemed to have the look of hope, and support, if that can be seen in facial expressions.
When the truckers stopped at the 7 sets of lights that run through town, the people were running up to them and giving them coffee, food, you name it, they were getting it. It was something that is hard to put into words……I felt so damn proud of the Canadian patriots, for the first time in a very long time. I was never so proud of my new city, and man, it sent chills up my spine…..
What went on for that time is unprecedented, and most people have never watched the video’s or the live streams, of the many on the ground during the entire protest. It was something to see, for sure.
When I watched the jackboots moving in, and arresting Pat King and George, and then moving on the larger groups, I knew that the true face of fascism, had just stepped out of the darkness. The jackboots seemed like automatons. So many of them with covered faces, many didnt speak English…..to this day Im convinced that foreign mercenaries or rented soldiers were flown in to deal with the protest. One of my childhood friends is an Ottawa Police Officer, he had a lot to say, when around the boys, about it all. There was so many lies being told…unreal guys. Unbelievable insanity….
There was that BS that they used UN troops to crush the protests, some said there were UN planes in my city, which is 4 hours from Ottawa, that were the aircraft used to fly them in. At the time, I just drove up there and took some pics, posted them around to show that they had been there for years, an aviation company was refurbishing them, as they have that contract. ( I also was on the paving crew 1 year previous, having repaved the crosswinds runway, and had seen them there, and they hadnt moved. ) Im not sure of they were foreign, but they didnt talk much, that I recall.
It was a good time, and at the same time, soul wrenching. It was then I saw the best of Canadians, and how many millions had had enough. But at the same time, it was so very sad to see the police, playing the hands of the sick SOB’s in charge now….
The media said they were small protests….when there were actually millions….
Its a life long memory, and I truly hope, we get our country back, without people getting hurt. The crushing of dissent never ends well. Many people think Canada is full of liberal leftist A-holes. Ill be the one to tell them, no, it is not.
As with other Western Govts, the left has the TV, the institutions, education, and the levers of power, and most of all, a compliant lap dog media, and they control the message and how loud it is.
They stole our election too, we are all under the same boot.
Stay safe all.
Peace to Dan and Deke. I feel ya boys, I feel ya…..
Terrific post!
Many Americans underestimate Canadians resolve.
Frankly the U.S. had nothing on we Canadians
when it came to protesting lockdowns etc.
Here in B.C. my wife a grandmother and her childhood best friend both in their mid sixties, attended numerous anti lockdown events.
Neither had ever before protested anything in their lives
The scenes at the U.S. border in South Surrey were underreported by politicians and media, as it was growing or rival that of Ottawa.
Thousands of us peacefully occupied the main truck crossing for days before the RCMP closed us down.
However we attended a major intersection nearby for days afterwards.
Flags a flying, and good cheer among all.
Cheers!
Hopefully PP turns the CUCKservatives around, so I can vote for them again. Andy scheep and erin O’Stool were as useless as T’s on a bull.
Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Polly is nothing more than a member of the uni-party.
His globalist buddies love him.
His woke policy’s? He doesn’t step away from the lefts platform on it all, and he certainly loves Ukraine and giving them more of the money we do not have.
He is a snake.
They ARE all snakes, except President Trump, in the West….
That is a sad, crappy fact of where we all sit.
Under the same dang boots, as everyone else. It sucks, but that is where we are.
Polly is a squishy, liberal lite, clown.
PPC/Max says some good stuff, but he has also been associated with the globalists. He represents the bottle of vote draino to swing votes away from CPC, to let Castro Jr win.
They are all corrupt, every dang one of them!
Trust Trump, no one else!
The Institute of Financial Studies predicted a 15% fall in GDP. A Yale study went even farther, arguing that Russia had lost foreign business presence in the country that accounted for 40% of its GDP, and that there was “no path out of economic oblivion for Russia.” Instead, Russian GDP declined only 2.1% in 2022, a mild recession by emerging market standards.
Proving for the umpteenth time that economic models based upon simplistic garbage economic theory and fed garbage data at too few data points produce garbage outputs.
Do you recall the early computer-programming abbreviation G.I.G.O. ?
Garbage In, Garbage Out!
Speaking of computer models: 3 hours ago a computer model of local weather predicted 80% chance of “heavy rain” within 30 minutes.
30 minutes!!!
No rain yet, and they changed the model, because the front split and stayed mainly south. Now the prediction is for 30% chance of light rain.
So much for models based on complex phenomena or human behavior!
Do you recall the early computer-programming abbreviation G.I.G.O. ?
Yep, I’ve written programs in various languages since I wrote FORTRAN programs while in high school to “run” in my head since the school in an upper middle class town didn’t have a computer. Back then, they were all mainframes.
The forecast here is a lot like that, garbage.
Was another business unit dude (heavy NY accent), asked me about various forecasts about snow around here (mountains to the north and east of town close as well as another range 75 miles west (western slope of CO).
Told him a weather rock is the best forecast here as whatever the government is forecast is wrong, they just change it once it has already changed, temp, rain, snow fall expectations, all I can do is point and laugh at the hubris.
That and mountains make their own weather, I watched the Collegiate peaks (14,000 ft + peaks) as a lighting and thunder and downpour hit the peaks of Antero & Princeton from about 10 – 15 miles south, not a cloud in the sky and sunny as the storm raged at the top.
You don’t say
Here’s another video of Alex of The Duran. He’s in Moscow reporting on current events and walking through the city to gorky Park, which he claims is the most beautiful park in the world. The video is 40 minutes. Use fast speed if you only want to see the city. Go to his Locals channel for more vis from Moscow.
https://theduran.locals.com/upost/4395329/elensky-jet-pilot-niger-ecowas-weighs-options-christie-its-my-life-justin-team-barbie-u-1
Jeffrey Sachs and Alex Mercouris discuss how the United States provoked the war in Ukraine and ignored Russia’s repeated offers (incredibly reasonable!) to resolve the issues without taking an inch of Ukraine-
A Must Watch Video
https://www.youtube.com/live/dkrQokUYMmY?feature=share
Will watch. TY CJ.
My husband and I hosted a Russian lady in 2018…. my husband had gotten to know her through his furniture mfg job…she was a sales rep he was upper management….she stayed a weekend with us and we had the best time! Russians who grew up during the Soviet times are still a bit fearful of what gubmint can do to citizens but they are nearly as happy with life as are Americans.
Here’s another video (25 min) of Alex of The Duran reporting on current events while walking throughout Moscow. the scenery is beautiful. Fast forward if you aren’t interested in the news but just want to see the scenery!
https://theduran.locals.com/upost/4391422/elensky-peace-is-russia-defeat-niger-gives-france-30-days-borrell-free-grain-or-dignity-u-1
I watch Alex everyday!
Quite a few people have attempted
to duplicate his walk and talk but just
don’t seem to be on the same level ….
I believe he is the best to watch.
Levan Gudadze was on The Duran
and I started listening/watching him
in the morning. He is Georgian journalist
who is currently in Ossetia (?) Russia.
He has started doing walk and talk at
least once a week. He is getting the
feel of it—and has been getting better
at it. It is interesting to watch.
Battlefield Ukraine, UAE Peace Initiative, Western arms makers top $200 billion, Falling Ruble…
👆👆click to watch Levan Gudadze Rumble
Hey 4gypsy, Yesterday Alex is really good. Glad to hear your thoughts on Levan Gudadze. I somehow stumbled onto his channel. He wasn’t walking yet. Just sitting and talking. I felt he was new, but has something to offer. New is good. It’s real. Will get back to watch his walking & reporting. thanks again!
They have low fertility and high substance abuse and HIV rates. It’s not America 1988.
Please give your source for this information.
Russian society has its problems. Every society does.
Yet even accounting for the fact some of those broadcasting from Russia may be trying to show Russian cities in the best possible light, there is a stark difference between Russian cities and American and European cities. The former are clean, the latter are decaying.
The overall impression is that Russian have control over the problems in cities, while in the West the problems have control over cities.
Apparently some of their politicians might be corrupt. That is what our politicians tell us. LOL.
Psychological Projection?
ROFLOL!!! Projection much?
ALL developed countries have low fertility and high substance abuse rates. All of them. Russia is not an outlier. Neither is the USA. The leading cause of death in the USA these days is drug abuse, mostly Fentanyl.
Yes. The children of God are spiritually connected regardless of their home country. The next year and a half are going to be tough. Take care of each other.
I feel this every morning when I wake up, when I go to bed, and in between–the anticipation of events, the need to say it out loud, and the need to look out for one another.
Amen.
Russian Economy Under Sanctions
From Sputnik news a good updated flow of sanctions and economic Russian news.
Latest article.
American Farmer: Russia to Become World’s Number One Agricultural Powerhouse
I will leave this astute article here for anyone who wishes to read it, written by Andrei at the now defunct and greatly missed The Saker.
It is a remarkable analysis of the US Military Industrial Complex’s war against the Russian people and Putin, even though time has passed since it was penned.
In fact and in my opinion, the more time which has gone by, the more accurate his overview is.
Not for nothing was this site’s subtitle “A Bird’s Eye View”.
” The Most Important Question”
https://thesaker.is/the-most-important-question/
Seems Andrei has a few health issues (who doesn’t), he also was worried about his and family due to what he was printing. His family were all citizens but he had not gone that route.
His home is on the gulf coast and like the other was damaged heavily, then the kicker, he was staying with friends on the east coast when the next storm came thru here.
I do miss reading the different views, not that I agreed at times, but it was an insight. Read that Gonzalo was caught trying to cross out of Ukieland.
As I posted below this Andrei is now a daily read
https://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/
I knew hos health had deteriorated, and I knew about the hurricane damage…but I was unaware of his immigration status. Surely a permanent or family green card?
At any rate, Edink, his views I sincerely looked forward to; and his was the only site where I could listen to Putin’s speeches in whole (at the time).
It’s a shame…or a tragedy…that most Americans have no idea that there are others in this world who have trenchant opinions and different views of world affairs, often as they are smack dab in the middle of them. It helps to get information from all sides.
I do thank you for this link. I’ll pray his poor health has been restored to good, either in part or in whole. And that life has been kinder to him and his family.
Shakespeare said it best…
“Troubles come not single spies, but in battalions.”
For too many this isn’t just a line in a play, but a terrible reality.
I fear the worst for Gonzalo🙏🏻
I have a food for thought saying I have come to understand about Russians preservance born out of their shared experience over decades of life under the Soviet model.
Call it a culturally developed if and ego.
It is a pretty broad bush.
However, I think it very insightful on character
A russian can exist on eating their own fingernails if they have too to survive, and still come after you if pushed.
For what it worth, right or wrong. All I am saying, if the West thinks sanctions are raising to the levels of scarcities many of those 40-60 years old who have first hand experienced under 1970’s Soviet central command economy, and forget about anyone with direct
memory of the great patriotic struggle and 1950’s cold war embrace of Soviet ideology.
There is another side to this statement. One much more sublime.
Who wants to exists on finger nails. Therefore by extension. Knowing how to game the system to your ends is a rather refined art form for many.
Here is an real first hand observation.
In late Soviet times burnt out lightbulbs sold for 50 kopeks. Why?
Answer and understand that and you will understand more about their character of resourcefulness, than reading anything else put out by Russian academics.
…put out by by Russian Experts.
Guesses: 1. The bulbs could be used as vessels?
2. The filaments could be repaired?
3. There is a household use for ground up glass?
4. The metal could be melted down?
I give up. What’s the answer? 🤔
I have an inkling.
In the Soviet system, everything was rationed.
If you knew where bad bulbs were more regularly replaced because of higher priority locations getting them first, what’s stopping someone from swapping their bad bulbs for the good ones 1:1?
Nope, lightbulbs cost a lot money in Soviet times.
Taking a workiightbulb from the public areas of a housing project and replacing it with a burnt out bulb.
Would eventually see the bulb replaced by the State.
So, by repeating that, you could build an inventory of good bulbs to replace the ones your in home that burnt out, or trade/barter the good bulbs for other essentials.
When the Soviets relaxed laws legalizing street vending, a burnt out light bulb had a market value.
Fascinating. Thanks!
By buying a bad bulb you could take a good bulb from the State. Rise and repeat. Soon, you had an inventory of good bulbs to blackmarket to far off regions where allotment of centralized production was under serving.
The more bulbs taken, the more these underserved regions were allotted less production. Thus increasing the value of burnt out bulb.
The application of this principle even entered into the officialdom.
When a central planing of State sits down to figure out production needs to produce soap. It goes something like this studies show each household needs 20 bars of soap per year. They do the math and come with a production target for the amount of soap. It gets shipped around the State according to population.
Problem is if your community value to the State is the mining of coal.
Well, you can where I am going with.
You need more soap than the State’s quota of 20 bars per year per household
The Party’s solution… “A dirty miner is a productive miner.”
The same applies to laundry.
This the type of generational conditioning that cultured resourcefulness.
These are just two of the many stories I was told by an exchange student that dormed with me.
When we both moved off the campus, I caught him installing a device on the electric meter he had built.
When I asked what he was up to. He said, “Do think electricity was provided free under communism? This device runs off our metered use by running the meter backwards during the night.”
Been reading this for quite awhile.
This man lives in the Pacific Northwest, one thing that must be understood he has no use for the neocons of “the west” US or Europe. He dislikes all of our presidents some more than others, read there is no pretending. He also has ZERO use for the media and the talking head “experts.”
It takes awhile to get used to his accent but, his knowledge of English is excellent and has published numerous books and always is working on another.
He mentioned the other day that he started the blog years back and the hits are just going skyward, another note was that the site is not monetized.
Andrei Martyanov’s Blog
https://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/
Enjoy the Friday music videos.
I love Andrei! He has a thick accent but uses subtle humor. Very brilliant man!
Andrei was talking about the Russian economy post sanctions a couple months back, actually he does it weekly.
A this time thou he pointed out that the Russian government looked at the sanctions of the oligarchs and seizure of their play toys as a gift from the west.
The government didn’t like the crooked deals and money leaving the homeland.
Now with sanctions these same individuals have had their avenues of profit limited, as such they are investing in infrastructure, commercial building, and housing.
A win for the people of Russia.
He is good when he stays in his lane, but he has said many derogatory things about VSG. Many of his ignorant posters do too.
It’s interesting how someone can be such an expert in one area but be complete idiots in another.
He just does not understand, ironically, about the economic nationalism Pres T has as his primary focus. Since Putiin/Russia have that same view it’s just weird that he is so blind.
In fact Martyanov does the same thing in that regard as he points out about the deficiency in American military thinking.
If anyone posts over there you should tell him to pull his head out of his….regarding Pres T. Tell him to spend a couple weeks in the Treehouse.
So what are we doing when we impose economic sanctions on Russia? We are making their economy stronger of course. Think back to the early Republic. What did Hamilton do to strengthen manufacturing? He imposed tariffs, so that no one could afford to buy anything made by industrial nations. Same effect as sanctions.
Although these sanctions are “service” based rather than “production” based so they are even less effective.
Just found this, just posting, did not author.
If this is true and happens it will effect more than one economy, Kinda goes with the thread from yesterday.
JPMorgan is going to collapse next year.
Jes Staley the former CEO of Barclays has nuclear level evidence that JPMORGAN has been facilitating and running multiple child prostitution rings for at least the last 20 years.
Jes Staley is currently underground and only showing up via telephone or tele-video to court he is spending every single cent he has to take down JPMorgan and he already has the goods; transactions, names, locations, he has it all.
It all started last year when an AG in the US Virgin Islands went rogue and filed a lawsuit against JPMORGAN in relation to Jeffrey Epsteins long standing account at the bank.
Immediately the same night at around 10PM Joe Biden flew into St. Croix and fired the AG the same day the lawsuit was filed.
The plan was for the replacement AG to “play out” the case in court but the media picked up on it and it was making Jamie Dimon (CEO of JPMORGAN) look bad.
His ego got the best of him and he concocted a plan to shift the media storm to Jes Staley who was already disgraced for his dealings with Epstein years prior and had already lost his job at Barclays and as a top level executive at JPMORGAN.
What Jamie Dimon didn’t know is that Jes Staley had enough evidence to take the entire bank down and the only reason he wasn’t pushing it was because he was being left alone.
He is now on the warpath after Jamie Dimon pulled him into the lawsuit and tried to pin the blame on him.
Probable but sources are needed to verify this type of post.
True,
It’s just one of those things that if it does happen it’s another one of those—damn conspiracy theories that turns out to be not a theory.
Hope they get taken down.
Yeah, all those darn conspiracy theories that end up being conspiracy facts!
I believe it!
Yeah this sort of information just doesn’t excite jaded me anymore
About 3 years ago a “whislteblower” not as well known as Edward Snowden defected from a law enforcement position here in the US and he was writing blogs and showing videos of his new life in Russia. Sorry I don’t recall his name or exact circumstances; just that I was awestruck at the time that anyone would prefer Russia over the US.
Makes a lot more sense now that you’ve confirmed it, Sundance. “They” (the powers that be) wouldn’t want us to realize that we have so much in common with Russia. Makes you wonder if they’ve deliberately set Russia up as the “baddie” to keep us from becoming better friends.
At this point I trust Putin over Biden any day.
Keeping America and Russia from being friendly reminds me too much of the European politics of the 1850’s or 60’s.
Yup Russia helped out keeping the City of London out of the Confederacy during the civil war. Them trying again to do their divide and conquer thing.
Putin says much the same about the commonalities between our “regular folks” populations. He gets it, and many of his speeches allude to his respect for, and love of, the regular folks of America.
He knows that the Empire of Lies government isn’t us. Why wouldn’t he, better even than most, know the reality of this?
Snowden did not choose to end up in Russia. He was heading to Ecuador when his passport was canceled and he ended up trapped in the Moscow airport.
In June 2013, Edward Snowden flew from Hong Kong to Moscow’s airport on the way to Ecuador (the country whose embassy in London had been giving refuge to Julian Assange). Enroute, his passport was canceled leaving him trapped in the Moscow airport’s transit area for 39 days.
Eventually he was given one year temporary asylum by Russia. At the end of the year, he was given a 3 year temporary asylum and eventually permanent asylum.
A love story — his girlfriend left America to join him in exhile in Russia.
For the first few years I feared that at some point (altho no extradition treaty) that Putin would eventually trade him for someone we held of value.
For awhile he held out hope he would be able to return to the U.S. to stand trial, which he was willling to do, but the U.S. government would not agree to promise that. Not sure what they planned to do to him if not a trial.
At any rate, he finally accepted he would never be able to return and applied for Russian citizenship and recently received it. He and his now-wife have a baby and I hope they are making a happy life for themselves.
Never say never
A little addendum — the hunt for Snowden was insanely intense.
At one point they suspected Snowden might be onboard the plane of Bolivian President Morales who was returning home after meetings in Moscow on energy inports. The booked presidential flight path crossed Europe. Italy, Spain and Portugal closed their airspace to the flight forcing President Morales’ plane to land in Austria,where the plane was boarded and searched (no Snowden).
Imagine if another country had done that to Airforce One with a U.S president onboard.
Ecuador who had initially offered asylum, rescinded it after brutal economic threats from the U.S.
Sundance very spot on.
the people seem warm and friendly and there is a strong social value placed on family and kids.
There are certainly negatives and the cultural dynamic of the former USSR is still evident. Technologically they are somewhat behind in some details, but the overall cohesion of their value system is something I did not fully appreciate until I started down this road of research.
Makes for a very interesting compare and contrast analysis when you rip any headline vaulting woke identity ahead of the family in social media circles in the States. The average Russian must be going WTF. The culture has to be going off the rails
Please explain why they lag in technology. What type of technology? With all the US and EU technology we are not doing that well, crime, drug abuse, LGBTQ, pedophelia, etc. Maybe we would be better off without so much technology?
Did no one in government pay attention to Putin when he said after the last sanctions, “Russia will not be in this position again. We will make our own swiss cheese and everything else. Sanctions will no longer be able to take Russia down.” He meant it. Putin is all about Russia First.
Everybody knew the sanctions would not work except the a&&e& who imposed them.
I have been watching a lot of live videos taken on the streets of Moscow and St. Petersburg over the last few weeks. Clean cities. Relaxed and pleasant conversations. No graffiti. No tribal barbarians attacking old people. No car-jackings by feral teens… no muggings or purse-stealing. Men and women seem well-behaved and nicely dressed.
The subways of Moscow are stunning. They are brightly-lighted, spotless and adorned with art and statues.
An evening stroll along the Moscow River on a Saturday at dusk finds clusters of contented singles and families laughing and enjoying the evening. They have children and babies in tow, and in strollers, safely enjoying the evening by the river.
The propaganda of a corrupt American government cannot erase what your own eyes can see. Russia is unlike what the criminals running America are desperately trying to paint it. Russia is the exact opposite of what the organized crime syndicate in American government has deliberately unleashed upon decent Americans.
Look at the filthy streets and sidewalks in the cities of the USA. Look at the human derelicts and the stinking, human waste carelessly dropped on the sidewalks of urban America. Look at the railroad freight lines running out of Los Angeles, California, with miles of trash beside the tracks from stolen and pilfered boxes of freight looted from trains as hard evidence unchallenged savages control America’s cities.
Which of these nations is civilized?
Our beloved America has become an open sewer overrun by lawless, thieving zombies.
There is no mystery as to which country, Russia or the USA, is in its last days.
They are also passing anti-groomer, pedophile, homo laws. Trying to keep that form of rot out.
Hmm… look at Orange County, CA. Not bad either… but we don’t have many Democrats running anything around here.
Of course! Russia was always a huge exporter of food and raw materials, more than self sufficient. They have a broad manufacturing base, albeit largely outdated, going back to the Soviet era. Anything else they might need in the way of manufactured goods they can easily buy straight from the largest manufacturing economy in the world – their ally China.
What little seeps through the heavily censored / controlled western main stream media propaganda outlets indicates the eastern front lines are a killing field – untold THOUSANDS of Ukie’s killed in just days of any counterattack. Kiev using their Kommissar’s and schutzstaffel equivalent SBU in the rear guard to execute soldiers and officers who refuse to go on these suicide attacks against the heavily fortified Russians. Best hope for a Ukie is to surrender to Russians and hope to wait out the madness of Kiev and D.C.
The Russian people and government are NOT our enemy. Our biggest enemy is our own government and the people who control it like Soros, Fink, Blackrock, Vanguard and Slate Street. And let’s not discount the enemy our media has become.
Sundance I got down a wonderful rabbit hole, watching current Russian popular music videos a few weeks ago. Everything you say here is evident in even their alternative and indie band music, and videos. They really do love their country, and family… and some might even see the joy of Christ in their faces.
A big difference I noticed compared with current Western popular music videos is the distinct lack of Satanic symbolism and ribald debauchery. Sure, there’s sexy people, and a bit of lustiness, but somehow they keep it wholesome — as if there’s a transcendent reason for beauty and sex: the resultant family and, in direct effect, nation.
A lot of videos feature drone footage of Russia’s gorgeous natural landscapes too. They really do seem to be happier people. Some might reflexively say it’s propaganda — everything Russian individuals do, even on YouTube, is propaganda, amiright?
I don’t think it is. Surely less so than the demonic crap that passes for popular music videos in the Empire of Lies.
There were not any smiling Russians when I was there in 94. Subways were immaculate and silent….no one spoke or looked at each other. Inside their apartments is where you saw smiling and interaction. An older Russian gentleman actually yelled at us for being too loud in the Moscow train station. I’m so happy to see these videos of the Russian people now.
Backyard Russia is a YouTube Channel of a young Australian family which moved to Siberia. The videos are sometimes rough but seeing the slice of life of theses ex-pats in Russia is very interesting. The last few postings have been their visit to Moscow and an interview with another ex-pat where they explain their reasons for emigrating to Russia. I don’t think there is any propaganda in these videos.
Here’s a conspiracy theory. Since the Nulandnites are hell bent to kill every Ukrainian man, will the Ukraine become the first country to consist of and be completely run by lesbians and trans ?
It won’t be a nation for much longer, but absorbed into several neighboring nations. Save your maps and globes.
i can envision it becoming a preferable place to be. it might not be far off.
500 Days of sanctions – YouTube
👆👆click above to link. Siberian Freedom
The architecture is breathtaking.
This is channel of Australian homestead
farm family who has decided to move to
Russia.
One video was a visit with a family who
moved from Russian large city to rural
Russia. During the visit they saw small
houses and probably 1-2 acres that were
for sale. Break the cost into USD—
$1,642.00 for it.
Russia is encouraging immigration.
Can we move to a rural Russian village – YouTube
👆👆👆 visit with the rural family. Siberian Freedom
The question and answer with the
couple is definitely worth watching.
A lot of wisdom……
Bearly Speaking at the Russian Economic Forum – YouTube
👆👆 Siberian Freedom
The father spoke regarding promoting
how to make information available
to those who are interested in immigration.
At some point in the future when we’re no longer able to bully other countries, the rest of the world is going to sanction the heck out of us.
And, like the Russians, we’ll be better off for it.
Very interesting Sundance. Most Americans don’t give a second thought to other countries. Since roaming Europe and the near East during the 60’s as a college kid I became interested in other peoples and read international news even to this day.
The Ruskies are fine.
So are the Americans.
The problem…. are the Self Absorbed Financial Rulers of the West and their tools, the Fascist Governments.
IF the West WAS serious about impacting the Russian Economy, they’d become Energy Independent as Pres. Trump made the USA did in his Administration.
White people killing white people Dems love it
Andrei Martyanov at
https://smoothiex12.blogspot.com does cogent a alysis.
Primarily in military affairs but some good insights in what he calls “real economy” .
Frankly, Russia is ozzie and harriet America while America is communist Russia.
Actually heard a fox news idiot call Putin a communist today. Reminded me about this famous set of pictures from several years ago, comparing the people on a Russian train commuting to work and the people on an American train commuting to work. The Americans were all looking at phones or eating. All the Russians were reading books. Explains a LOT!
Used to ride a commuter train in to Boston. Seemed like everybody bought newspapers to read and most people left it behind trashing the train.
“Actually heard a Fox News idiot call Putin a communist “
Your description of the Fox News pundit idiot is
so true.
The majority —probably 95%- are as dumb
as a box of rocks. Take the news-prompter
away and I have met 12 year olds who
are smarter.
This depopulation of the Donbas by NATO using Russia as their cover continues apace.
I have also often thought of Edward Snowden with all the talk about Russia and some of the videos posted here about St Petersburg. It looks pretty clean, safe and nice from the outside. Too bad Julian Assange could not escape there as well.
Robert Malone was talking the other day and he said also “You see, I thought we were the good guys.” regarding the vaccines and what has happened to change his perspective.
Please. Malone is up to his eyeballs in it – his cold, empty doll’s eyes. Don’t buy into anything he says.
Malone told us about the vaccine’s dangers. He blew the whistle on mRNA. He grew up in California near the beach and he raises horses.
He may have been in it when he believed we were the good guys, but he is not in it now.
I don’t know if our ‘vaunted’ weapons would have ever been too much for the Russians to handle. Nor do I know if we could have ever destroyed Putin with sanctions. But in both cases we have piecemealed the attacks in such a way that they could prepare themselves and neutralize our threats.
Just as we have sent in our intelligence, then a few antitank and antiairplane man carried rockets, then a few artillery pieces, then a few Hymars, then a few Patriots, then a few tanks, we have been gradually increasing sanctions and also showed how far we will go with places like Iran. And just as Russia has learned to cope with each weapon system, they have learned how to cope with each sanction, and they have had almost a decade to prepare for our ‘ultimate’ sanctions.
But I am convinced that the Biden brain trust (now that’s an oxymoron) thought they could win a bloodless war with sanctions. So they egged Putin into attacking, offered asylum to Z, which would have guaranteed Putin’s victory, and unleashed the nuclear version of sanctions to make Putin pay for attacking.
But Z wouldn’t quit, the sanctions failed, and Putin started winning, forcing them to gradually up the ante by throwing weapons (and forces) in in a piecemeal fashion to prevent Z from losing. We fund Ukraine to keep it from collapsing. We fund Ukraine’s war to keep their forces from collapsing. Likewise we give them weapons. And desperately try to keep Ukraine in this war until the last Ukrainian dies.
It is a crackpot scheme gone deadly awry. Built on arrogance and egotistic feelings of invincibility. And now they are desperate not to lose and still too arrogant to stop it and sue for peace.
The Russians are never going to agree to any “suit for peace” that is on Western terms. They will only issue terms of surrender. (Which terms are likely not to involve “the entire territory now known as ‘Ukraine.'”)
Western sanctions have told other countries that if they don’t toe the West’s lines, then they may face similar sanctions. That is leading the rest of the world to find ways to be less vulnerable to sanctions. The most notable move has been the formation and likely expansion of the BRICS coalition and the creation of a new trading currency based on gold and commodities. That will severely weaken the US dollar as the reserve currency of world trade, especially oil. The Biden administration threw away American energy independence on day one of taking office and they are still making us more dependent on our enemies for oil. Our $31 trillion national debt is partly financed by foreign nations buying US treasuries. If they bail out, as is happening, our national debt, a cool $250,000 per taxpayer, is going to put the US economy in a precarious state.
Sanctions have also forced the world to take sides. The US, Britain and the EU are on one side, and the rest of the world is on the side of Russia or staying neutral. China and Russia have become allies; something the US didn’t want. Russia’s loss of western technology imports, such as advanced microprocessors, has been partly offset by China , and by its own efforts. It helps to have an industrial base that can still build things and an educated workforce to man it.
Russia’s weaponry has proven to be more effective than the NATO and Soviet era equipment used by the hapless Ukrainians. Who knew that Russia has ten times the artillery power of Ukraine and what that would mean in a war where one side has air superiority, massive minefields, deadly drones and attack helicopters and defensive lines 10km deep and the other side throws poorly armed conscripts against those defenses. The Ukrainians have lost 400,000 kia; the Russians, maybe 40,000.
We’ve got Biden; they have Putin. And, if the Bidenesta’s have their way, we won’t get Trump back to fix the God awful mess they have created.
There are 50,000 Ukrainian Soldiers who have lost their arms or legs because of Biden’s ego!
Let me give you a very simple answer to this question . . .
The 1940’s “Arsenal of Democracy” is gone. Back then, the United States could single-handedly transform “iron ore and bauxite that it mined” into an endless supply of weapons, aircraft, warships and “Liberty Ships” to bring WW2 anywhere it pleased.
Today, the United States literally(!) cannot manufacture its own shoes. It actually tried to do so, once, only to realize that none of the supporting industries still existed.
And, should there be any lingering traces of “Make America Great Again,” America’s enemies need only drop the price by “twenty-five cents a pair,” and mock the entire idea as being nothing but a slogan on a red hat.
The so-called “international industrial forces” who have for many decades have long coveted the idea of finally demolishing America, transforming it into ten or twenty “forever impotent quarreling city-states” much like most of Europe, now feel certain that they are within inches of their prize.
They only need to, first, “capture the Lion.” Then, simply wait for Father Time to harvest the idiots. The frustrated people of the formerly-United States will then turn against one another and attack each other based on “‘irreconcilable’ differences” which none of them are worldly enough to understand had been fomented by their hidden external enemies.
And so it will be revealed Sun Tzu’s admonition: “The greatest Art of War is to defeat your enemy without fighting him.” Likewise, Abraham Lincoln’s observation that the only way in which this country could be defeated was if it committed suicide.
When and if “the Great American Experiment” collapses, no one will be there to preach at its funeral. There will only be the jackals and the hyenas.
Yes, the divide and conquer strategy.
On the other hand, Leviathan IS too big.
So … what did I get for my $125 Billion? Dead Ukrainians?
My wife & I traveled to Petrozavodsk, Russia 26 years ago to adopt. In the week we were there, we observed that Russians are generally stern, hard-working people who worked around their dysfunctional government to get what they needed. The agencies there are largely similar to the US in organization. It is worth remembering that the Russian army halted the German advances long before we landed in Normandy. They are tough people.
In 1997, Russia was in a really bad financial situation. Things have changed remarkedly since 2000.
One thing to keep in mind is the stats are measured in dollars. Dollars are from a country that produces a lot less than it used to. Is something like 70% services, exported its manufacturing production and throttle its resource extraction. And can print dollars and run deficits like no one else.
Russia is mega resource based and I believe has a much greater production of stuff capability.
In other words, the QUALITY of Russia’s GDP is much higher than the Empire’s.
Isn’t Moscow etc Western Russia?
Yes. Geographically speaking everything west of the Ural mountains is Western Russia.
Sundance posted a map. West is on the left side of the map, so, yes, Moscow is in western Russia. Great post. I enjoyed your perspective. Made me feel like a mental giant, while I am ordinarily simply average.