More Bad News for Russia

[AkMike]

Here's the subtitle of the article,"Впервые в XXI веке режим пытается приучить граждан к мысли, что ухудшение жизни – это не «временные трудности», а норма."

My translator shows it as..

 " For the first time in the XXI century, the regime is trying to accustom people to the idea that life deterioration - is not a "temporary difficulties", but the norm."

Regime means the Kremlin.. Unless it's his bunch of thieves/oligarchs saying this. Are there other regimes controlling Russia?   

 

[Boethius]

But the Russian government never said that, Mike.  Neither did any oligarch.  It was said by the editors of that paper.


The article is full of generalizations, and statistics that are not readily available in Russia.


Part of what the Russian government is doing is creating self sufficiency.  They have already created a sense of national identity, and that is something that didn't exist in, say, 1995.

[mhr7]

AKMike-I find it laughable that you talk about the downfall of Russia when you live in a country that is more corrupt, poorer, has a higher crime rate and has fewer future prospects than Russia.

Bottom line is, life is better in Russia regardless of Putin. Hate Russia all you want but your posts are not convincing anyone here who is familiar with Russia.

But please, continue to make a fool of yourself.

[jone]

Reading that post, mhr7, and seeing that you addressed it to AK, I thought you were referencing Another Kiwi.  And I would have to agree with you about everything you said about New Zealand.

[Anotherkiwi]

Reading that post, mhr7, and seeing that you addressed it to AK, I thought you were referencing Another Kiwi.

That was my first thought, too!

And I would have to agree with you about everything you said about New Zealand.

Just as well, then, that he has NEVER said anything about New Zealand! 

[mhr7]

Reading that post, mhr7, and seeing that you addressed it to AK, I thought you were referencing Another Kiwi.  And I would have to agree with you about everything you said about New Zealand.

Changed that

[msmob]

AKMike-I find it laughable that you talk about the downfall of Russia when you live in a country that is more corrupt, poorer, has a higher crime rate and has fewer future prospects than Russia.

1/ More corrupt ?  I think not ...  Russia's leadership and mates are doing v.well for themselves

2/ I'd agree the USA has poor people - but REALLY, Russian's are 'better off' ? ..I think not, and GDP figures back me feelings up

3/ Higher crime rate? ..Well,you certainly don't have the gun crime murder-rate in Russia, but there is much crime here that never gets reported and folks who get convicted for being 'awkward' to the Political base...

Bottom line is, life is better in Russia regardless of Putin. Hate Russia all you want but your posts are not convincing anyone here who is familiar with Russia.

I don't know where you live, but Russia - with all it's resources - should be SO much better off.  IF you can keep  your head below the parapet- YES - life can be good...

It's a wonderful country - held back by those who are making a pile

[Boethius]

Same story in Ukraine. All the former commies who are now unrestrained have shown their true faces.

[mhr7]

1/ More corrupt ?  I think not ...  Russia's leadership and mates are doing v.well for themselves

2/ I'd agree the USA has poor people - but REALLY, Russian's are 'better off' ? ..I think not, and GDP figures back me feelings up

3/ Higher crime rate? ..Well,you certainly don't have the gun crime murder-rate in Russia, but there is much crime here that never gets reported and folks who get convicted for being 'awkward' to the Political base...


I don't know where you live, but Russia - with all it's resources - should be SO much better off.  IF you can keep  your head below the parapet- YES - life can be good...

It's a wonderful country - held back by those who are making a pile

I'm talking about Ukraine mob, where AkMike is a resident.

[msmob]

I'm talking about Ukraine mob, where AkMike is a resident.

Oh, sorry - I really didn't know that .. but as we both know Russia - I was a little taken aback at some of your comparisons

[AkMike]

It seems that the occupied Crimean Penn. is having another bad year  for crops and further development. 
An estimated 437,000 hectares of irrigated land has dropped to 13,000. A 92% reduction.   

Of course it's not Russia's fault that the water source dried up but Ukraine's..    At least their version of the story. 

" In accordance with international law, the obligation to provide the occupied territory are assigned to the country-occupier. Lack of water in the Crimea, the lack of electricity or expensive products - the Kremlin's problem, not Kiev." Pipelines have been discussed but there's not enough extra water in the Kuban (former Ukrainian land)  to supply the needs of the Krym.



http://ru.krymr.com/a/28585372.html

More interesting reading on the subject can be found here also.    http://ru.krymr.com/a/news/28493393.html

[Boethius]

Kuban was never Ukrainian land.  During Tsarist times, about half the population was ethnic Ukrainian, but the land was always part of Russia.

[AkMike]

But please, continue to make a fool of yourself.

That would be your opinion and not mine. Personally I don't give a wretched rats rosy red rectum about your thoughts and ideas. I assume that's also your opinion of me. 

 I don't care!

[AkMike]

Pre Bolshevik revolution maps show a vast are of Kuban as Ukrainian.

 Or are these altered maps?

[Boethius]

Even when Ukraine declared a republic in the interwar period, that republic did not include Kuban.  It has never been Ukrainian territory, and Ukrainians never claimed it as theirs.

[Boethius]

Incidentally, your first map just notes historically Cossack lands.  Cossacks originally were from Ukraine, but one did not need to be a Ukrainian to be a Cossack.  One did have to swear to uphold Orthodoxy to be a Cossack. 

[AkMike]

I've seen other maps that recognized Kuban as being inside Ukraine's borders.  You may be mistaken.

[Boethius]

No, I am not mistaken.

The first map you posted is a nationalist map recognizing historic Cossack lands and areas in which Ukrainians lived.  I've seen it before. Given Ukraine was never an independent country with universal international acknowledgement until 1991, how are any of these "maps" relevant?  They indicate areas where Ukrainians lived.  If we use your logic, parts of what is now southeastern and Central Ukraine should be included in maps of Germany.

Kuban had Cossacks, who were resettled there from Ukraine.  Ukrainians also emigrated there, as the land was excellent.  At one time, just short of half the population of Kuban was Ukrainian.  But that doesn't make it "Ukrainian".

[AkMike]

Possibly but my line of reasoning is that cartographers seldom make mistakes. The title says Map Ukraine not Map Cossacks.

[Boethius]

The first map displays areas where Ukrainians lived.  It actually comes from a famous postcard issued in 1919, showing where in Europe Ukrainians settled.

The second map asks a question - "The Bolsheviks gifted us "Veleku Ukrainu"?  They made it smaller by several factors!" - The red display is the border from Soviet sources, the black, what the delegates of the UPR declared as Ukraine's borders at the 1919-1920 Paris Peace Conference. 

How could a map display "Ukraine" when there was, at that time, no "Ukraine", other than as a region within another country?  This is historical fact, whether we like it or not.  It does not serve the interests of Ukrainians to create false histories.

[msmob]

It seems that the occupied Crimean Penn. is having another bad year  for crops and further development. 
An estimated 437,000 hectares of irrigated land has dropped to 13,000. A 92% reduction.   

Of course it's not Russia's fault that the water source dried up but Ukraine's..    At least their version of the story. 

" In accordance with international law, the obligation to provide the occupied territory are assigned to the country-occupier. Lack of water in the Crimea, the lack of electricity or expensive products - the Kremlin's problem, not Kiev." Pipelines have been discussed but there's not enough extra water in the Kuban (former Ukrainian land)  to supply the needs of the Krym.



http://ru.krymr.com/a/28585372.html

More interesting reading on the subject can be found here also.    http://ru.krymr.com/a/news/28493393.html

Not enough water in the Caucasus Mountains ?))  Now That IS funny

[JayH]

In this thread over a considerable time I have asserted that the Russian cash reserves would be exhausted in due course.It looks like that time has arrived.
The effect of the sanctions along with the fall in oil and gas prices ( & customers)has seen the income that has propped up the Russian kleptocracy is now coming to a crisis point. The cost of the invasion and war on Ukraine and Putin's gamble looks like it will fail.
What is needed is for Trump to stop his adulation for Putin and Russia and realise that a lot of problems for the world( & the US of A) can be solved with firm action NOW.
Putin is spending money he does not have -- and despite the assertions of a few here that all is rosy in the Russia they know ! -- the fact is that the economy is going backwards at an accelerating rate. Needless to say--it is the people at the bottom of the food chain bearing the brunt of the reverse of the economy and the cost of waging war in Ukraine -- and Putin's last ditch gamble in Syria for relevance .
If Trump was one quarter as smart as he thinks he is ( note the "he thinks"-not what I think he is !!)  he would realise that Putin only has bluff and bluster to offer -- and actions of substance will crush Russia( in particular the current regime)

Report from last year.
Russia is seriously running out of cash
Russia is bleeding cash at an alarming rate.
After almost two years in recession, the country's rainy day fund has shrunk to just $32.2 billion this month, according to the Russian Finance Ministry. It was $91.7 billion in September 2014, just before oil prices started to collapse.
And it's getting worse. Analysts expect the fund will shrink to just $15 billion by the end of this year and dry up completely soon after that.
"At the current rate, the fund would be depleted in mid-2017, perhaps a few months later,"


http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/16/news/economy/russia-cash-reserves-depleted/index.html

This report today


The Central Bank of the Russian Federation has officially stated that no more currency

http://www.technosotnya.com/2016/07/Rossija-strana-bankrot-Centrobank-segodnja-officialno-zajavil-chto-valjuty-bolshe-netu.html

[msmob]

despite the assertions of a few here that all is rosy in the Russia they know ! -- the fact is that the economy is going backwards at an accelerating rate. Needless to say--it is the people at the bottom of the food chain bearing the brunt of the reverse of the economy and the cost of waging war in Ukraine -- and Putin's last ditch gamble in Syria for relevance .

Dear JayH

As I am here and observe REAL LIFE - not the wishful thinking of your journal - I continue to report those at the 'bottom of the food chain' are bearing up

I'm certain that The Kremlin are in *hit street and need a drastic increase in oil / gas prices - and that that is scary - but I'm simply NOT seeing / feeling 'the end is nigh' ....

Judging by articles by 'experts' from the same publication  - like "how the return of Donbas is very clear" http://www.technosotnya.com/2017/07/Jekspert-variant-vozvrashhenija-Donbassa-predeno-jasen.html you're going to need to find less sensationalist journals...

When I notice that the Russian man in the street is really saying, " enough" - I'll be one of the first to let you know.....

[jone]

In this thread over a considerable time I have asserted that the Russian cash reserves would be exhausted in due course.It looks like that time has arrived.
The effect of the sanctions along with the fall in oil and gas prices ( & customers)has seen the income that has propped up the Russian kleptocracy is now coming to a crisis point. The cost of the invasion and war on Ukraine and Putin's gamble looks like it will fail.
What is needed is for Trump to stop his adulation for Putin and Russia and realise that a lot of problems for the world( & the US of A) can be solved with firm action NOW.
Putin is spending money he does not have -- and despite the assertions of a few here that all is rosy in the Russia they know ! -- the fact is that the economy is going backwards at an accelerating rate. Needless to say--it is the people at the bottom of the food chain bearing the brunt of the reverse of the economy and the cost of waging war in Ukraine -- and Putin's last ditch gamble in Syria for relevance .
If Trump was one quarter as smart as he thinks he is ( note the "he thinks"-not what I think he is !!)  he would realise that Putin only has bluff and bluster to offer -- and actions of substance will crush Russia( in particular the current regime)

Report from last year.
Russia is seriously running out of cash
Russia is bleeding cash at an alarming rate.
After almost two years in recession, the country's rainy day fund has shrunk to just $32.2 billion this month, according to the Russian Finance Ministry. It was $91.7 billion in September 2014, just before oil prices started to collapse.
And it's getting worse. Analysts expect the fund will shrink to just $15 billion by the end of this year and dry up completely soon after that.
"At the current rate, the fund would be depleted in mid-2017, perhaps a few months later,"


http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/16/news/economy/russia-cash-reserves-depleted/index.html

This report today


The Central Bank of the Russian Federation has officially stated that no more currency

http://www.technosotnya.com/2016/07/Rossija-strana-bankrot-Centrobank-segodnja-officialno-zajavil-chto-valjuty-bolshe-netu.html

Inasmuch as you continue to post that anyone who disagrees with you is stupid/uninformed, I can tell you that as of May, Russia had the equivalent of 16.34 Billion USD (approximate) in ready cash reserves.  This according to CNBC and Reuters.  But, if you continue to read the propaganda rags that you so frequently pass as news on this forum, you can expect push back from the idiots you castigate.

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/02/reuters-america-russias-reserve-fund-grows-to-1634-bln-as-of-may-1.html

I opined previously that one of the reasons that the Russian cash flow seems to be increasing is that they are selling oil at below market price to China. 

However, the US and its Western European friends are making agreements to freeze Russia out of the oil and natural gas market by obtaining the same from America.  It is slightly more expensive than Russian oil and natural gas, but the Europeans believe that establishing dual sources will keep the Russians in line.

[msmob]

JayH's painting a black picture re the economy in Russia had me re-visiting the "Ivanov index" - consumer confidence survey carried out by Sberbank - the largest personal bank in Russia

The April 2017 index - covering Q1 2017 is the 19th such survey and reflected the recovering Rouble - which has slid back against many currencies more recently. It will be interesting to see what has happened in the 20th report - due, soon.

On reading it, I noted an improvement in middle class Russia's outlook - something many earlier surveys did not show - before anyone might suggest 'propaganda' ... I used these same surveys to demonstrate a distinct lack of confidence in later 2014, 2015, and '16 - to the point I was labelled a 'russophobe'  in some place

The 'Invanov Index' measures, "monitors consumer spending, savings and confidence trends across the country."

http://www.sberbank.ru/en/press_center/cib/article?newsID=ab9c64a5-5d56-4317-818a-11679dbacda9&blockID=11008162&regionID=77&lang=en