After setting forth an impressive and accurate of how Russia has avoided sanctions, you then come to this rather incongruous statement without a single citation or reference, "But behind this smokescreen of revenues that will fall when the situation eases, the Russian economy is in tatters. The departure of European and American companies has major consequences on the Russian economy. Putin will thus impose on the Russian people a return to the Soviet era, 3 decades back." We all know the US and UK left, but their personnel did not, they just continued their work under new organizational structures. The French and Italians have changed a few signs but they continue to operate. Whatever high tech the Russians were buying from the West they now get from China or a world-wide network of experts in avoiding sanctions. The result is much more likely to be a high tech revolution in Russia as they use their well educated population to replace what they import. BTW, my good friend says the recent increase in Mexican oil imports is provided courtesy of Russian oil off loaded in Veracruz daily. PEMEX is making a fortune and laughing all the way to the bank. Also, there has been an increase in the Mexican market for certain high tech goods. I say this because this is occurring world-wide. Remember, just 20% of the world is involved in sanctioning Russia. The rest are making money from it. The normal result of sanctions is to build home industries to replace sanctions. The best solution is the one I advocate to my Republican friends which is the partitioning of Ukraine with Russia and Poland leading to the restoration of the Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth which provides a strong Catholic state as Europe's defense against any further Russidn aggression.
After setting forth an impressive and accurate of how Russia has avoided sanctions, you then come to this rather incongruous statement without a single citation or reference, "But behind this smokescreen of revenues that will fall when the situation eases, the Russian economy is in tatters. The departure of European and American companies has major consequences on the Russian economy. Putin will thus impose on the Russian people a return to the Soviet era, 3 decades back." We all know the US and UK left, but their personnel did not, they just continued their work under new organizational structures. The French and Italians have changed a few signs but they continue to operate. Whatever high tech the Russians were buying from the West they now get from China or a world-wide network of experts in avoiding sanctions. The result is much more likely to be a high tech revolution in Russia as they use their well educated population to replace what they import. BTW, my good friend says the recent increase in Mexican oil imports is provided courtesy of Russian oil off loaded in Veracruz daily. PEMEX is making a fortune and laughing all the way to the bank. Also, there has been an increase in the Mexican market for certain high tech goods. I say this because this is occurring world-wide. Remember, just 20% of the world is involved in sanctioning Russia. The rest are making money from it. The normal result of sanctions is to build home industries to replace sanctions. The best solution is the one I advocate to my Republican friends which is the partitioning of Ukraine with Russia and Poland leading to the restoration of the Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth which provides a strong Catholic state as Europe's defense against any further Russidn aggression.