Recent content by Spitfire9

Yes, there is a clear aggressor in this conflict and a victim of that aggression. I used to access Russian sources until recently when commenting on the war. Recently I started getting warnings from my anti-virus software that there was malware on the rrosstat site, so I now avoid official...

Another economist comes up with a negative analysis of Russia's situation and economic prospects.

As we approach 2026 I am unaware what revenue the Russian state anticipates receiving from crude exports. In September a Russian source stated that the average price expected for crude sold would be 59 USD per barrel. https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/113721/ With Urals crude...

Aiming high, higher than Meteor. Good luck in that ambition.

What's the situation? In 2022 Russia set out to invade, defeat , occupy and install a puppet government in Ukraine or else annexe the country. The short, sharp war to take over Ukraine did not work out as planned. Nearly 4 years later - hundreds of thousands of Russian troops have been killed...

And the Russian state is becoming less and less capable of both funding the war and funding the normal activities of a state.

The UK finished repaying WW2 loans from the US in 2006. Ukraine could have a similar long term arrangement for loans made to it.

While Russia is advancing on the ground, I think a little perspective is needed. As 2025 nears its end more than one source I have read estimates that at the end of the year Russia will occupy 1% more of Ukraine's territory than it did at the start of year. Russia is not enjoying a runaway...

The other side to this is that the Europeans now buy weapons from the US and then donate them to Ukraine. With Trump in power the US no longer donates weapons, so profits from the war continuing.

https://militarnyi.com/en/news/chervona-kalyna-tank-shot-at-high-rise-building-with-russians-in-rodynske-near-pokrovsk/ Sad that more troops died - Russian in this case. Probably not of any military significance, is it? To me it is just another example of people dying because Putin wants to...

The 'Holy Constitution'? It is normal for governments to observe the constitution of their country. It is illegal for them to do otherwise. https://verfassungsblog.de/wartime-elections-as-democratic-backsliding/ PS Even if elections were allowed under martial law, they would not be very...

I don't think that people of Europe have any interest in building empires. In general they don't want to elect dictators either. They like democracy. What sensible person wants a political system in which the leadership of the country cannot be changed after a few years through elections? You...

About Russia deliberately flying into other countries' airspace: I think it is time for countries to tell Russia that it is game over, from now on such intrusions will be met by deadly force. That is entirely legal in international law, law that Russia expects other countries to respect where...

I think that Europe needs to accept that the US is going to offer no real financial help in defending Ukraine. Europe is currently preoccupied with the proposed misappropriation of Russian-owned funds deposited in European banks. The GDP of the EU, UK and Norway combined exceeds 25 trillion USD...