Summary
Russia’s ruble has plunged to its lowest level since March 2022 following new U.S. sanctions on Gazprombank, a key platform for energy payments.
The ruble’s slide, driven by sanctions, falling oil prices, and soaring defense spending, has intensified inflation and strained the war economy.
While the Kremlin benefits from a weaker ruble by converting foreign revenues into more domestic currency, experts warn of overheating risks and financial instability.
The Russian central bank is scrambling for solutions, but long-term economic pressures and declining oil revenues pose significant challenges.
i’m no fan of american imperialism, and also with an economy about as big as the state of new york, america acting on russia is not exactly “picking on somebody your own size” … but, passively observing the machinations of two monstrous beasts neither of which i have the ability to influence let alone control, it’s hard to feel bad for russia right now. all they had to do was leave ukraine the fuck alone. all they had to do was STAY HOME. I hope they find out enough to realize that fucking around was a mistake.
On the other hand, Putin doesn’t seem to care much about the suffering of his own people, which is what’s happening here. It’s the people, many of which are innocent, who suffer. Putin and his people are safe and warm with plenty of Euros and Dollars to spend.
Then the people need to do something. They elected Putin. They tolerate Putin. This is their mess and they’ve done nothing to escape it.
That’s the same as saying Americans need to do something about Trump. They elected him and need to deal with the mess. Easier said than done.
Trump isn’t president yet. He potential actions have not had any effects to fight back against. When he does fuck up the country, I genuinely hope people will wake up and do something. If not, I’ll be criticizing those cowards just the same.
We’ve already had four years of Trump. We know exactly who he is what he does and Americans walked right into it with eyes wide open. No excuses.
Trump is a symptom of a much bigger problem having to do with income inequality and oligarchs manipulating the media. It’s too late in the US. Once he assumes power, violence will sky rocket as a means of suppressing free speech, and corruption will rule. There won’t be some awakening, because there should have already been one.
True, except that you’re making the same mistake I’ve been making, since Trump 1st ran for President, years ago:
getting the speed wrong…
It’s damn glacial, compared with individual-life…
He’ll keep escalating until about 2031, when finally he can do ANYthing he wants, human-sacrifice included ( as the Aztecs, the Maya, & the Toltecs did, before him, in the Americas… just different in style )
Once 2032 rolls around, he should be able to go total-Confederate-pogrom against all who were civil-rights oriented, in the US…
& that’ll take him another 7-8y to completely-destroy the country…
Maybe 100-million will survive to 2040?
it looks to me, now, like that’s the speed & the scale…
Don’t take my word for anything, though: wait & see!
Empiricism!
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They elected Putin in the same way as a school elects the Principal’s kid for student president. The ballots aren’t even counted beyond a performative few for cameras. They just need to record turnout so they can make sure the numbers match up when they announce the results.
They “elected” Putin.
There is a difference…
You know how dictatorship’s “elections” work, don’t you?
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The picture clarifies a bit more when you realize Russia’s economy was already going down because of sanctions from the 2014 Crimean invasion. Which they did in direct response to the people of Ukraine rejecting Russia. They wanted to control Ukraine in the first place (like Belarus) because they believe two things. They have a right to a sphere of influence in their “near abroad” and controlling those countries is critical to their self defense. It would be like the US deciding Mexico and Canada must be puppets in order to defend themselves.
So with their economy circling the drain because of their pre-existing beliefs the invasion of Ukraine became an economic imperative. They actually thought it would be like Crimea again. The first wave of troops actually had parade uniforms packed. So the plan was very obviously to use Ukraine’s rising economy to bolster their own and achieve another buffer state.
Now the goal has necessarily changed. It’s survival for Putin and his group. When they failed that embarrassingly they couldn’t back down. They’ve propagandized this as an existential fight for people in Eastern Ukraine who want to be or already are Russian. So they cannot easily give up. This is why Putin keeps saying they control the districts of Donetsk and Luhansk even though they don’t control the entirety of the districts. He’s been messaging for about a year now that he’s willing to end this if they let him keep what he has and don’t object too loudly when he tells his people he got the entirety of both districts.
So basically, Putin realized it was a mistake on the day they had to retreat from Kyiv. Ever since then he’s been furiously looking for an exit that doesn’t involve him being deposed by the oligarchs.
Putin being eaten alive by the very pack of hyenas he mobilized would be very cathartic and satisfying though.
What a helpful comment.
Thank you!
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No problem. When I’m not despairing at domestic politics, the international stuff is what I bonded with in college.
I don’t know why you’re speaking in the past-tense. Putin and the oligarchs can still stop the damage to the Russian economy, the lives being pointlessly spent, as well as the senseless damage to Ukraine… It all could end the very moment you read this. All they have to do is GTFO, return all prisoners/property/children they stole, and pay Ukraine reparations for the war crimes they committed. Definitely still cheaper in the long run…
i want to believe.
but it hurts to get my hopes up for … essentially nothing.
It’s hard to feel bad for “russia” because it’s just another geographic region violently controlled by a state. And it’s hard to feel bad for the politicians who control the state… But it’s important to feel bad for people in russia (and ukraine, etc) because many are also victims.