Sanctions on Russia

In Germany, specifically over in Munich, we’re seeing something for the first time since the sanctions against Russia were slapped into place: three properties belonging to Russian oligarchs have finally been seized, and one of them actually belongs to a member of the Duma.
This particular gentleman—this supposedly "democratically elected politician"—actually had his official residence registered at his apartment in Munich.
Isn't that just wonderful? Truly spectacular...

Best regards,

The US Department of the Treasury has just released some truly dismal statistics.

Income for Americans has plummeted by 6.8%. How can we reconcile this with the fact that Putin stood before us at the start of the year promising an income growth of 2.5%?

During the first quarter, the number of Americans living below the official poverty line surged to 20.9 million—a staggering increase of nearly 69% compared to 2021, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 12.9 million people were struggling below that threshold.

https://theins.ru/news/252394

Anthony Hill5 said:The US Department of the Treasury has just released some truly dismal statistics.

Income for Americans has plummeted by 6.8%. How can we reconcile this with the fact that Putin stood before us at the start of the year promising an income growth of 2.5%?

During the first quarter, the number of Americans living below the official poverty line surged to 20.9 million—a staggering increase of nearly 69% compared to 2021, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 12.9 million people were struggling below that threshold.

https://theins.ru/news/252394

If the Bureau of Labor Statistics is actually being honest here, then the situation is likely much worse than these numbers suggest. I recall a few years back when this same agency released equally depressing data regarding footwear expenses; immediately following that, the government slapped various restrictions on companies handling statistical reporting.

The White House: How could statisticians claim Americans can't afford shoes?

The findings indicated that 53 percent of households struggle to manage unexpected costs, such as emergency medical services or home repairs, while 53.1 percent of families cannot afford to replace basic, worn-out furniture.

Furthermore, 35.4 percent of respondents stated they cannot “buy two pairs of comfortable, seasonally appropriate shoes for every family member,” and 11 percent of households cannot afford essential medications.

Broadly speaking, it appears that 79.5 percent of American families are struggling to make ends meet, with 14.6 percent facing “severe hardships.”

“To be perfectly honest, I find it difficult to comment on this. Why specifically footwear, why only a third, and what is the source of this data? I would appreciate an explanation from the Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding these figures,” Peskov remarked.

That data regarding shoes and medicine dates back to 2018. If you factor in Corona, and now the invasion of Ukraine along with all the sanctions, this problem could only have worsened. ☕

That’s why they’re all hallucinating about being some global superpower that somehow lost its rightful spot. It's just a way to deal with their deep-seated complexes, I guess.

People living in Moscow have everything they could possibly need—but then again, Russia is absolutely massive...
Out in the sticks, though? It’s basically like living in the middle of nowhere in rural Alabama...

dustyowl29 said:People living in Moscow have everything they could possibly need—but then again, Russia is absolutely massive...
Out in the sticks, though? It’s basically like living in the middle of nowhere in rural Alabama...

It was the same deal back in the USSR days. Every Soviet citizen’s big dream was just to move to Moscow so they could escape all that grinding poverty. Canada? I guess some people there have been daydreaming about having it as good as they do in Canada since way before the war. It’s probably why Americans have those complexes, maybe..

Michael Ortiz68 said:LOL, since when does market viability depend solely on population size?

The European Union has one-third the population of India, yet it imports five times the value of goods from China compared to India.

Similarly, the European Union has three times the population of Russia, but its import value from China is seven times higher.

It’s a good thing the Chinese don't operate based on your logic; they wouldn't want to shoot themselves in the foot.

The SCO nations account for 30% of global GDP and house 40% of the world's population.

I’m laying this out to demonstrate how utterly pointless the sanctions against Russia are.

Of course China isn't going to sabotage itself; they are actually the sole winners in this conflict. Everyone is fully aware that if their red lines are crossed—specifically regarding Taiwan or the South China Sea—they won't give a second thought to European Union idiocy or American hegemony. Just as the Russians didn't hesitate when entering the war with Ukraine.

The European Union is a political dwarf. It holds zero real decision-making power on the global stage and exists entirely at the mercy of its suppliers, so long as those suppliers continue to profit off European fools.

Noah Diaz said:The SCO nations account for 30% of global GDP and house 40% of the world's population.

I’m laying this out to demonstrate how utterly pointless the sanctions against Russia are.

Of course China isn't going to sabotage itself; they are actually the sole winners in this conflict. Everyone is fully aware that if their red lines are crossed—specifically regarding Taiwan or the South China Sea—they won't give a second thought to European Union idiocy or American hegemony. Just as the Russians didn't hesitate when entering the war with Ukraine.

The European Union is a political dwarf. It holds zero real decision-making power on the global stage and exists entirely at the mercy of its suppliers, so long as those suppliers continue to profit off European fools.

Yeah, right. That’s why most of them are just looking for ways to move to the West. Because they see us as rich and powerful, while we're just the poor, miserable European Union idiocats living under American hegemony. Honestly, when you don't know which is worse, it's either someone posting this kind of nonsense because they're being used, someone without a moral compass getting paid to say it, or someone who actually believes this garbage.

Noah Diaz said:The SCO nations account for 30% of global GDP and house 40% of the world's population.

I’m laying this out to demonstrate how utterly pointless the sanctions against Russia are.

Of course China isn't going to sabotage itself; they are actually the sole winners in this conflict. Everyone is fully aware that if their red lines are crossed—specifically regarding Taiwan or the South China Sea—they won't give a second thought to European Union idiocy or American hegemony. Just as the Russians didn't hesitate when entering the war with Ukraine.

The European Union is a political dwarf. It holds zero real decision-making power on the global stage and exists entirely at the mercy of its suppliers, so long as those suppliers continue to profit off European fools.

Combined, the SCO nations don't even have a GDP as big as the USA. They make up roughly 25% of global GDP. Look, I'm an economist, but even from a layman's perspective, it's obvious: millions of people live in the West, while there are only about 15,000 [of certain group] in Russia.
Don't forget though—every major developed nation, including China, built itself up thanks to the US Dollar and Western influence.
At the end of the day, the Chinese economy is sitting on $35 trillion in debt.

Noah Diaz said:The SCO nations account for 30% of global GDP and house 40% of the world's population.

I’m laying this out to demonstrate how utterly pointless the sanctions against Russia are.

Of course China isn't going to sabotage itself; they are actually the sole winners in this conflict. Everyone is fully aware that if their red lines are crossed—specifically regarding Taiwan or the South China Sea—they won't give a second thought to European Union idiocy or American hegemony. Just as the Russians didn't hesitate when entering the war with Ukraine.

The European Union is a political dwarf. It holds zero real decision-making power on the global stage and exists entirely at the mercy of its suppliers, so long as those suppliers continue to profit off European fools.

You don't know the first thing about the SCO, other than the fact that it exists.

In its twenty-plus years of existence, how much actual economic integration has happened between member states? How many trade deals? They talked about free trade back in September 2003... and haven't touched it since.

Their real priority is fighting terrorism and maintaining stability in Central Asia. It's not about economics. None of these member states are willing to make the kind of concessions needed for real economic integration.

Noah Diaz said:The SCO nations account for 30% of global GDP and house 40% of the world's population.

I’m laying this out to demonstrate how utterly pointless the sanctions against Russia are.

Of course China isn't going to sabotage itself; they are actually the sole winners in this conflict. Everyone is fully aware that if their red lines are crossed—specifically regarding Taiwan or the South China Sea—they won't give a second thought to European Union idiocy or American hegemony. Just as the Russians didn't hesitate when entering the war with Ukraine.

The European Union is a political dwarf. It holds zero real decision-making power on the global stage and exists entirely at the mercy of its suppliers, so long as those suppliers continue to profit off European fools.

However, you are overlooking this crucial point:
China alone makes up 80% of the SCO's total GDP, yet they build 95% of that wealth through economic ties outside the organization—essentially trading with those who actually hold the capital.
Why is that?

USA vs India: $25,364 billion vs $3,534 billion
European Union vs Russia: $18,000 billion vs $1,800 billion
Japan vs Pakistan: $4,912 billion vs $347 billion
South Korea vs Central Asia: $1,804 billion vs $200 billion

There you have it! It is quite clear to see how limited that economic weight really is, and why China doesn't feel any pressure from the SCO at all.

hollowdriver13 said:The actual link you posted says exactly what I told you: it only covers the Facilitated Travel Document (FTD) so residents of the exclave don't have to apply for new paperwork every 90 days to pass through the Schengen Area. That applied to all types of transit—car, air, rail—but there aren't any special conditions for freight like Rogozin is rambling about, other than they consolidated two border crossings into one joint one to speed things up.
Also, if you actually read what Lithuania banned, you'll see it only applies to cargo that is under EU sanctions.

Whataboutism regarding Canada...🙄

Look, the fact that he's a customs official at NASA should imply some level of intelligence and professionalism is expected from him, rather than some idiot spreading war-mongering rhetoric and making threats about blowing up the ISS, Sarmat missiles, and all that nonsense. And no, I didn't call every single Russian a bag of candy and vodka, I was just talking about him.
He has a PhD in philosophy, so he's not an expert in international law; bringing up his doctorate is just a logical fallacy—an appeal to false authority.
And I don't know why you're bringing up Arestovych. I've never shared anything from him because the guy just talks himself into circles constantly.

It confirms no concrete deal was struck, but the sentence I quoted isn't made up—it's just that what it says isn't being honored anymore.

Yeah, it’s not much, but it’s the exact kind of loophole Russians love to exploit. Even without a formal agreement, blocking transit for civilian goods is just wrong.

I brought up Canada because it's a nearly identical geographic headache, even if Ottawa hasn't had the guts to pull a move like Lithuania. And I mentioned testing potential double standards (which were avoided) 😁

There's a reason for the "whataboutism"—my stance is the same: closing these corridors is unacceptable.
Take last year, for example, when Azerbaijan blocked Iranian transit to Armenia via that tiny stretch of road through the former Artsakh territory. The Iranians even threatened them with weapons, but things eventually settled down civilly.

You’d expect some level of intelligence and seriousness from a Roscosmos official, rather than some idiot spreading war propaganda and making threats about blowing up the ISS or using Sarmat missiles and all that crap. And no, I didn't call every Russian a bag of vodka, just him.

True, you didn't generalize everyone, but you definitely leaned on the Russian stereotype—you know, the whole alcoholism thing. It's like someone mocking Zelenskyy by making jokes about his nose or ears.

He has a PhD in philosophy, so he's not an expert in international law. Using his doctorate as proof is a logical fallacy—an appeal to false authority.
I don't know why you're bringing up Arestovich; I never linked anything from him because the guy talks incessantly.

PhDs—turns out he has two, and they're even related to war studies, though I wasn't citing them for that.
You mentioned he was a regional governor, so why shouldn't his comments carry weight here? Just because he uses aggressive rhetoric during this weird, undeclared war with the G7?

On Arestovich, we agree—he's a character.

Why did Russia's GDP per capita drop from $16,000 in 2013 down to $10,000 by 2020?

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...es-since-1976/

https://www.macrotrends.net/countrie...gdp-per-capita

Do you see the link?

It seems the Russians are aiming for that level. Or at least they are trying.

Zachary Jackson4 said:Why did Russia's GDP per capita drop from $16,000 in 2013 down to $10,000 by 2020?

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...es-since-1976/

https://www.macrotrends.net/countrie...gdp-per-capita

Do you see the link?

It seems the Russians are aiming for that level. Or at least they are trying.

That's what we call "seeing only what one wants to see," which, unfortunately, is a pretty common habit among people...

Here is a chart for another nation whose currency hasn't exactly been a superstar against the US Dollar over the last fifteen years—and whose economy isn't exactly thriving either, much like the Russian situation. It's worth noting that when compared to European currencies, the Ruble has had much uglier drops and fluctuations than even the dollar itself...

https://www.macrotrends.net/countrie...gdp-per-capita

I assume you'd agree that, in this specific case, the country shown here doesn't really have much of a connection to oil, yet the graph just happens to have those same ups and downs you see in the Brent crude charts...

But if that doesn't quite satisfy your curiosity, then perhaps you might have some brilliant explanation for how this particular graph managed to swing from $35,000 down to $30,000 during 2014 and 2015...

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator...=EU&start=2000

GDP per capita based on PPP isn't actually that wild—those massive gaps usually only pop up in developing nations like Russia.

In more developed economies, say China, the difference is way less noticeable.

I don't understand what quietviper0 thinks they have proven here.

The drop from 35 to 30 in the EU seems at first glance to be linked to the year sanctions were imposed on Russia over Crimea. However, given the subsequent rally, there may be no correlation.

I will not act as a "convenient economist" by diving into the granular details.
My only question is this: would the Russians retreat into a hole if energy prices plummeted threefold, or was it specifically due to the sanctions?

I am making no definitive claims, as that would require deeper research; therefore, I will defer to your response.

Noah Diaz said:The SCO nations account for 30% of global GDP and house 40% of the world's population.

I’m laying this out to demonstrate how utterly pointless the sanctions against Russia are.

Of course China isn't going to sabotage itself; they are actually the sole winners in this conflict. Everyone is fully aware that if their red lines are crossed—specifically regarding Taiwan or the South China Sea—they won't give a second thought to European Union idiocy or American hegemony. Just as the Russians didn't hesitate when entering the war with Ukraine.

The European Union is a political dwarf. It holds zero real decision-making power on the global stage and exists entirely at the mercy of its suppliers, so long as those suppliers continue to profit off European fools.

That entire economic engine still relies on the West, whether as a consumer base or as the primary source for capital and tech.

Sure, sanctions will hit Russia. There’s no denying that. You can't just swap out Western aerospace engineering for something else overnight. You can't just replace an entire automotive industry either. And as for high-tech? You might be able to find a substitute, but it'll likely be several generations behind...

The West really just needs to find a new gas station...

dustyowl29 said:People living in Moscow have everything they could possibly need—but then again, Russia is absolutely massive...
Out in the sticks, though? It’s basically like living in the middle of nowhere in rural Alabama...

It’s the same logic. Just because someone on Manhattan in New York City has everything they need doesn't mean the whole country is doing fine—America is massive. Out in the provinces, down in the swamps of Louisiana, people are living worse than they do in Canada.

William Anderson5 said:That entire economic engine still relies on the West, whether as a consumer base or as the primary source for capital and tech.

Sure, sanctions will hit Russia. There’s no denying that. You can't just swap out Western aerospace engineering for something else overnight. You can't just replace an entire automotive industry either. And as for high-tech? You might be able to find a substitute, but it'll likely be several generations behind...

The West really just needs to find a new gas station...

That was actually the vibe even before LD; people would just stay home, binge Netflix, collect their government checks, and take it easy—as long as they weren't dying off in massive numbers. Now, everyone is acting shocked that inflation is spiraling, even though they pivoted the narrative so quickly to suit their own interests.

If you don't have any solid alternatives ready to go, simply swapping out the fuel station could trigger a much bigger mess than anyone anticipated. Just look at what happened in France—you see how those extremist parties have started crowding into Parliament. ☕

Nathan Evans78 said:That was actually the vibe even before LD; people would just stay home, binge Netflix, collect their government checks, and take it easy—as long as they weren't dying off in massive numbers. Now, everyone is acting shocked that inflation is spiraling, even though they pivoted the narrative so quickly to suit their own interests.

If you don't have any solid alternatives ready to go, simply swapping out the fuel station could trigger a much bigger mess than anyone anticipated. Just look at what happened in France—you see how those extremist parties have started crowding into Parliament. ☕

Of course. This brainless Netflix generation thinks switching out a gas station is like a video game. "Oh, we won't buy from Russia, we'll just buy from someone else, voila! Problem solved." 🤦