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This is a critical look at the situation in Russia. The video is based on an article of one of our readers and additional data.
The Russia of 2019 is in a complicated economic and even political situation. Smoldering conflicts near its borders amid continued pressure from the US and NATO affect the situation in the country negatively. This is manifested in society and in national politics. The approval rating of the Russian government and personally of President Vladimir Putin has been decreasing.
According to VCIOM, a state pollster, in January 2019, Putin’s confidence rating was only 32.8%. This is 24% less than in January 2018 when it was 57.2%. At the same time, the confidence rating of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was 7.8%. The approval rating of his cabinet is 37.7% while the disapproval rating is 38.7%. Opposition sources show data, which is far worse for the current Russian leadership.
This tendency is not linked to the foreign policy course of the Kremlin. Rather, it’s the result of the recent series of liberal-minded economic reforms, which look similar to the approaches exercised by the Russian government in the mid-1990s. The decision to increase Value Added Tax amid the slowing Russian economy, especially in the industrial sector, and a very unpopular pension reform increasing the retirement age were both factors contributing to the further growth of discontent in the population.
Russia’s GDP increased by 2.3% in 2018 compared to 1.6% in 2017. However, the Ministry of Economic Development, in its document entitled “Economic Picture” stated that this is linked to “one-time factors” and is not “stable”. The ministry maintained its earlier forecast stating that GDP growth in 2019 will be 1.3%. It confirmed increasing capital outflow. In this case, the repayment of funds to Western creditors by the Russian private sector is one of the causes.
The Ministry of Economic Development also pointed out that the expendable income of the population decreased by 0.2%. Statutory charges, including the increased taxes, are named as one of the reasons. The document says that statutory charges grew by 14.8% in 2018.
Additionally, the population is facing an increasingly restrictive administrative pressure: new fines and other penalties for minor violations in various fields and additional administrative restrictions limiting the freedom of actions of citizens. Restrictive traffic management of big cities, increasing fees for using federal highways as well as policies that are de-facto aimed at small business and self-employed persons are among its landmarks.
Meanwhile the general population has no effective levers of pressure to affect or correct government policy. The public political sphere has become a desert. United Russia (Edinaya Rossiya) is the only political party still de—facto existing in public politics. By now its ideological and organizational capabilities have become exhausted. Other “political parties and organizations” are just media constructs designed to defend the interests of a narrow group of their sponsors. It is hard to find a lawmaker in the State Duma or the Federation Council, who is not affiliated with the cliquish top political elite and oligarch clans.
In the media sphere, the government has failed to explain its current course to the population. A vast majority of the initiatives of Medvedev’s cabinet face a negative reaction from the population. A spate of scandals involving high and middle level government officials made the situation even worse. These cases revealed blatant hypocrisy and the neglectful attitude to duties of some Russian officials.
Some of the officials even became heroes of nationwide memes. Probably, the most prominent of these heroes are Minister of Labour and Employment of the Saratov region Natalia Sokolova and Head of Department for Youth Policy in the Sverdlov Region Olga Glatskikh.
Sokolova advised Russian pensioners to eat “makaroshki” [a derogatory term for maccheroni] to save money and to thus become able to survive on the subsistence minimum of 3,500 RUB [about 50 USD] per month.
“You will become younger, prettier and slimmer! Makaroshki cost is always the same!”, she said during a meeting of the regional parliamentary group on social policy in October 2018 adding that discounted products can be used to create a “balanced, but dietic” menu.
Glatskikh became a meme hero thank to her meeting with young volunteers during the same month. Commenting on the possible financing of youth projects, she told volunteers that the government did not ask their parents “to give birth” to them. So, they should expect nothing from the state.
In the period from 2018 to 2019, there were multiple arrests of officials caught exceeding the limits of their authority and being involved in corruption schemes. In comparison to previous periods, this number had increased by 1.5-2 times. The most recent detention took place right in the Parliament building on January 30. A 32-year-old senator, Rauf Arashukov, is suspected of being a member of a criminal group involved in the 2010 murders of two people and in pressuring a witness to one of the killings. On the same day, authorities detained his father, an adviser to the chief executive of a Gazprom subsidiary, Raul Arashukov. He is suspected of embezzling natural gas worth 30 billion rubles ($450 million).
However, these actions do not appear to be enough to change the established media situation. After a large-scale corruption scandal in the Ministry of Defense in 2012, which led to almost no consequences for key responsible persons including former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who even continued his carrier in state-linked corporation Rostec. The general public has serious reservations about any real success of anti-corruption efforts.
The aforementioned factors fuel the negative perception of the Medvedev government and Vladimir Putin as the head of state among Russian citizens.
The 2014 events in Crimea showed to the Russian population that its state is ready to defend the interests of the nation and those who describe themselves as Russians even by force of arms. This was the first case when this approach was openly employed in the recent history of Russia. Therefore, the population was enthusiastic and national pride was on the rise. However, the Kremlin failed to exploit these gained opportunities and did not use them to strengthen the Russian state. In fact, up to February 2019, the policy towards eastern Ukraine has been inconsistent. At the same time, Moscow continues to lose its influence in post-Soviet states. This can be observed in both the Caucasus and Central Asia. Even, their close ally, Belarus, occasionally demonstrates unfriendly behavior and focuses its own efforts on the exploitation of economic preferences granted by Russia.
Evaluating the current internal political situation in Russia and its foreign policy course, it’s possible to say that the Russian leadership has lost its clear vision of national development and a firm and consistent policy, which are needed for any great power. Another explanation of this is that the Russian leadership is facing pressure from multiple agents of influence, which stand against vision of a powerful independent state seeking to act as one of the centers of power on the global stage. One more factor, often pointed out by experts, is the closed crony-caste system of elites. This system led to the creation of a leadership, which pursues its own narrow clannish interests. Apparently, all of these factors influence Russian foreign and domestic policies in one way or another.
The aforementioned large-scale anti-corruption campaign, regarding the people’s show-me attitude towards its result, could be a sign of a new emerging trend, which would lead to a purge of the corrupt elites and to strategic changes in Russian domestic policy.
It is highly likely that Russia will face hard times in the next two years (2019-2020) and face various threats and challenges to its economy, foreign policy course and even to its statehood.
Who wrote this article? Is it lifted whole from another source?
It’s view is extreme: “It is highly likely that Russia will face hard times in the next two years (2019-2020) and face various threats and challenges to its economy, foreign policy course and even to its statehood.” [emphasis added]
A jew has infiltrated SF, and as usual the Russki are too nice and naive to see the kazar pokhorovsky devil in their midst.
Exactly as I predicted before everybody else could see it.
America is a winner nation and we Americans always win. Russia needs an American at the Command Centre to steer out of troubles.
Medvedev gives you $50 bucks a month in pension…………if you live…………….………….LMAOL.
Drunken again – the danish village idiot trying to be funny.
He keeps escaping from the institution by dressing in a Chador , as a pregnant muslim woman . .
lol
Are you maybe calling our Tommy a “fatso” :-)
President Putin’s recent speech together with a similar speech last year very much addressed the problems covered in the report above. To the listener there was a clear determination demonstrated to tackle a range of social issues. But here is the question. Are these Putin speeches just rhetoric that are ignored by the government apparatus? The fact that this years speech was very similar to last years speech did make me question as to whether progress is being made.
So can Putin turn things around? I am hoping for some valuable input from those with direct firsthand knowledge .
A brief look at Russia post 1991 and Russia post Putin, displays the huge strides to regain Russian independence from the US carpet bagging during the Yeltsin years.
Many Russians were literally starving to death in the 90’s as the country was eviscerated by US merchant banks and zionist oligarchs. Rather like the Ukraine today.
Russia today is feared by the US, ergo, Russia is very powerful with a population that understands that their freedom has to be nourished and defended.
If onw simply looks at population losses during 90s it is evident that in many ways it was worse than during WWII.
I agree with that and the 90’s were actually a war in another guise by the USA. Another war that the US ultimately lost
That method of warfare has been used by the US for many decades and without President Putin, Russia would likely have become another US slave state, or even worse, a state in constant warfare between competing oligarchs ( zionist filth ).
Warfare such as this reaps great profits for the US elite in arms sales. An example is what we see in Afghanistan.
Russia is so vast that such US warfare could have lasted for centuries, for the vast wealth of Russia is all that can save the US now.
Florian are you still making podcasts?
Lol.
Paul, I have to say that last year’s and this year it was significantly different. You should pay closer attention to details which are very important. Regarding “rhetorics” – simply compare Russia in 90s and where it is now. Managing to get evolutionary development without slipping into revolutionary bloodshed is the main characteristic of Putin’s way of governing.
Fact checking before posting is a must SF.
1./www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-01/22/c
2..https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/gdp-growth
My guess: this article must have been written by navalni or his buddies.
Dear @1691:disqus, the article refers an official report by the Ministry of Economic Development where you can find all official numbers: http://economy.gov.ru/wps/wcm/connect/885e0909-e8cf-4e9a-83ad-5d0681f7105b/190211_econ_pic.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=885e0909-e8cf-4e9a-83ad-5d0681f7105b
Dear SF, please, read what you posted in your reply as I am fluent in Russian and the link that you kindly provided does not correspond to the “opinion” expressed in this article. Again: fact check before posting.!!!Thanks.
Dear @1691:disqus , please, show the numbers provided in the text above, which do not correspond with the official report of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development. In other cases, we will be forced to consider your comments as a poor trolling attempt.
Sincerely yours,
SF Team
1.There is nothing regarding the rating of Putin in the report. I checked other links and the figures provided by your “source” are incorrect.
2. GDP -sorry.
3. Inflation…. SORRY.
The author has tried to comply a semblance of analysis. He/she failed.
May be you should check the author for trolling? Why not?
By the way, why are you posting the same article again? It was posted recently, wasn’t it?
Dear @1691:disqus , 1) If you check the report of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, you will find the data about GDP quoted by the article; for example in the first paragraph. 2) The article openly states that the data about Putin’s rating was taken from state polster VCIOM. 3) The article above does not mention the level of inflation in Russia. 4) We recommend you to read articles (or watch videos) more carefully before making such comments in the future.
Sincerely yours,
SF Team
Check my edited reply. You did not answer my questions. Why? And may I make a suggestion, namely: any info or reports from the Ministry of Economic development of let’s say usa, israhell, japan, shri lanka, zanzibar, guiana, france or any other state that comes to mind? Are you planting seeds for a ‘color revolution’ in Russia? Have we not seen this before? I get the point. Loud and clear. I would have not been surprised if such article was published by the msm. My bad.
Dear XXX, an independent analysis and freedom of opinions are the basis of our work. SouthFront is able to provide various point of views and to challenge them using facts. Many say that in most SouthFront articles, we provide a pro-Russian position (for example: https://southfront.org/russias-long-road-toward-resurgence/ ) and come under criticizm for this. When we were preparing this analysis, we checked facs as we were able and requested opinions of our Russian friends. We agreed.
As to Russian official bodies like VCIOM, the Ministry of Economic Development and others, which you labeled or compared with “usa, israhell, japan, shri lanka, zanzibar, guiana, france or any other state”. You know what we mean. If you are a patriot of “strong Russia”, it’s your task to set in government bodies a way defending peculiar interests of the state and nation.
Sincerely yours,
SF Team
Ha ha ha! Pleeeeaaaase!
To be expected, any media outlet that does not parrot the American line is targeted.
The targeting involves getting the “right kind” of people into the media organization.
I’m really sorry for the uneducated readers who think it’s all white or black. @1691:disqus resembles to me you are politically ignorant like the muricans. So to say “You are with us or against us!”
Poor Luis. He has not realized yet that SF is under new (mis-) ” management”.
Cause one video critical about Russia? Have you followed the full Putin’s annual address to the federal assembly? For the most part was similar as last year address, the unresolved issues almost the same cause the government did nothing. If you need documented professional writing about lovely Russian Byzantine misdeeds and other interesting insights check http://johnhelmer.net. You would like for sure the last Surkov pamphlet. And by the way, Russia like the Usa has a big problem with the Oligarch’s power, the big difference is they embody the failure of the ’90 and are hated all around Russia, for the Americans they’re an example to follow.
Byzantine? The village idiot that was blocked last millennium? No, thanks.
What’s your input on bibi’s engagement with oligarchs?
Byzantine yes. Byzantium (later Constantinople) was called the second Rome, the turks invaded it in 1453 and Moscow took as a defender of Christianity the role of 3th Rome. Rome invented bureaucracy, but Byzantium bought it to a new level and eventually died from it. Moscow has inherited not only the 3th Rome nickname but the same gigantic bureaucracy and corruption too. Who was blocked last millenium? . Here an interesting insight related to the oligarchs http://johnhelmer.net/rich-russians-tell-sociologist-their-secret-their-wealth-came-from-their-genes-cartoon-just-released-by-oxford-university/ has nothing to do with Bibi but the strong link between them and Israel is obvious. So the government has for sure a strong Israeli lobby but In my opinion the passivity from the presidential office has more to do with the fact that one third of the Israeli population has soviet origins and speak Russian.
I do not waste time with insane elements.
Stay in the now. Byzantium is long gone.
The Russian speaking jews are jews, nothing but jews.
The issue is multiple where SF fails horribly at.
First off, it assumes the corruption has increased in Russia recently when that isn’t the case. The case is, more politicians are actually facing punishment for their crimes and it’s making rounds now openly. Politicians of all magnitudes have been heavily corrupt in Russia for decades but only now they facing justice. So SF is only assuming a tree makes no sounds in the woods if it falls but no one is around to see or hear it. No politician is corrupt until they are caught.
Other issue is that popularity vote. First off, people are still pissed off with pension reform which was heavily needed. Russians want to live like the west, but they want to pay little in taxes and also retire early. It doesn’t work that way. Average Russian are living longer than they were for a long time, so pension age increases. But let us not kid ourselves, Putin’s ratings also dropped last year, year before etc. It always happens. It drops, then it increases. Then there is VAT tax. Well, the claim is “while industrial production is slowing” which is factually incorrect as industrial production grew 1.1% yoy in Jan. While it was larger Jan last year, its growth rate is calculated year on year and compares to last year’s meaning it grew 1.1% overall in comparison to previous numbers. So it’s growth regardless. VAT taxes in Russia correspond a lot to similarities to other countries and is balanced out with is rather low (13%) income tax which is extremely low.
Economics: in contrast to sanctions, 2.3% growth is amazing. And reality is, Russian economic ministry always was pessimistic with their findings. Yet groups like Awaragroup actually provides real numbers and shows a different picture, where growth is even higher than what economic ministry shows. Growth will continue to happen but perpetual growth is impossible. Russia won’t “print” money for perpetual growth like some countries do
Then there is politics.
There are other parties actually South Front. Even to the point two of the parties received majority votes as now governor’s of various regions. KPRF and LDPR. They are real opposition, not the liberal morons like Masha 2% (Navalny) or Yabloko morons.
While I do like south front, this article was poorly thought out. Maybe to rile people up. But I wouldn’t take this analasys seriously as we have seen, things are a lot more stable now in Russia than it was in 2011/2012 let me tell you.
Thank you! What you wrote sounds reasonable and I do not feel the urge to check and search other sources.
We all know that the whole world is sliding into “internal political crises” It is not something that is EXCLUSIVELY taking place in Russia. As a matter of fact Russia is one of the few that is lucky to have a government working for the people.
Why do we have to read the same article twice within a week? This is not by chance.
SF had the arrogance to advise me on internal changes if I want a “strong Russia”. Unbelievable. It confirms that this article is planting the seeds for a need of “color revolution” in Russia. Not very original as we’ve seen it before. I can suggest a few states that are desperate for internal changes but it is up to the people there and none of my business.
I have been reading SF not because of the quality but because some comments are priceless. I learn more from the discussions than from the articles. Best!
President Putin also stated recently that all Russian state debt obligations to foreign nations are covered by Russian state reserves. Also that the debt is easily manageable .
The US and UK can only dream about such fiscal stability.
This is the reason that the US and UK seek to loot Russia again.
He said that all state debt obligations plus all business foreign debt obligations are covered by state reserves. There’s very significant difference.
Thank you Tudor, I missed that valuable addition.
Yes, you are right, the ironic Tommy comments are quite priceless, like “we Americans never brag, but…” :)
I would agree to your comment other than your claim that KPRF and LDPR are “real opposition”. Yes, they oppose Putin, that’s for sure but they are the same sort as Navalny (I prefer to call him Analny if you know what I mean) they just abuse patriotic ideas. KPRF shamelesly sold their presidential candidate spot to billionare Grudinin and Jirinovsky is nothing but a traitor disquising as a patriot.
Ruskies don’t like hearing the TRUTH, Putin is ripping off Russia with his Jew Oligarchs and average Russian is not happy.
Adults are talking, so back to the sandpit and play until called…
Yes but t lest they know they’re being ripped off and do something bout it. Americans on the other hand still think everyone states is living in the lap of luxury
Putin and his Jew oligarch pals are drinking the life blood of Russia.
Actually Jews drink MUCH more (yours) US blood.
And Putin’s Russia drinks also US blood….because Putin is blocking US in imposing (US) neocolonialist world terrorism on everybody on the planet!
It is not China but only RUSSIA that tells you directly to fuck off !
50 Dollar in pension is fact or not?
Honey, obviously you have never been out of your country. $50 has a different buying power in every country. That is a fact.
It is a fact that pensioners are suffering globally not only in Russia.
With Chubais, Kudrin and Medvedev in the government, corruption reaching Yeltsin times and Putin talking about productivity a few days ago, I think liberals influence the president, time for the generals to step in decisively.
We’re not Turkey to hope that generals will step in :)
Saying that corruption is anywhere close to Eltsin’s times is ridiculous.
Liberasts still have lots of power but that is changing. Slower than desired but without revolutions and that’s very good. Many don’t seem to understand how governing actually works and think that Putin has some kind of Tsar like authority (i.e. absolute power) – that’s very far from true. I’m actually amazed how much he could achieve considering that 80% of governing apparatus is still same people appointed from US embassy. People should understand simple thing – Russia is restoring its soveregnity. Yes, it is largely restored in comparision to Eltsin’s times but it’s is still far from being 100%.
With all respect Myron, I always read your comments carefully, because they hold water, but at the end of the day you tend to find excuses for the wrong doings of the Russian elite administration in general. I don’t want excuses for the richest country on earth. It is already 30 years from the collapse of the USSR and almost half of its life, and the president increased the pension age, when USSR could hold it and pay it from 1930s. If it wasn’t those ugly looking buildings of the soviet era, there would be homeless in Russia. Private universities with sky fees which normal people can not afford, health system deteriorating with the rural health units closing.
At he same time the number of billionaires is increasing in numbers and wealth and Putin is relaxing foreign investments from taxes, talking to increase productivity, Allas!!! You know what that means, increase working hours with the same pay, or cut the wages.
As for the generals please don’t take it literally. I mean Russian people always respected and trusted the glorious Red Army, and Putin should be influenced mostly by them and his people not by the 5th column.
We have to be more critical to Putin and the administration and don’t find excuses the pressure from abroad. Soviet Union was and Russia will always be at war with the west, Hot or Cold, simply because its a rich country. The whole world is looking to Russia for help, because Russia can do it. Russia and may be China is the only hope for peace and prosperity in this planet, so we must preserve and strengthen their inherent attitude and fight together.
Putin and Xi is a unique opportunity for Russian people and the people of the world .
If you prefer to use my last name than I would kindly ask you to notice that it is Miron.
Where exactly do you see me excusing ruzionic “elites”? Traitors have no excuse.
I’m not axcusing but trying to explain how things are. It’s not a matter of Putin being influenced by liberasts. It is a matter of understending objective reality and situation.
Oh sorry Tudor, you see Myron is a Greek name ( Μύρων) very popular with Greek Orthodox priests. “Understanding objective reality” is a very conservative idea to my understanding. There are some words witch never go together with objectives like for example, truth, decency, reality, liberty.
The reality is capitalism, the most barbaric system especially when it reaches its upper level imperialism ( USA ), we should never forget it and always strangle against it with a clear vision on where we want to go. That’s realism. All the others are perceptions which are changing with the circumstances I think.
The sooner the transfer of power from Putin to the Defense Minister together with the gouging of Medvedev and his cabal the better for all Russians and far better for the world.
Is it not up to the Russians to decide their internal affairs?
No it’s already been decided that the US runs all countries for the benefit of America.
At least they try and tried. Look at Venezuela now.
Not my choice though but then: The Moon is mine and mine only. Don’t you dare make any claims on it! :)
Of course it is.
Gregory, what we have as a MOD now is a result of Putins work. Also, lets us Russians think for ourselves what is better for us. As for the rest of the world – you’ll have to accept our choice :).
I absolutely agree and accept that Russia’s MoD has been restored as a direct result of the work of Putin. The point I make is that the Minister for Defense appears, to me, to be the successor-in-waiting: correct me if I am wrong.It also seems to me as if Medvedev and his cabal have waited too long to challenge Putin and so, I believe that when Putin decides to step back, it will be because he is happy for his Minister for Defense to succeed him.If there is doubt about Putin’s ability to retain power I believe that is a problem, not just for Russia but also, for the rest of the world, much of which depends very much on a strong Russia so to ensure the NATO-US freak-show is kept in check.
Oh my God!
Retired people are forced to use Food Banks to survive ! and with the Pension Reform it will be even worse!!
Politically there is Stagnation, the same ruler will Keep ruling! No matter what Party you are going to vote the day of the election the result is predetermined…. NO *REALLY* !?!?!?!
But that’s… The *horror*.. the *horror*..
… the horror of Germany I mean – if you are not Aware of German Pension System try “Altersarmut vorprogrammiert” (losely translated = “inevitable poverty when reaching the old age”) in a search engine and enjoy the auto-translator.
Then let’s Focus Angela “la Kulona” (fat ass) Merkel .. you can vote the Government CDU-CSU or the so called Opposition SPD and you will end up with the Kulona glued on her Chair and a CDU-CSU-SPD coalition. Should the SPD disappear because former electors are disgusted there are the Grüne (Green) shivering in anticipation for being used as a Stool.. (this I think I do not have to provide links, I think is Pretty much visible in any language)
But what are doing the Russian of Southfront ? Screaming around running in circle because the Sky is falling on Mother Russia, seriamente ragazzi, avete rotto i coglioni con il vostro disfattismo, e che cazzo! Ci fosse Georgi Konstantinowitsch Schukow vivo vi prenderebbe – giustamente – a calci in culo da qui alla Luna – avete da mangiare (siete diventati esportatori netti di derrate alimentari) avete gas & petrolio da riscaldarvi fino alla fine del tempo e armi nucleari per incenerire chiunque prova a passare i confini .. avete le riserve auree uguali al debito totale (!!) – ma di che ostia vi lamentate? Basta lagnarsi, palla al Centro e pedalare.
Sorry I had to write in Russian :-) to properly express my thinking
They raised the pension age here in Australia to 67, damn you Putin.
Also the chicken soup they serve at the soup kitchen sucks, double damn you Putin.
Great comment, too nice to read!
I would make screen shot and make a desktop background out of it …(if I was only working in South Front)…
THANK YOU SF!
You prove that you provide truely objective coverage of russia as it is today!
To
all those mostly non russians now going nuts because they dont
understand that the Russian gov. and Putin do have negative sides: If
you TRULY stand on the side of the russian people, you NEED to be
critical! While most of my russian friends DO support Putin and his
foreign policy, the HATE his neoliberal politics and his soft spot
Israel.. EVERYTHING has good and bad sides, and if one does only see
black and white, one is not better than any John Bolton or Bibi..
Yes, having to see two sides is always good but one shouldn’t be over dramatic in the postings as this article is. As I had posted below as my critique of it, it rather gives a gloomy picture where there really isn’t. Currently Russia is at a very stable point we’re every economic indicator is currently growing, not declining contrary to what is being described. Regardless, there is room for improvement from Russian government but it won’t come from foreigners or from South Front or it’s readers. But instead, from the Russian people who vote. And the growth of votes for LDPR and the Communists gives me hope.
If you need documented professional writing about lovely Russian Byzantine misdeeds and other interesting insights check http://johnhelmer.net.
As this is a repetition (with some content added) of earlier posted article I will repost my comment to the original article
“In many aspects the author is stating the truth – he’s just failing to see the actual cause and effect of what is going on. What we witness is a huge counter attack of US “country level” elites against Russia dealt through local ruzionic bureaucratic corps installed by US in 90s. Since 2018 elections when Putin went as independent candidate (refused to be elected as Edynaia Rossia candidate) and received huge support from Russian population, there is strong attack against him and authorities in general in all sorts of media (it’s a stupid mistake to think that media is controlled by Putin).
To put it simply, US is pushing it’s vassal ruzionic “elites” to create a maidan (civil war) in Russia and those traitors obey being unable to understand that they are committing suicide – they will be wasted in that civil war (if they manage to get it) and their US masters will laugh while those traitors will die.
In fact, situation does look like it is worsening and Putin is yet to make his counter move… I still hope that he knows what he’s doing and has a plan how to deal with this 5th column that is roughly 80% of our governing apparatus.”
I will add that it really starting to look as if Putins counter move is coming but also some serious experts (with very good prediction record) are saying that “maidan” is planned for march/april. Let’s see how it unfolds. I think that 5th column will fail again. A quote from Putin fits well here – “Замучаются пыль глотать”(с)
Sure, Russian are straining at the bit to descend to living like the Ukraine. Yup. Those Russkies are so stupid they are eager to assume the aescetism of the Ukraine. And they have an alternative leader and party and program ready to hand.
So, this is a stupid article. It’s like “This Russian government is the worst except for all the others”.
Actually, any day the Moscow government want to come and show stupid Toronto how to build a subway or a actually much of anything, they should come and do it in half the time for half the money.
For a website that is supposed to be pro-Russian, this article isn’t doing your website any favors.
All countries are getting poorer from the perspective of the common people, and they will continue to get poorer until they rise up and take back the money the rich have stolen from them.
Marx explained how capitalism worked over 100 years ago, and poverty towards the end of the cycle is inevitable.
https://youtu.be/Xv8FBjo1Y8I
factually inaccurate—at best a litany of lies
Soft anti-Russian propaganda.
Declaring persistently glass “half empty” (instead of well balanced approach) is well hidden agenda of painting an unrealistically pessimistic picture.
Statistics can be proves for everything and nothing (depending on how tempered are their questions)
For me this is just one of so many well disguised anti-Russian contents.
It is so disappointing to see that even Saker is giving full support to such content…
This is just another attempt to (yet again) try to slender Russia.
If somebody is for pro (liberal) Russia I can (as an Orthodox and Russophile ) hardly see that as pro Russian at all.
The same goes for pro (communist ) Russia option.
It would be unwise of the Kremlin’s enemies to take succour from these reports. A destabilized Russia means a world moving closer to the edge of the abyss – nuclear war. ‘It is highly likely that Russia will face hard times in the next two years (2019-2020) and face various threats and challenges to its economy, foreign policy course and even to its statehood.’ The West should not exploit this, any attempt to return to the 1990s would be catastrophic for everyone. A safe Russia is a safer world. But the ghosts of history are not being heard in western capitals.
https://www.ghostsofhistory.wordpress.com/
Well, it worked once it works for a second time. The Soviet Union just as now Russia jumped the nationalist fervour of being a world-scale power. And all the while the living standards in the West are simply incomparable to the Eastern Power. And because of this there are millions of Russian ex-pats in the West, but not the other way around.
And yes, the Russians are building wonder weapons, just like when Reagan made the Soviet Union arm itself with unnecessary and unbearable weapon systems that ultimately made the rotten carcass of the Empire to crumble. And this is what is a-coming now.
And guess what? The laughing third will not be the West but your backstabbing Chinese friends.
In my opinion you are wrong, but time will tell.
More bullsh!t and wishful thinking!
It might be helpful to mention that Russia has no Foreign Debt or, at least, it holds Gold Reserves equal to or greater than any foreign debt it has.
Lies.
The Russian central bank controls the gold and in its turn the Russian central bank is controlled by City of London western Talmudic bankers. Russians are prohibited from buying gold with oil sales proceeds and cannot even issue their own currency the ruble without permission from City of London bankers. Putin had the power and the support to nationalize and give its independence to, the Russian central bank but never did. This is PROOF that Russia is not a sovereign country but only a covert colony if western Talmudic bankers.
Refer to links I posted above, including the one from Pravda itself.
Thanks Art. Reading them now.
You’re welcome buddy.
Putin, Hilary, Trump, and Macron work for the SAME Frankist Talmudic scum that controlled both the USSR and the abominable USA since their respective inceptions.
WHY would the USSR sell Russian oil for illegal and unlawful (according to Article 1, Section 10 of the US Constitution) dollars and aid and abet its nuclear-armed American enemy unless both countries were ruled by the same Khazarian fake Jews?
WHY do Russians to this day collaborate with the Israelis and the Americans to carve up Syria despite the feigned enmity?
WHY do Russians worship Talmudic Jews even though the Bolsheviks (Talmudic Jews) tortured and murdered over 20 million Russians?
Why does Russia share intel with Israel to enable them to bomb and kill both Russians and their allies in Syria?
Why does Russia NEVER officially *ask* the Americans to leave Syria, and the Israelis to cease and desist from attacking and murdering both Russian personnel and Syrian allies in Syria?
Why did Russia ENABLE NATO to attack Libya and murder Kadhafi?
Why does Russia supply S-400s to Turkey after the Donmeh (Frankist Talmudic) Turks ambushed and killed Russian officers and boasted that they would do it again?
How can Putin and the Russians (and the Americans for that matter) pretend to be a Christian nation and collaborate with the Turks after the Turks under orders from Donmeh crypto Jews like 33rd degree Freemason Talat Pasha and Ataturk committed the genocide of the first Christian nation of history, the Armenians?
Putin is a “cipher” (a traitorous gutless nothing) according to Yeltsin himself and works for the Frankist Talmudic scum: http://johnhelmer.net/the-love-that-dare-not-speak-its-name-the-secret-in-the-clinton-yeltsin-papers-which-the-kremlin-spokesman-regrets-to-see-exposed-is-the-love-of-submission/
http://aanirfan.blogspot.com/2018/02/trump-putin-kosher-nostra.html?m=1
The Russians are FORBIDDEN by the Russian Constitution passed under Yeltsin to buy anything but US Treasuries with the dollars they get from oil sales. They can’t buy gold and what gold there is in Russia is controlled hence de facto owned by the City of London western bankers.
http://www.pravdareport.com/russia/129431-usa_russia_central_bank/
https://anonhq.com/checkmate-central-bank-russia/
You, yes YOU, my friend, you are not only a fool but you are also evil as all your actions and abstentions only amplify and multiply the suffering in this world.
Damn you all.
America=Israel=Russia
The Saudi Arab rulers are Frankist Talmudic impostors of Jewish descent: https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2011/10/26/the-doenmeh-the-middle-easts-most-whispered-secret-part-ii.html
Total nonsense!
1. article has no author/ess. Why not?
2. cherry-picking VCIOM stats.
3. mostly anecdotal content from which the author/ess makes broad conclusions.
Powerful title for mostly boulevard press content.
Problem with articles like this is that are picked up by other blogs and read by other people that do not do any fact checking. …or is that why it was published
Painstakingly reading all the comments & responses first, warned me away from reading the article,
Russia Slides . . . Thank you, for the interesting comments, viewpoints, and information.
We all endure a similar debilitating condition. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/95d28898a209737494293dd10f37aede3d718321fe00da9d5960df4472ddeb4b.jpg