Putin: A new arms race has begun!

It’s honestly laughable—they couldn't scrape together enough cash to sustain a much bigger and more powerful USSR back in the day, but now suddenly they're flush with funds because they're raking in all those dollars and euros from selling off their oil and gas.
Plus, you gotta realize that Russia is one of those rare freaking countries out there that doesn't even have any foreign debt to worry about, especially when they're sitting on massive piles of hard cash reserves and gold.

Back when the USSR was way bigger and even more powerful than it is now, they were dumping more than 30% of their entire GDP just into the military, and honestly, they still couldn't even touch the Americans in most categories.

The whole Soviet playbook was basically built on one terrifying assumption: if they ever actually went toe-to-toe with NATO, they’d have to drop the nukes just to stand a chance. On top of that, they were banking everything on sheer, overwhelming numbers—especially when it came to their tank divisions rolling through Europe. Their whole strategy relied on being able to replace lost hardware almost instantly because, let's be honest, most of that Russian tech was designed to be cheap, basic, and easy to churn out by the thousands.
Look, what the U.S. is trying to pull with this whole missile shield thing in Poland is basically just a massive attempt to strip away Russia's biggest leverage—their entire ICBM arsenal. And don't get me wrong, the Russians aren't blind; they see exactly what's happening. Since those missiles are pretty much their only way to play both offense and defense at the same time—you know, that whole nuclear deterrence game—everyone else is basically scrambling to stop them from pulling it off.
Look, let’s be real here—there's zero doubt that some missile might actually slip through the first layer of defense, but honestly, who cares? We've still got those massive American anti-ballistic cruisers like the Ticonderoga class packing SM-3 interceptors, and they're literally patrolling every single ocean out there, so it's not like we're just sitting ducks or anything.

If Russia didn't have all that nuclear hardware, they would've been nothing more than a bunch of pushovers for the Americans a long time ago. 😁

velvetmarlin24 said:Hamby used nukes as a response to Pearl Harbor, which also ended the conflict in that area without everyone having to endure a polar winter or extreme heat.
Iraq and Afghanistan were responses to January 11th.
Germany was trying to get rid of the Jews along with others, which some people here find unacceptable.
Obviously, more weapons mean more security. And when you're dealing with provocateurs like China, Russia lately, Iran, and North Korea, having extra security is definitely a good thing.

Are we really saying that a single attack on the military at Pearl Harbor, where a few thousand American soldiers were killed, justifies hitting Hiroshima and Nagasaki and killing nearly half a million innocent people through blasts and radiation???

that's just how cowards react!

That’s exactly how they responded after September 11th, too.
For the deaths of 3,000 people, they slaughtered over a million innocent Iraqis who had absolutely nothing to do with that attack (civilians), and they still aren't satisfied—they're still out there killing them!

goldentrucker17 said:So, according to this, the "much bigger and more powerful" USSR didn't have the money, but suddenly they're flush because they're raking in US dollars and Euros from oil and gas sales? Give me a break.
Besides, Russia is one of those rare countries that doesn't even carry significant external debt—they actually sit on massive reserves of foreign currency and gold.

Just look at the numbers—saying Russia has no foreign debt is a stretch... they're sitting on over $350 billion...😲 If you actually took the time to dig into the specifics of that debt, you might find yourself feeling a bit more optimistic about the situation...🤣

Dennis Harris5 said:Just look at the numbers—saying Russia has no foreign debt is a stretch... they're sitting on over $350 billion...😲 If you actually took the time to dig into the specifics of that debt, you might find yourself feeling a bit more optimistic about the situation...🤣

Give me a break. Stop talking out of your ass. According to the latest numbers, Russia's external debt is only around 29 billion dollars. And when you consider they have over 150 billion sitting in their special fund from oil revenue, it means they don't owe a damn thing. In fact, other countries owe them.

So go ahead, try to debunk me with actual data, otherwise I'm calling you out for lying just like you did with that ridiculous 350 "billion" figure.
You pulled that number from somewhere a decade ago. ☕

Russia's foreign exchange reserves have hit the $550 billion mark, according to a figure mentioned in a recent speech by Putin. That would put them third in the world for total value, right behind China and Japan.

goldentrucker17 said:😂😂

Do you just enjoy telling jokes? Like, they're installing a missile defense shield right under the Russians' noses and somehow that doesn't count as starting an arms race? Seriously?

Give me a break,👍🤣🤣🤣

goldentrucker17 said:Give me a break. Stop talking out of your ass. According to the latest numbers, Russia's external debt is only around 29 billion dollars. And when you consider they have over 150 billion sitting in their special fund from oil revenue, it means they don't owe a damn thing. In fact, other countries owe them.

So go ahead, try to debunk me with actual data, otherwise I'm calling you out for lying just like you did with that ridiculous 350 "billion" figure.
You pulled that number from somewhere a decade ago. ☕

🤣
Listen, kid, just drop a link where that’s actually stated... and I will gladly provide you with a link showing exactly how much Russia owes to foreign creditors—upwards of $350 billion.

At the beginning of April 2007., Russia's foreign debt amounted to USD 340 billion 🤣🤣

We are discussing liabilities here, not assets...You called me "kid," so let me quote you: "Russia is one of the rare nations that has virtually no foreign debt."

But now, according to your own logic, they owe 29 billion 🤣... so we might as well agree on the +350 billion figure; don't worry, I can handle being the "kid" here.🤣

Dennis Harris5 said:🤣
Listen, kid, just drop a link where that’s actually stated... and I will gladly provide you with a link showing exactly how much Russia owes to foreign creditors—upwards of $350 billion.

At the beginning of April 2007., Russia's foreign debt amounted to USD 340 billion 🤣🤣

We are discussing liabilities here, not assets...You called me "kid," so let me quote you: "Russia is one of the rare nations that has virtually no foreign debt."

But now, according to your own logic, they owe 29 billion 🤣... so we might as well agree on the +350 billion figure; don't worry, I can handle being the "kid" here.🤣

Your data is totally wrong, man. Why don't you actually cite a source for your "facts"? ☕

Zachary Watson50 said:Russia's foreign exchange reserves have hit the $550 billion mark, according to a figure mentioned in a recent speech by Putin. That would put them third in the world for total value, right behind China and Japan.

goldentrucker17 said:Your data is totally wrong, man. Why don't you actually cite a source for your "facts"? ☕

If you’re going to make a claim like that, then the burden of proof is on you. You should be the one providing a direct link that clearly supports your assertion. To quote you:It is quite rare to come across a nation that manages to operate without any external debt at all, but Russia is one of those few outliers." 🤣

Regarding the accuracy of this information, I have to disagree. My data isn't just my own opinion or something I pulled out of thin air; it's based on official records, unlike yours.🤣

To be more precise, looking back at the end of September 2007, Russia's foreign debt obligations stood at approximately $431 billion. That is a massive figure, and it certainly isn't anywhere near zero. 🤣

Why are you even quoting Zachary Watson50? It’s not like he actually has any real insight into this. I will admit, though, that his estimates were certainly closer to the mark than yours—he managed to factor in about $70 billion more in Russian foreign exchange reserves than you did.🤣.

Look, we aren't actually talking about foreign exchange reserves or assets here; we are discussing liabilities. I’m honestly a bit confused as to why you're bringing up assets in this context—it feels like there might be a fundamental misunderstanding of the terms being used. 🤣

Dennis Harris5 said:If you’re going to make a claim like that, then the burden of proof is on you. You should be the one providing a direct link that clearly supports your assertion. To quote you:It is quite rare to come across a nation that manages to operate without any external debt at all, but Russia is one of those few outliers." 🤣

Regarding the accuracy of this information, I have to disagree. My data isn't just my own opinion or something I pulled out of thin air; it's based on official records, unlike yours.🤣

To be more precise, looking back at the end of September 2007, Russia's foreign debt obligations stood at approximately $431 billion. That is a massive figure, and it certainly isn't anywhere near zero. 🤣

Why are you even quoting Zachary Watson50? It’s not like he actually has any real insight into this. I will admit, though, that his estimates were certainly closer to the mark than yours—he managed to factor in about $70 billion more in Russian foreign exchange reserves than you did.🤣.

Look, we aren't actually talking about foreign exchange reserves or assets here; we are discussing liabilities. I’m honestly a bit confused as to why you're bringing up assets in this context—it feels like there might be a fundamental misunderstanding of the terms being used. 🤣

Okay, let's play by your numbers. You're admitting that the Russian reserves are around 480 billion USD. If their foreign obligations are 431 billion USD, then my point stands: the Russians aren't actually in debt.

The national debt sits somewhere between $40 and $50 billion, which I guess is negligible when you look at the economic growth rate.

goldentrucker17 said:Okay, let's play by your numbers. You're admitting that the Russian reserves are around 480 billion USD. If their foreign obligations are 431 billion USD, then my point stands: the Russians aren't actually in debt.

Your claim is pure nonsense, you absolute dickhead...."Russia is one of the few nations that carries absolutely no external debt."

That is obviously false, and it has nothing to do with the way you’re playing around with assets and liabilities in your posts... those are handled under completely different line items. External debt is its own distinct category on a balance sheet and is reported as such...

So, besides failing to provide a single link to back up your LIES where you insist that "Russia is one of the few nations that carries absolutely no external debt"... now you're trying to flip the script just because I called you out in front of the entire forum...

If you understood anything about this subject matter, you would have framed that sentence in an entirely different context, but since everything is just déjà vu for you, 🤣...

Essentially, all we are asking is that you finally provide a legitimate link showing how Russia has no external debt, as you so boldly claim....🤣

Ashley Rodriguez41 said:The national debt sits somewhere between $40 and $50 billion, which I guess is negligible when you look at the economic growth rate.

The only part of your statement that holds water is the bolded text...

I assume you were referring specifically to the federal debt, right? You really ought to have specified that to be clear.🙄

goldentrucker17 said:So, according to this, the "much bigger and more powerful" USSR didn't have the money, but suddenly they're flush because they're raking in US dollars and Euros from oil and gas sales? Give me a break.
Besides, Russia is one of those rare countries that doesn't even carry significant external debt—they actually sit on massive reserves of foreign currency and gold.

Here is another brilliant observation from our friend in America. What exactly is your definition of "cash"? 🤣

Do you honestly think Americans or people from Italy are flying over to deal with Russia carrying literal duffel bags full of dollar bills and euro notes just to buy natural gas? 🤣

Are you quite certain they aren't just settling via complex trade offsets or credit swaps? 🤣

Dennis Harris5 said:The only part of your statement that holds water is the bolded text...

I assume you were referring specifically to the federal debt, right? You really ought to have specified that to be clear.🙄

Lucky, you can't prove a negative. 47, 1 billion dollars—take your pick.

http://www1.minfin.ru/ru/public_debt...x.php?id4=2108 😍

Ashley Rodriguez41 said:Lucky, you can't prove a negative. 47, 1 billion dollars—take your pick.

http://www1.minfin.ru/ru/public_debt...x.php?id4=2108 😍

Lucky, Ashley Rodriguez41, what exactly are we looking at here? 🙄 Maybe start by brushing up on the fundamentals... specifically, where exactly is that $47 billion coming from? 🙄

Dennis Harris5 said:Lucky, Ashley Rodriguez41, what exactly are we looking at here? 🙄 Maybe start by brushing up on the fundamentals... specifically, where exactly is that $47 billion coming from? 🙄

Russia's national debt as of October 1, 2007

Ashley Rodriguez41 said:Russia's national debt as of October 1, 2007

The Russian debt🤣...you really ought to brush up on your terminology here. It's important to distinguish between what constitutes public debt versus foreign debt. Based on my reading—and I'm assuming I've interpreted this correctly since I don't read Cyrillic—what you've provided looks like total public debt. In macroeconomics, public debt and external debt are two very different concepts, and we are specifically discussing the latter here.

Dennis Harris5 said:The Russian debt🤣...you really ought to brush up on your terminology here. It's important to distinguish between what constitutes public debt versus foreign debt. Based on my reading—and I'm assuming I've interpreted this correctly since I don't read Cyrillic—what you've provided looks like total public debt. In macroeconomics, public debt and external debt are two very different concepts, and we are specifically discussing the latter here.

Foreign... ☕

Debt to Paris Club clubs 2.2 billion

Debt to non-Paris Club nations 3.0

Debt to UN countries 1.9

Commercial debt 0.8

Debt to international financial orgs 5.0

Eurobond loans 28.6

Treasury bonds 4.9

Russian Federation guarantees in foreign currency 0.6

Ashley Rodriguez41 said:Foreign... ☕

Debt to Paris Club clubs 2.2 billion

Debt to non-Paris Club nations 3.0

Debt to UN countries 1.9

Commercial debt 0.8

Debt to international financial orgs 5.0

Eurobond loans 28.6

Treasury bonds 4.9

Russian Federation guarantees in foreign currency 0.6

Lucky, before you jump headlong into this debate, let me suggest we take a moment to establish some ground rules regarding the fundamentals. It’s crucial that we actually distinguish between public debt and external debt before we proceed any further.

When you discuss Russia's public debt, you're looking at a figure that stands quite firmly on its own merits—which is exactly why it’s documented so clearly in the Treasury Department's official reports. However, if we look closer at the broader picture, Russia's total external debt across all sectors currently exceeds $430 billion. To put that growth into perspective, back in 2006, that figure sat at approximately $310 billion. It is a significant upward trend when you lay the numbers out side by side.

Moscow, April 2 (Reuters) — Looking back at the economic landscape of 2006, there was a rather significant shift in Russia's fiscal position that caught many analysts off guard. During that year, their foreign debt climbed by a substantial 20.4%, eventually reaching a total of $309.7 billion. It was quite a notable spike, reflecting a period of intense global financial activity and shifting credit demands. I remember discussing these kinds of macro shifts with some colleagues back then; it’s always fascinating to see how quickly these massive numbers can escalate when international lending patterns change.

On April 2, Reuters reported on some significant developments regarding international relations and the shifting dynamics of global security. Looking back at this specific moment, it’s fascinating to see how the geopolitical landscape was being shaped by the decisions of major powers. The report highlights the ongoing tensions and the complex maneuvers involving various global players. It reminds me of those long afternoons I used to spend reading through policy briefs during my time working in Washington; there is always a certain gravity to these shifts that isn't immediately apparent until the dust settles. The way intelligence is gathered and then disseminated by agencies like Reuters can change the entire trajectory of public perception overnight. It is a sobering reminder that in the realm of high-stakes diplomacy, nothing is ever truly static. We are constantly navigating a sea of changing alliances and strategic recalculations. One must remain incredibly deliberate when analyzing these movements, as even a small shift in posture can signal a massive change in direction for the nation.

I’m not going to hand over the official link to you... frankly, you haven't earned it.😁

Have you finally grasped the point, or do I need to sit down and draw you a diagram?

I have to head out for a moment, but I will definitely be back.😬