Kremlin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov's comment on the failed delivery of Sputnik V to Argentina: no big deal, we are working on it.
For those who think that the US or anyone else are working on the destruction of Russia's reputation - no need to do it. You cannot destroy something that doesn't exist anymore.
For those who think that the US or anyone else are working on the destruction of Russia's reputation - no need to do it. You cannot destroy something that doesn't exist anymore.
Bank of Russia raised its key rate from 5.5% to 6.5% in the sharpest move since 2014. Russia struggles to target the inflation which went high above the expected level. Officially the inflation is 6.5%, but the prices for stable goods are rising substantially faster.
Vaccination is not the only area where Kremlin is failing hard.
Vaccination is not the only area where Kremlin is failing hard.
There is an understanding in Russia telegram about the Nordstream-2 deal being everything but a win for Russia. It basically won’t change anything. The US has the strong hand, the agreement with Germany is reached on American terms, at the verge of new Green Era Russia is more and more becoming a captive of its natural resources.
Gazprom’s Alexei Miller said today that transit of Russian gas across Ukraine could even go up. Chancellor Angela Merkel is leaving, the new chancellor could re-evaluate the situation, so the pipeline can be suspended almost at will.
We have written numerous times in our channel that Biden has a very strong foreign policy team.
Gazprom’s Alexei Miller said today that transit of Russian gas across Ukraine could even go up. Chancellor Angela Merkel is leaving, the new chancellor could re-evaluate the situation, so the pipeline can be suspended almost at will.
We have written numerous times in our channel that Biden has a very strong foreign policy team.
The Biden administration is considering a new round of economic sanctions targeting Belarus shortly after a visit to Washington by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. She didn't have a meeting with Biden, but met with his top foreign policy aides Jake Sullivan and Anthony Blinken.
It should be clear that sanctions against Belarus are sanctions against Moscow. Not only because Kremlin sided with Lukashenko in his violent repressions against its own people, but mostly because of Russian foreign policy.
Its core and essence is that Russia doesn't have any friends and has to buy Lukashenko's loyalty for a very high price. Belarusian economy isn't diversified, so the sanctions against its oil and potash sectors will be very painful for the regime.
Lukashenko will surely manage to get these billions of dollars from Moscow although he already costs Russia way too much. It is Kremlin's choice though, and Washington is ok with it.
It should be clear that sanctions against Belarus are sanctions against Moscow. Not only because Kremlin sided with Lukashenko in his violent repressions against its own people, but mostly because of Russian foreign policy.
Its core and essence is that Russia doesn't have any friends and has to buy Lukashenko's loyalty for a very high price. Belarusian economy isn't diversified, so the sanctions against its oil and potash sectors will be very painful for the regime.
Lukashenko will surely manage to get these billions of dollars from Moscow although he already costs Russia way too much. It is Kremlin's choice though, and Washington is ok with it.
Destroyed Legitimacy of the Nation
Great piece of writing on why the Russian president doesn't need the people of Russia for his legitimacy.
Putin lives in his own world like a medieval king whose right to reign indefinitely comes directly from God and cannot be challenged. He sees himself not as an elected president, but rather as a historic figure that cannot be judged by contemporaries.
This perfectly explains why Russia isn't a democracy but a neo-feudal regime without middle class. The Czar and, which is even more important, his feudals do not see the people as a source of their legitimacy. Therefore it is much more secure for them to depend only on Putin, so he has to be disconnected from reality for the benefit of Russian feudal lords.
Putin doesn't plan to go anywhere, but even if he wanted, he would be unable to leave. With destroyed legitimacy of the whole nation and declining demography Russia will be inevitably falling out of history.
Great piece of writing on why the Russian president doesn't need the people of Russia for his legitimacy.
Putin lives in his own world like a medieval king whose right to reign indefinitely comes directly from God and cannot be challenged. He sees himself not as an elected president, but rather as a historic figure that cannot be judged by contemporaries.
This perfectly explains why Russia isn't a democracy but a neo-feudal regime without middle class. The Czar and, which is even more important, his feudals do not see the people as a source of their legitimacy. Therefore it is much more secure for them to depend only on Putin, so he has to be disconnected from reality for the benefit of Russian feudal lords.
Putin doesn't plan to go anywhere, but even if he wanted, he would be unable to leave. With destroyed legitimacy of the whole nation and declining demography Russia will be inevitably falling out of history.
Russian Corruption: Madam Arbidol 2.0.
Regional governors in Russia would be stripped of the right to appoint their healthcare ministers amidst the pandemic. Kremlin keeps on killing Russian federalism and regions, but this time it is strictly business move.
According to the government's bill, regional healthcare ministers should be approved by the Federal Healthcare Ministry which is subordinated to the Deputy PM and former federal healthcare minister Tatiana Golikova.
Golikova is qualified to make money out of pandemic better than anyone else: along with her business partner Viktor Kharitonin she made a fortune during season flu while being a healthcare minister.
Golikova's ministry created a monopoly by making the whole country use Arbidol drug against respiratory viruses. The exclusive producer of Arbidol was Kharitonin. Sure enough, Golikova and her business associates couldn't waste another corruption opportunity provided by Covid.
Kharitonin's Pharmstandart company is one of the Sputnik V producers. The latest move with regional healthcare ministers is the last step in maintaining total control over the procurement in Russia's public healthcare.
Nobody knows how many people will die because Kremlin thinks it knows healthcare problems in the Far East or Siberia better than local governors, but who cares. We are witnessing Russian corruption and oppression of the regions at its finest.
Regional governors in Russia would be stripped of the right to appoint their healthcare ministers amidst the pandemic. Kremlin keeps on killing Russian federalism and regions, but this time it is strictly business move.
According to the government's bill, regional healthcare ministers should be approved by the Federal Healthcare Ministry which is subordinated to the Deputy PM and former federal healthcare minister Tatiana Golikova.
Golikova is qualified to make money out of pandemic better than anyone else: along with her business partner Viktor Kharitonin she made a fortune during season flu while being a healthcare minister.
Golikova's ministry created a monopoly by making the whole country use Arbidol drug against respiratory viruses. The exclusive producer of Arbidol was Kharitonin. Sure enough, Golikova and her business associates couldn't waste another corruption opportunity provided by Covid.
Kharitonin's Pharmstandart company is one of the Sputnik V producers. The latest move with regional healthcare ministers is the last step in maintaining total control over the procurement in Russia's public healthcare.
Nobody knows how many people will die because Kremlin thinks it knows healthcare problems in the Far East or Siberia better than local governors, but who cares. We are witnessing Russian corruption and oppression of the regions at its finest.
Putin in Wonderland
Vladimir Putin said today that prices in Russia have risen insignificantly above the projected inflation.
Putin's words come shortly after the Bank of Russia was forced to rise its key rate by 1% in an effort to target inflation which actually has hit double digits.
Rising prices along with enormous poverty are the biggest problem for Russians, and Vladimir Putin as a genius and the best leader ever has introduced a new strategy of solving it. If you cannot deal with the problem, just ignore it or call it insignificant.
Russians will hopefully find a way to feed themselves and won't distract Putin from serious matters like writing new articles or throwing military parades. The man has become ignorant.
Vladimir Putin said today that prices in Russia have risen insignificantly above the projected inflation.
Putin's words come shortly after the Bank of Russia was forced to rise its key rate by 1% in an effort to target inflation which actually has hit double digits.
Rising prices along with enormous poverty are the biggest problem for Russians, and Vladimir Putin as a genius and the best leader ever has introduced a new strategy of solving it. If you cannot deal with the problem, just ignore it or call it insignificant.
Russians will hopefully find a way to feed themselves and won't distract Putin from serious matters like writing new articles or throwing military parades. The man has become ignorant.
"Putin is sitting on top of an economy that has nuclear weapons and oil wells and nothing else. Nothing else. Their economy is — what? — the eighth smallest in the world".
"He knows that you’re better than his team, and it bothers the hell out of him".
Joe Biden made some remarks about Russia and his junior partner Vladimir Putin at the office of the National Intelligence Director. Kremlin reacted immediately, with Dmitry Peskov saying that Biden doesn't have a clear picture of what modern Russia is.
Peskov might have a point here: Biden believes poverty of people is a problem, while Putin doesn't. Biden works in a competitive environment, while Putin doesn't.
The fact of the matter is that Biden, who is all about personal relationships, doesn't respect Putin neither as a president, nor as a man.
Biden's second point hardly needs any explanation, one must be delusional not to see the crisis of Russian intelligence with its regular scandals.
"He knows that you’re better than his team, and it bothers the hell out of him".
Joe Biden made some remarks about Russia and his junior partner Vladimir Putin at the office of the National Intelligence Director. Kremlin reacted immediately, with Dmitry Peskov saying that Biden doesn't have a clear picture of what modern Russia is.
Peskov might have a point here: Biden believes poverty of people is a problem, while Putin doesn't. Biden works in a competitive environment, while Putin doesn't.
The fact of the matter is that Biden, who is all about personal relationships, doesn't respect Putin neither as a president, nor as a man.
Biden's second point hardly needs any explanation, one must be delusional not to see the crisis of Russian intelligence with its regular scandals.
Russian Vaccination Corruption: Guatemala
Russian citizens are suspected of bribing Guatemalan president Alejandro Giamattei in a case of failed delivery of Sputnik V vaccine to the Central American country.
The U.S. government has already suspended cooperation with Guatemala’s attorney general’s office in response to the firing of its top anti-corruption prosecutor Juan Sandoval who had earlier claimed that Giamattei was bribed by Russians.
Guatemala has already cancelled its order of a second batch of eight million Russian-made Covid-19 vaccines due to a delivery delay of a previous order, but it could be too late for Giamattei.
Everything Russia is involved in seemingly ends with corruption, bribes and dirty money. It gets predictable to a degree of becoming boring.
Russian citizens are suspected of bribing Guatemalan president Alejandro Giamattei in a case of failed delivery of Sputnik V vaccine to the Central American country.
The U.S. government has already suspended cooperation with Guatemala’s attorney general’s office in response to the firing of its top anti-corruption prosecutor Juan Sandoval who had earlier claimed that Giamattei was bribed by Russians.
Guatemala has already cancelled its order of a second batch of eight million Russian-made Covid-19 vaccines due to a delivery delay of a previous order, but it could be too late for Giamattei.
Everything Russia is involved in seemingly ends with corruption, bribes and dirty money. It gets predictable to a degree of becoming boring.
Comfortable Putin
Politico elaborated on the way the US could deal with Putin, including freezing his enormous assets. According to a former American official, “Putin's money is hidden so deeply that you don’t know where it’s going to crop up.”
Nonetheless, Biden won't take any action directly against Putin. Russian telegram channels gave various interpretations of the article, mostly stating that the US needs Kremlin to be predictable.
Anyway, the main reason why Biden won't go after Putin's money is because he doesn't have to. Russia has fallen well behind its rivals without clear perspectives to win its positions back. The economy is not healthy, the demography is declining, Putin lost Ukraine and will soon lose Belarus.
Kremlin's oldmen have missed the moment when the world began to change drastically. We challenge anyone to name us at least a couple of reasons why the US should be dissatisfied with Putin.
Politico elaborated on the way the US could deal with Putin, including freezing his enormous assets. According to a former American official, “Putin's money is hidden so deeply that you don’t know where it’s going to crop up.”
Nonetheless, Biden won't take any action directly against Putin. Russian telegram channels gave various interpretations of the article, mostly stating that the US needs Kremlin to be predictable.
Anyway, the main reason why Biden won't go after Putin's money is because he doesn't have to. Russia has fallen well behind its rivals without clear perspectives to win its positions back. The economy is not healthy, the demography is declining, Putin lost Ukraine and will soon lose Belarus.
Kremlin's oldmen have missed the moment when the world began to change drastically. We challenge anyone to name us at least a couple of reasons why the US should be dissatisfied with Putin.
The latest GDP per capita data is showing two obvious facts regarding Russia with its $10k per capita.
First, the living standards in Russia will likely never be even half as high as in the US, Western Europe and westernized Asian countries.
Second, Russia is gradually falling well behind its former satellites in Eastern Europe. GDP per capita in Poland is already more than 50% above Russian. Even Romania is well above.
It is a complete shame, but that's how Russia is run.
First, the living standards in Russia will likely never be even half as high as in the US, Western Europe and westernized Asian countries.
Second, Russia is gradually falling well behind its former satellites in Eastern Europe. GDP per capita in Poland is already more than 50% above Russian. Even Romania is well above.
It is a complete shame, but that's how Russia is run.
England’s High Court has begun hearing arguments from lawyers for four Russian billionaires about a book on President Vladimir Putin which they say defames them. All four of them belong the the "old" oligarch group in Russia which means they know a lot about Putin's rise to power.
Influential Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven have already settled with Harper Collins publisher agreeing to changes in subsequent editions denying their obvious contacts with Putin. Roman Abramovich and Shalva Chigirinsky are still to reach some kind of agreement with Harper Collins.
Abramovich's case is drawing more attention because of his public stature. He is portrayed in the book as a "cashier" to the family of Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s, then a "custodian of slush funds" to Putin.
Putin has other custodians of his funds, of course, Abramovich has another role in Kremlin's games. The very fact of Russian oligarchs seeing Putin as a toxic figure is amusing though.
Influential Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven have already settled with Harper Collins publisher agreeing to changes in subsequent editions denying their obvious contacts with Putin. Roman Abramovich and Shalva Chigirinsky are still to reach some kind of agreement with Harper Collins.
Abramovich's case is drawing more attention because of his public stature. He is portrayed in the book as a "cashier" to the family of Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s, then a "custodian of slush funds" to Putin.
Putin has other custodians of his funds, of course, Abramovich has another role in Kremlin's games. The very fact of Russian oligarchs seeing Putin as a toxic figure is amusing though.
Belarusian sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya will likely claim asylum in Europe after she refused to board a flight out of Tokyo, saying she was being forced to return to her native country against her will. She is in Polish embassy in Tokyo now.
Timanovskaya was set to compete in the women's 200 meters at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday but Minsk authorities tried to forcibly send her back home just for criticizing national sporting authorities for entering her into the 4x400 meter relay without her consent.
Lukashenko should end up in Hague and could do so if Kremlin and Vladimir Putin personally cared even a little bit about their reputation and were better than Belarusian dictator
Unfortunately for Belarus, Lukashenko understands Russia and Putin very well and has managed to make the best out of Kremlin’s policies for almost 30 years.
Timanovskaya was set to compete in the women's 200 meters at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday but Minsk authorities tried to forcibly send her back home just for criticizing national sporting authorities for entering her into the 4x400 meter relay without her consent.
Lukashenko should end up in Hague and could do so if Kremlin and Vladimir Putin personally cared even a little bit about their reputation and were better than Belarusian dictator
Unfortunately for Belarus, Lukashenko understands Russia and Putin very well and has managed to make the best out of Kremlin’s policies for almost 30 years.
Vladimir Putin and Rosneft chief, Russian oligarch №1 Igor Sechin visited a historic Konevsky monastery in northwestern Russia that was restored by Rosneft.
The footage on federal TV was supposed not only to show the faith of Putin in Jesus Christ, but also to confirm Sechin’s status as Putin’s right hand man.
There are some allegations that this status has shattered a little bit, but Sechin is so powerful and runs so deep in the system of putinism and Russian corruption, that he has nothing to fear.
Sechin was instrumental in destroying Yukos and other cases that allowed Putin to tighten his grip on Russia. Oligarch №1 has tens of billions to lose and is preoccupied with securing his capitals and legally passing them to his heirs.
The footage on federal TV was supposed not only to show the faith of Putin in Jesus Christ, but also to confirm Sechin’s status as Putin’s right hand man.
There are some allegations that this status has shattered a little bit, but Sechin is so powerful and runs so deep in the system of putinism and Russian corruption, that he has nothing to fear.
Sechin was instrumental in destroying Yukos and other cases that allowed Putin to tighten his grip on Russia. Oligarch №1 has tens of billions to lose and is preoccupied with securing his capitals and legally passing them to his heirs.
26-years old Belarusian activist Vitaly Shishov has been found hanged in a park in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. Shishov headed the Belarusian House in Ukraine, an NGO that helped people flee repression in Belarus.
Ukraine is a backyard of Russian and Belarusian secret services that frequently act together. The dear friend of Azerbaijani oligarchs, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin has visited Minsk after the violent crackdown on protests to ensure that Kremlin got Alexander Lukashenko’s back.
Perhaps we are witnessing now one of the results of a deep integration between the two countries.
Ukraine is a backyard of Russian and Belarusian secret services that frequently act together. The dear friend of Azerbaijani oligarchs, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin has visited Minsk after the violent crackdown on protests to ensure that Kremlin got Alexander Lukashenko’s back.
Perhaps we are witnessing now one of the results of a deep integration between the two countries.
Alexei Kudrin, Russia’s Accounts Chamber chief, gave an interview about the current Russian economic model and its perspectives. According to Kudrin, Kremlin’s approach to macroeconomic matters fell well behind the time.
Basically, Kudrin said that Putin and his feudal elites are dragging the country back. As one of Russia’s leading liberals and Putin’s friend, Kudrin is allowed to make risky assumptions like that.
He is obviously right, and there is nothing to discuss here. Russia certainly could do better economically, at least it could avoid its current shameful levels of poverty.
Kudrin elaborated on this issue, saying that several hundred billions of roubles could’ve halved the Russian poverty. Surely so. Moreover, Russian budget and state funds have more than enough money to do so, but they won’t.
Putinism is impossible without poverty. Almost everything Russia generates is taken by its feudal lords and mostly transferred to the West. The biggest Russian problem is actually the rift between the interests of Russian people and Russian elites.
So far Kremlin and its oligarchs are literally sweeping the series against the people of Russia.
Basically, Kudrin said that Putin and his feudal elites are dragging the country back. As one of Russia’s leading liberals and Putin’s friend, Kudrin is allowed to make risky assumptions like that.
He is obviously right, and there is nothing to discuss here. Russia certainly could do better economically, at least it could avoid its current shameful levels of poverty.
Kudrin elaborated on this issue, saying that several hundred billions of roubles could’ve halved the Russian poverty. Surely so. Moreover, Russian budget and state funds have more than enough money to do so, but they won’t.
Putinism is impossible without poverty. Almost everything Russia generates is taken by its feudal lords and mostly transferred to the West. The biggest Russian problem is actually the rift between the interests of Russian people and Russian elites.
So far Kremlin and its oligarchs are literally sweeping the series against the people of Russia.
No Mystery
A substantial piece of writing on corruption as a foreign policy instrument of Russia. There is an incorrect sentiment in Moscow about West misunderstanding Russia and failing to evaluate it.
Actually, there is nothing too complicated about this country and its political structure. America, for example, is much more difficult to comprehend. The text elaborates on the structure of Russian state and its weaponized corruption.
To sum it up, Russia is an oligarchic capitalism with strong feudal traditions and corruption as an organizing principle of governance. It is run by Putin as a corporation with immense repressive resource.
Russian colleagues shouldn’t overestimate the mystery of their country and culture which is also a product of Western influence.
At the same time, nobody should doubt that American elites, although Russia isn’t the top issue, understand what is going on in Moscow and its internal colonies.
A substantial piece of writing on corruption as a foreign policy instrument of Russia. There is an incorrect sentiment in Moscow about West misunderstanding Russia and failing to evaluate it.
Actually, there is nothing too complicated about this country and its political structure. America, for example, is much more difficult to comprehend. The text elaborates on the structure of Russian state and its weaponized corruption.
To sum it up, Russia is an oligarchic capitalism with strong feudal traditions and corruption as an organizing principle of governance. It is run by Putin as a corporation with immense repressive resource.
Russian colleagues shouldn’t overestimate the mystery of their country and culture which is also a product of Western influence.
At the same time, nobody should doubt that American elites, although Russia isn’t the top issue, understand what is going on in Moscow and its internal colonies.
Fridman&Aven vs Alexander Bastrykin
Russia’s Prosecutor Office is seeking about $100mln from the country’s biggest private bank Alpha Bank in case of the former federal Minister Mikhail Abyzov.
According to Russian prosecutors, Abyzov invested about $115mln of dirty money in Telegram’s TON blockchain-based network. In May 2020, Telegram withdrew from the project after litigation from the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and Abyzov got his money back with 10% profit.
Alpha Bank has been operating with $104mln of Abyzov, whose E4 company owed about 10bln roubles to Alpha. Russian prosecutors claim that these operations were illegal because of the money’s origins and want Alpha to transfer it to the federal budget.
Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven as Russia’s premier raiders are used to take, not to give. We’ll see now whether alpha oligarchs overwhelm Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
Russia’s Prosecutor Office is seeking about $100mln from the country’s biggest private bank Alpha Bank in case of the former federal Minister Mikhail Abyzov.
According to Russian prosecutors, Abyzov invested about $115mln of dirty money in Telegram’s TON blockchain-based network. In May 2020, Telegram withdrew from the project after litigation from the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and Abyzov got his money back with 10% profit.
Alpha Bank has been operating with $104mln of Abyzov, whose E4 company owed about 10bln roubles to Alpha. Russian prosecutors claim that these operations were illegal because of the money’s origins and want Alpha to transfer it to the federal budget.
Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven as Russia’s premier raiders are used to take, not to give. We’ll see now whether alpha oligarchs overwhelm Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
OSCE will not send observers to Russia’s upcoming elections for the first time in nearly three decades due to "major limitations" imposed by Russian authorities. The statement was heavily criticized by Russian officials and parliament members as “unfair”.
It won't especially hurt Russia's reputation, for you cannot hurt something that doesn’t exist anymore. There is no need to observe rigged elections, especially after Kremlin (Kirienko, FSB) started repressions against even opposition figures and media.
Freedom is destroyed in Russia not only politically, but as an idea and a category of being. This fact is more bothering than the coming rigged elections with results that are known beforehand.
OSCE got everything right. Elections in Russia are hardly legitimate, so there is no need to get into a dirt like that.
It won't especially hurt Russia's reputation, for you cannot hurt something that doesn’t exist anymore. There is no need to observe rigged elections, especially after Kremlin (Kirienko, FSB) started repressions against even opposition figures and media.
Freedom is destroyed in Russia not only politically, but as an idea and a category of being. This fact is more bothering than the coming rigged elections with results that are known beforehand.
OSCE got everything right. Elections in Russia are hardly legitimate, so there is no need to get into a dirt like that.
Belarusian Case
Lukashenko’s regime has become an ultimate pariah.
Unlike Yanukovich, Lukashenko is a full-scale dictator who doesn’t hesitate to imprison or kill people. He isn’t willing to give up his power to anyone.
Like Yanukovich’s case, the case of Lukashenko shows the ultimate failure of Russian policy in its key Slavic neighbor states. Our Russian colleagues shouldn’t be illusional about Kremlin’s long-term plan in Belarus.
There is no plan, as well as there wasn’t any plan in Ukraine. Kremlin, Putin and his cronies are not about plans, values and strategies, they are solely about money.
If there was some thought behind Russian policy in Belarus, Moscow would have someone to replace Lukashenko with. So, Kremlin either doesn’t have any plan, or Lukashenko totally outplayed Putin.
The story will either way end in Russia’s long-term cultural loss and failure. By totally supporting Lukashenko it is losing Belarusian people the same way it has lost Ukranians.
Lukashenko’s regime has become an ultimate pariah.
Unlike Yanukovich, Lukashenko is a full-scale dictator who doesn’t hesitate to imprison or kill people. He isn’t willing to give up his power to anyone.
Like Yanukovich’s case, the case of Lukashenko shows the ultimate failure of Russian policy in its key Slavic neighbor states. Our Russian colleagues shouldn’t be illusional about Kremlin’s long-term plan in Belarus.
There is no plan, as well as there wasn’t any plan in Ukraine. Kremlin, Putin and his cronies are not about plans, values and strategies, they are solely about money.
If there was some thought behind Russian policy in Belarus, Moscow would have someone to replace Lukashenko with. So, Kremlin either doesn’t have any plan, or Lukashenko totally outplayed Putin.
The story will either way end in Russia’s long-term cultural loss and failure. By totally supporting Lukashenko it is losing Belarusian people the same way it has lost Ukranians.
According to the official Rosstat data, there is no Russian region with people having an average income of 1000 Euros.
People in the vast majority of Russian regions actually have an average monthly income of 250-300 Euros, including those with enormous natural resources that bring billions of dollars to the federal budget.
Where does the money go? Well, that might be a trick question. Top-management of Corporation Russia has extremely high living standards.
Resources and money are being soaked from the country to build another billion dollar palace for Putin, superyacht for Abramovich or golden toilet for a local police officer.
Stunning inequality and poverty, intentional destruction of middle class and a real shame. These are the days of a superpower with great ambitions.
People in the vast majority of Russian regions actually have an average monthly income of 250-300 Euros, including those with enormous natural resources that bring billions of dollars to the federal budget.
Where does the money go? Well, that might be a trick question. Top-management of Corporation Russia has extremely high living standards.
Resources and money are being soaked from the country to build another billion dollar palace for Putin, superyacht for Abramovich or golden toilet for a local police officer.
Stunning inequality and poverty, intentional destruction of middle class and a real shame. These are the days of a superpower with great ambitions.