Sanctions on Russia

Noah Diaz said:Where is that iPhone actually made? 😁

They become very significant factors when you start talking about these "sanctions."

It doesn't matter where they are—the boss is in the States.
So, just to set the record straight—Samsung actually produces its gear in Vietnam, not Korea.
Most of the tech we use every day—you know, all that high-end electronics—is actually manufactured halfway across the world in places like China, Singapore, Malaysia, or India.
Cheap raw materials and dirt-cheap labor—we’re talking about three times less expensive than what we're used to here.
So, it looks like Apple is finally planning to pull the plug on their current setup—they’re looking at moving both Foxconn and their entire production line out West. Honestly, it was probably only a matter of time before they started making this kind of move.
Even if Vietnam counts as a Western ally—which is a stretch, let's be honest—China certainly isn't.

dustyowl29 said:It doesn't matter where they are—the boss is in the States.
So, just to set the record straight—Samsung actually produces its gear in Vietnam, not Korea.
Most of the tech we use every day—you know, all that high-end electronics—is actually manufactured halfway across the world in places like China, Singapore, Malaysia, or India.
Cheap raw materials and dirt-cheap labor—we’re talking about three times less expensive than what we're used to here.
So, it looks like Apple is finally planning to pull the plug on their current setup—they’re looking at moving both Foxconn and their entire production line out West. Honestly, it was probably only a matter of time before they started making this kind of move.
Even if Vietnam counts as a Western ally—which is a stretch, let's be honest—China certainly isn't.

Keep in mind, Foxconn isn't actually an Apple company.
They are a Taiwanese firm that handles assembly, and yes, they are planning to shift much of their manufacturing from China to places like Mexico, Vietnam, or Brazil. However, the primary driver isn't just US-China tensions; it's simply that Chinese labor is becoming too expensive!
That kind of massive shift doesn't happen overnight, though.

dustyowl29 said:It’s kind of funny that Apple hasn't slapped any sanctions on Russia yet. From what I can see, Russian leaders seem pretty obsessed with using iPhones and Apple Watches...
Instead of picking up some Chinese phone or whatever.

As if those gadgets are actually vital to the war effort.

Nancy Gomez26 said:As if those gadgets are actually vital to the war effort.

Maybe they aren't vital for the front lines, but losing access to Western brands is hitting the Russian middle class where it hurts.

feralhawk45 said:Maybe they aren't vital for the front lines, but losing access to Western brands is hitting the Russian middle class where it hurts.

Oh, they are absolutely vital. They matter far more than whatever gadgets those poor souls on the front lines are using—the very same devices that Ukrainians use to spot massive clusters of troops, making them easy targets for artillery strikes or missile salvos.

What exactly can Russia manage to manufacture if they are cut off from Western components and high-end technology?

Take a look at this powerhouse, Scout

https://twitter.com/kromark/status/1...sodWAbq9DuBeog

Let’s not overlook the sheer power of the Elbrus; it’s a processor sitting thirty years ahead of the curve. 🤣
Back in 2014, those social media bots were already hailing it as a total game-changer.

Now that they're getting production plants up and running in Russia, it's going to absolutely dominate the market.

We'll see. A bunch of self-proclaimed economic and military experts here were all preaching that their GDP would crater by 30%, yet it only dipped by 3%. It’s a wash. So, what’s the next move?

Anthony Hill5 said:What exactly can Russia manage to manufacture if they are cut off from Western components and high-end technology?

Take a look at this powerhouse, Scout

https://twitter.com/kromark/status/1...sodWAbq9DuBeog

It's nothing.
"Russes don't use Western physics—they use Tesla physics..."
The harder the sanctions hit, the faster Russia evolves—apparently.
The sky's the limit.

Joshua Myers432 said:We'll see. A bunch of self-proclaimed economic and military experts here were all preaching that their GDP would crater by 30%, yet it only dipped by 3%. It’s a wash. So, what’s the next move?

From day one, every Western politician has been preaching about how sanctions would have a massive long-term impact.
Putin has been saying the sanctions won't touch Russia.
You're just quoting Putin—so why aren't you quoting what the Western leaders are saying? Look, whether the Russian GDP fluctuates in 2023 doesn't matter nearly as much as where it stands in ten years. It’s not rocket science.
Just so you're clear on the math: GDP isn't just about production; consumption plays a huge role too. This means Russian production could actually drop while their GDP still climbs. How? Simple—massive government spending on the war effort. But yeah, they can't run that play forever.

Nathan Thomas12 said:From day one, every Western politician has been preaching about how sanctions would have a massive long-term impact.
Putin has been saying the sanctions won't touch Russia.
You're just quoting Putin—so why aren't you quoting what the Western leaders are saying? Look, whether the Russian GDP fluctuates in 2023 doesn't matter nearly as much as where it stands in ten years. It’s not rocket science.
Just so you're clear on the math: GDP isn't just about production; consumption plays a huge role too. This means Russian production could actually drop while their GDP still climbs. How? Simple—massive government spending on the war effort. But yeah, they can't run that play forever.

Well, that is a much more comprehensive explanation, even if it isn't the "popular" take.
Best,

To follow up on that—Russia’s production has taken a massive hit, yet their GDP is somehow still climbing.
It really makes you wonder about the sheer scale of how much they're dumping into war spending. Honestly, it looks like they're headed straight for a total meltdown—government spending is usually a dead giveaway for that kind of mess.

Nathan Thomas12 said:To follow up on that—Russia’s production has taken a massive hit, yet their GDP is somehow still climbing.
It really makes you wonder about the sheer scale of how much they're dumping into war spending. Honestly, it looks like they're headed straight for a total meltdown—government spending is usually a dead giveaway for that kind of mess.

Production is down, gas sales have cratered, oil exports are sliding, and as of today, even their petroleum products are seeing a drop...
Best,

Noah Diaz said:Do you honestly think they’re paying much higher prices for energy than those bakeries over in the European Union? 😁

Beyond having an abundance of critical resources to spare, Russia is also a member of two major international organizations:

BRICS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRICS
The BRICS have a combined area of 39,746,220 km2 (15,346,100 sq mi) and an estimated total population of about 3.21 billion, or about 26.7% of the world's land surface and 41.5% of the global population. Brazil, Russia, India, and China are among the world's ten largest countries by population, area, and GDP, and the latter three are widely considered to be current or emerging superpowers. All five states are members of the G20, with a combined nominal GDP of US$26.6 trillion (about 26.2% of the gross world product), a total GDP (PPP) of around US$51.99 trillion (32.1% of global GDP PPP), and an estimated US$4.46 trillion in combined foreign reserves (as of 2018).

and

SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation)

The aim of the organization is to strengthen good-neighborly, friendly relations and mutual trust among Member States; to exert common efforts for the protection of regional peace, security and stability; to fight against terrorism, radicalism, separatism, organized crime and illegal migration; to reinforce cooperation in political, economic, scientific, technologic and energy, as well as environmental issues.

Do you really believe these partners are selling them goods at a markup, or that they've actually been crippled by sanctions? You can't impose meaningful sanctions on nations like China, India, or Russia. These "sanctions" have been an empty charade from day one. 🤣

Aside from posing for the cameras and signing some meaningless memorandums of understanding, what’s actually come out of these organizations? A trade deal? A customs union? Nothing.

Economically speaking, they're about as relevant as a local neighborhood beautification committee.

Back in January 2022, the Russian government was pulling in about $2,089 billion while spending roughly $1,964 billion
leaving them with a surplus of $125 billion.
Fast forward to January 2023, and things look pretty different: revenues hit $1,356 billion against a massive $3,117 billion in spending.
That’s a deficit of $1,760 billion—basically, their hole is deeper than their entire income.
https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/...t-budget-value

Just waiting on the February numbers now.🍿

gentlestag15 said:Back in January 2022, the Russian government was pulling in about $2,089 billion while spending roughly $1,964 billion
leaving them with a surplus of $125 billion.
Fast forward to January 2023, and things look pretty different: revenues hit $1,356 billion against a massive $3,117 billion in spending.
That’s a deficit of $1,760 billion—basically, their hole is deeper than their entire income.
https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/...t-budget-value

Just waiting on the February numbers now.🍿

Oh, so sanctions don't work? What a joke!

gentlestag15 said:Back in January 2022, the Russian government was pulling in about $2,089 billion while spending roughly $1,964 billion
leaving them with a surplus of $125 billion.
Fast forward to January 2023, and things look pretty different: revenues hit $1,356 billion against a massive $3,117 billion in spending.
That’s a deficit of $1,760 billion—basically, their hole is deeper than their entire income.
https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/...t-budget-value

Just waiting on the February numbers now.🍿

It's funny how you're throwing all these specific figures at me when the chart is basically just showing a tiny little dip in GDP 🥳

I mean, hey, we're in America, right? And Americans are probably the absolute world experts at living way beyond their means and spending more than they actually make☕

Urals 🙂

Urals hit a low back in Jan '21 at 53.62

TTF was up at 57.37 back in Sept '21

roughly speaking

The Ruble is still going strong, clearly🙂

Edit: my bad, I messed up, Urals was actually even lower last month, but you know, the point still stands☕

gentlestag15 said:Back in January 2022, the Russian government was pulling in about $2,089 billion while spending roughly $1,964 billion
leaving them with a surplus of $125 billion.
Fast forward to January 2023, and things look pretty different: revenues hit $1,356 billion against a massive $3,117 billion in spending.
That’s a deficit of $1,760 billion—basically, their hole is deeper than their entire income.
https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/...t-budget-value

Just waiting on the February numbers now.🍿

It's like the old saying, "Who's gonna foot the bill?"☕
For us, inflation is just how we're paying off the COVID mess and the Russian aggression—it'll probably drag on for two or three years. Then we move on.
But this Russian aggression and war? That's going to hit a crippled economy hard. Whoever survives will be the ones left talking.

analogbear5 said:Aside from posing for the cameras and signing some meaningless memorandums of understanding, what’s actually come out of these organizations? A trade deal? A customs union? Nothing.

Economically speaking, they're about as relevant as a local neighborhood beautification committee.

Look, when it comes to sanctions, they matter immensely. They dictate how Russ exports oil, gas, and other resources while importing essentials. For instance, they picked up drones from Iran, which joined the SCO last year.

The SCO and BRICS could eventually evolve into a full-blown military-economic bloc. One capable of controlling vital trade routes and resources while directly challenging American hegemony.

That is the multipolar world everyone keeps talking about.

Nathan Thomas12 said:It's like the old saying, "Who's gonna foot the bill?"☕
For us, inflation is just how we're paying off the COVID mess and the Russian aggression—it'll probably drag on for two or three years. Then we move on.
But this Russian aggression and war? That's going to hit a crippled economy hard. Whoever survives will be the ones left talking.

As for me, I’m seeing the bill arrive via the COVID fallout and decarbonization policies. Green energy has to actually compete with fossil fuels if this is going to work. It’s an energy and economic reset, plain and simple.