by Scott Humor
As the story goes, someone was driving a European guest to Yakutsk from Magadan. After they took off for their journey, the passenger got concerned about the absence of a GPS/ GLONASS device, even after the driver explained that he didn’t need the device because he knew the route well. Just to calm his passenger down he got his GLONASS device from a glove compartment, plugged it in and entered their destination address. A robotic female voice said, “After. Two. Thousand. Kilometers. Turn. Right.”
There is a reason why people try to use just enough technology to complete a task.
Any information on the war on Russia includes its economy and frequently, you will find outright lies about Russia-made products and technologies. Across the entire spectrum of human knowledge everything is being used by the Western propagandists for attacks. Just recently some British journalist claimed that the Soyuz rockets have less computing power than an iPhone. The guys who run the Russian Embassy in the UK twitter account responded, “You try going to space on your iPhone.”
I don’t understand why most Russia haters are so keen to using this China-made device as a proof of a myth of the Western superiority, but considering that the Soyuz (Union) rockets have the most powerful engines to take people and cargo to the orbit, this racket also have enough computing power for the job.
Soyuz MS-04 Construction, Testing and Integration
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For my previous Made In Russia post I received the request to write more on the conversion of the military technologies into the civil technologies.
This week’s example is a hoverbike. Military and civilian engineering companies are working to develop cheap and reliable devices for personal flying. Here a place where some “British journalist” can chum in and claim that Russia develops flying apparatus because it doesn’t have good roads. But this logic won’t work here, because the first hoverbike was purchase by the Police forces in Dubai.
Russian company Hoversurf hoverbike will be used by the Dubai police to monitor the streets
Personally, I like the Kalashnikov made hoverbike better
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Education
In order to have a technological breakthrough next generation of kids will study the basics of the Orthodox Christianity, code writing, logic, astronomy and chess.
Thinking back, when I was in elementary school my dad played chess with me and read to me Lev Tolstoy’s War and Peace. He only read to me the war parts, with description of battles and Tolstoy’s philosophy of the military and state and defense of Russia. His friends visiting us also played chess with me, but lost interest when I started winning.
Russian students from the Moscow State University won in the first international competition VisionHack
VisionHack —First International Hackathon on Computer Vision for Unmanned Vehicles
“In September in Moscow, NUST MISIS and Cognitive Technologies held the first university hackathon on artificial intelligence and computer vision with an available prize fund of more than $30,000. Teams from MIT (USA), the University of Cambridge (Great Britain), ASU (USA), the University of Science and Technology Beijing (P.R. China), UPC (Spain), and leading Russian universities participated.”
VisionHack 2017 was organized by the NUST MISIS, one of Russia`s leading technological universities, and Cognitive Technologies, a company which develops artificial intelligence systems for unmanned vehicles.
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President Putin congratulated agroindustry workers on their professional holiday – Agriculture and Processing Industry Workers’ Day.
“Today agriculture, the agro-industrial complex as a whole is one of the most rapidly developing branches of our economy. This year we expect a record-high grain harvest of around 130 million tonnes, and this has been achieved despite the unfavourable weather conditions.
Russia has reaffirmed its status as the world’s leading grain power and holds forefront positions in world wheat exports. There are positive trends in other sectors as well, such as pork and poultry production and harvesting of oil-bearing crops, sugar beet, fruit and vegetables.
We see that measures aimed at boosting the industry prove to be efficient. It is also pleasing that different types of agricultural companies are evolving – not only large enterprises, but also small farms.
This is a good trend showing the revival of true Russian traditions. The support of the farm movement, as well as measures aimed at promoting the overall progress of agriculture, will certainly be continued.
We must move forward, to increase the output of ecologically pure produce, to develop deep processing, to strengthen our positions in the domestic and global markets, and to competently use the natural advantages of our agriculture.”
Russian food exports may reach $20bn this year
Chutzpa without borders. The EU pushes for global rule over the Arctic Ocean.
The speech by the EU Federica Mogherini at the opening session of the Our Ocean conference 2017 has coursed concern and anger among the Russian public, since she calls to blatantly disregard any territorial boundaries of Russia, without even mentioning Russia as the biggest Arctic country and claiming that the Arctic Ocean belongs to everyone.
“In the Arctic Ocean, it doesn’t matter whether an icebreaker has a European, an American or an Asian flag. We all try to work together, because we all share an interest to travel freely and safely around the North Pole. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea has provided the world with a clear set of rules, to prevent conflict, to facilitate business and to make the marine economy sustainable.”
“We Europeans, the European Union, we believe that a globalised world needs a more cooperative global governance.”
We thought it was outrages that the US imposing its domestic laws extraterritorially, including kidnapping the Russian citizens and holding them hostage on frivolous charges. Now, it’s the Europeans who decided to impose the European Union idiotic rules and regulations on an entire world.
The Westerners cannot survive a day without stealing from the Eastern nations, so it’s always useful to have a hammer to break their sticky fingers. And here the moment when you understand a true need for the military icebreakers.
The Ilya Muromets Project 21180 diesel electric icebreaker built for the Russian Navy by Admiralteiskiye Shipyards, St. Petersburg
Russian Navy’s brand new icebreaker Ilya Muromets floats off
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2014 documentary Seven Seas of Ice: Russia’s icebreakers traverse top of the world
Arctic giant: 1st new Russian icebreaker in decades starts sea trials (PHOTO, VIDEO)
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Another made in Russia technological marvel that comes in handy to shoo away those pesky Europeans are the submarines. I wrote about the new submarines and their manufacturers in my previous released of the Made In Russia section. Here, I want to mention a fairly recent article authorized by Kyle Mizokami, “The Russian Stealth Submarine No Nation Wants to Fight ( Especially America)”
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We have discussed before the new truly innovative aircraft the Sukhoi SuperJet SSJ100.
I even posted beautifully made videos depicting the manufacturing scheme between Russian and the US companies.
Well… Those of you who said that it was a mistake to produce anything with the Americans were absolutely right. Now, the American side has put a stoppage to the Russia’s right to exercise freedom of trade in the free world within the free market. We knew it was a joke, free market and freedom of trade have been meant only for the American companies.
Right now, the manufacturers of the SSJ-100 in Russia are working to convert SSJ-100 systems to be fully domestically developed and made. It’s necessary condition since they want to deliver this aircraft to Iran and other countries without the consent of the United States.
The manufacturer of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 is facing problems with supplying aircraft to Iran, because it has American software. The US government fears that this Middle Eastern country will be able to get the secrets of production of the American aviation systems. It was decided to replace parts made in the United States with their domestic counterparts.
The SSJ-100 aircraft at the moment uses 50% domestic systems and 50% foreign. In particular, fire systems, auxiliary power unit, hydraulics, electrics, wheels and brake systems come from the United States. Russia has all the necessary technologies for the production, so the replacement of the U.S. components is only a matter of time.
Meanwhile, unfortunately, Russia is forced to wait for permission from the U.S. Treasury (OFAC) for delivery of SSJ-100 to Iran. The manufacturer filed an application to the appropriate United States authorities in August 2017, however, got no response. The manufacturer believes that the US is specifically trying to delay the consideration of requirements in order to disrupt the deal between two nations.
More industry news
New military airport in Kaliningrad will start operating before the end of this year.
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Art and architecture
While the experts from The Heritage Museum in St. Petersburg work on the preservation and reconstruction of the cultural heritage of Syria, there is still lots of work back home.
Crimean state registry Committee has registered the right of the republic’s ownership of the Khan’s Palace in Bakhchisarai. The palace complex includes the Falcon tower, Small Khan mosque, the Palace and the harem buildings, the Khan’s cemetery and the mosque all are now under reliable protection. Entrance is secured against all sort of vandals and thieves.
During the years under the Ukrainian occupation, the Palace has been looted by the local Ukrainian authorities and was slowly falling apart. At this point the ancient construction is in such poor condition that it’s dangerous even to be on its territory.
The preliminary work started to secure the buildings.
Russia’s real estate market is set to reach record height in 2018 with over 10% growth.
In September, more than 500 ships had passed under the railroad arch of the Crimean bridge, including the cargo ship Federal Elber that operates under the US flag.
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Electronics and software
Corporate IT systems from the UNITED ENGINE CORPORATION (UEC)
The UEC-Saturn’s corporate IT system supports the all stages of product life cycle: research and development, production, marketing and sales, after-sale services.
The UEC-Saturn’s corporate IT system has more than 4000 workstations in five Russian cities.
Thanks to application of state-of-the-art IT system, UEC-Saturn has significantly reduced a time for the new products development.
The 300th SaM146 engine for the SSJ100 aircraft was assembled at “UEC-Saturn” in Rybinsk
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MOX Fluel
Two years ago, Russia formally launched a commercial MOX fuel fabrication facility at the Mining and Chemical Combine (MCC) in Zheleznogorsk. The production line will fabricate MOX fuel for the BN-800 reactor at the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Station.
The plant uses weapon-grade plutonium, which Russia committed to eliminate under the PMDA agreement with the United States, but it can work with “any isotopic composition, any plutonium.”
In 2016, after spending several billion dollars the US discontinued construction of its own MOX Fuel Fabrication facility, because it just doesn’t have the technology.
At this point, Russia is the only country on earth that has the technology to make MOX fuel from the nuclear waste.
“Fast breeders significantly expand the fuel base of the nuclear power industry, enabling it to provide reproducible nuclear fuel. In addition, it will be possible in future to reduce the volume of radioactive waste through burning hazardous radionuclides from spent nuclear fuel in fast breeders, softening the impact on the ecology.”
Radioisotope products made in Russia are now available in the Philippines and Morocco
Spent nuclear fuel removal, transportation storage and reprocessing
In September Rosatom removed 12 reactor units from decommissioned nuclear submarines in Kamchatka, in total 22,000 unites will be removed.
“In Russia, and, in particular, SevRAO, there are highly qualified specialists able to solve unique problems that previously have not even attempted by anyone in the world. “
SevRAO, a nuclear waste handling division of RosAtom.
Haykakan atomayin elektrakayan, JSC, (Armenian NPP) and TVEL, JSC have signed contract documents for nuclear fuel supplies. The contract ensures refueling for regular overhauls and available stock of fuel assemblies for two years.
TVEL introduces new line of superconductors for medical needs
ТВЭЛ представил сверхпроводники для российских томографов https://t.co/JnOxQ3J17r pic.twitter.com/vaiyTEtZ7e
— Росатом (@rosatom) October 20, 2017
IAEA dispels German hoax of ruthenium radiation
The recent Ruthenium “pollution” hoax coincided with the groundbreaking discovery made by the Russian and Armenian scientists concerning ruthenium dioxide.
A supercapacitor or supercap is an electrochemical device which can accumulate energy and in the future might replace conventional batteries. The most widely used material to construct cathodes for supercaps is ruthenium dioxide RuO2.
Small and medium size business
“…we set a goal to make small and medium businesses account for 30 to 40 percent of the Russian economy by 2030.”V. Putin
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Foreign business in Russia and Russian businesses abroad
Putin promises to create better environment for foreign business in Russia
Russia rebuilds Iraq’s energy sector in areas freed from ISIS militants
The Russian operator company Gazprom Neft Badra is developing the oil field in the Wasit Province of eastern Iraq. The operator represents the interests of the international consortium that includes Russia’s Gazprom Neft, South Korean KOGAS, Malaysia’s Petronas, Turkish TPAO and the Iraqi government. The project is scheduled to take 20 years.
The Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission have been meeting all week in Kazan in Russia.
The Barents Sea cod quota will be reduced 13% to 775,000 metric tons for 2018, after the Russians and Norwegians reached an agreement on Thursday, sources told Undercurrent News during the Groundfish Forum.
Japan’s Hino Motors will build $17 mln truck manufacturing plant in Russia
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Rosneft and Iraqi Kurdistan Government Agree to Expand Strategic Cooperation
Rosneft and the government of Iraqi Kurdistan signed production sharing deals for five oil blocks with Rosneft saying it would in the future aim to also explore for gas.
Russian Army 2017
Vladimir Putin visited the Almaz-Antey Air and Space Defence Corporation, where he was updated on promising defense projects and held a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission.
“Overall, the defence industry reports sustainable growth rates that are higher than in many other industries. More precisely, output in the defence industry increased by 10.7 percent in 2016. Year-on-year production increased last year in all sectors, but growth was especially high in the electronics industry (18.5 percent), in the production of munitions and special chemicals (nearly 14.5 percent), conventional weapons (over 10 percent), aircraft manufacturing (9 percent) and shipbuilding (nearly 4 percent).
It is especially gratifying that production efficiency in integrated companies increased by 8.8 percent on average, while wages grew commensurately, which is a good sign. The majority of integrated companies balance labour efficiency growth and wage growth per worker.”
“We are rightly proud of the Russian workers, engineers and designers whose creative genius produced unique and worldwide renowned models of weapons. The names of such talented gunsmiths as Pavel Zakhava, Sergei Mosin, Georgy Shpagin and Mikhail Kalashnikov will forever remain in the heroic military history of Russia.
— Alex (@Molchan_OFF) October 7, 2017
— Alex (@Molchan_OFF) October 7, 2017
in Samara, JSC “KUZNETSOV” a part of the “United Engine Corporation” celebrated its 105 anniversary. Kuznetsov Motor is a maker of those powerful engines RD-107A/RD-108A, for the Soyuz rockets
For the anniversary, the manufacturer unveiled a monument to its famed NK-12MP turboprop engine.
MI-24 flying Alligator – 3500 manufactured so far. the fastest and most versatile attack helicopter ever made
Ми-24 создан в первую очередь для уничтожения бронетехники и живой силы противника, высадки десанта и его поддержки огнем. Кроме того, он может использоваться для перевозки грузов и эвакуации раненых:https://t.co/i0PQ3OEqMU pic.twitter.com/rjeHdDwEBq
— Телеканал "Звезда" (@zvezdanews) October 11, 2017
In October, as part of the Navy drills in the Black Sea the MOD successfully tested combined actions of SU-30CM and Moskit , a supersonic ramjet powered anti–ship cruise missile. The video shows how the Moskit missiles had pierced the ship through.
The missiles were shot from the missile cutters Ivanovets R-334, or in NATO classification Tarantul I (Project 1241.1) patrol combatant boat.
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The manufacturer announced completion of the development stage for the new advanced radar system intelligence (rlk) “Hawk-AV”
Completed development of advanced radar complex (RLC) intelligence firing positions of artillery of the opponent and adjust the fire of his artillery “Hawk-AV” for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Complex in its tactical and technical characteristics at times superior to the existing in service with the Russian army and the armies of foreign States counterparts.
Adopting the RLA will greatly enhance the effectiveness of artillery and conduct counter-battery fight.
The Hawk-AB will come to operate alongside of Zoopark.
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Hunting and small arms manufacturers
The Universal Kontarev Bullet UPK-2 – Russian Shotgun slug that destroys nearly everything
We test out some more shotgun slugs you never heard of before, the Kontarev UPK-2. These Russian slugs look and perform very well as you will see. We tested these with and without any rifling, and could not see any different in the performance. Both were equally good.
PPSH Shotgun Slug or the Pulya Poleva Shashkova – The Russian Ferrari of Ammo
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In October AvtoVAZ manufacturer has started production of very popular SUV Lada Largus with the domestic engines.
AvtoVAZ began sales of Lada Largus in versions with 16-valve engine VAZ-21129. This motor is known to be used in the Vesta XRAY, and it replaces an engine Renault K4M.
VAZ-21129 engine gets 106 HP which is 4 HP higher than Renault engine.. New motor for the Lada Largus provides the best acceleration: it has 148 lb-ft of torque. In addition, it has reduced requirements for fuel quality: if the French engine required only 95 octane gas, VAZ is able to “eat” AI-92.
Note that at this point now on, no foreign engines will be used for the line of Largus.
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News in brief
Russia increases Glonass orbital grouping to 24 satellites
Russian Helicopters Group is now developing a prototype of a new Mi-26T2V rotocraft. The new helicopter should be able to fly in any geographical region and any weather conditions
Images of Russian Space Forces facilities around the world
Images: Russia’s advanced icebreaker Ilya Muromets begins state trials in Baltic Sea
Image Gallery of Moscow parks innovations.
In Transport and Logistics: Photo Gallery: Construction of a new metro station Selegerskaya in Moscow and the station of Verhnie Lihobori
A young couple opted out of a city apartment and instead built a house using aerated concrete.
They got a pleasant modern house at the price of a three bedroom apartment. On the video an architect explains technical characteristics on his construction.
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Scott Humor
Director of Research and Development
author of The enemy of the State
In case you have forgotten what happened in Ukraine, this book should refresh your memory with the incredibly precise and humorous chronicles: ANTHOLOGY OF RUSSIAN HUMOR: FROM MAIDAN TO TRUMP
“In the Arctic Ocean, it doesn’t matter whether an icebreaker has a European, an American or an Asian flag”.
In that case, I am sure Ms Mogherini will agree that Russian and Chinese ships should enjoy equal rights in the Mediterranean Sea. And the UK government and media should stop raising the roof every time some Russian ships pass peacefully through the English Channel.
“We all try to work together, because we all share an interest to travel freely and safely around the North Pole. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea has provided the world with a clear set of rules, to prevent conflict, to facilitate business and to make the marine economy sustainable.”
If the UNCLS is so bloody wonderful, how come the USA has not signed it? Eh??
There no reason why Amerika should sign on we only honor parts that help Amerika. Then again we never keep our word on any treaty just ask Native Americans.
Well well.
There seem to be some myths about the movement of ships internationally.
I’m about to start writing an article on the Arctic.
MS Mogherini is actually right. It’s called freedom of navigation, enshrined in UNCLOS.
Keywords to note:
EEZ
Territorial Waters
Even warships can carry out ‘freedom of navigation’ in certain defining circumstances.
If anyone has issues, discuss more with regards to ocean governance then you can find my Twitter handle and DM me.
Thanks Scott great reads every time.
http://tass.com/science/971830
If Russia can figure this out and mass produce them a cheap price they just might control the energy storage world. It’s the holy grail.
Well Scott missed AK of AK47 producing electric motorcycle of 150 km per charge. Sina reported a few day ago.
The Russian Versailles. Peterhof – Петергоф
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lBuolbyj-A
Great post. Just wanted to say a word about Russia’s macro economic data.
The infamous agitprop coming from the west is “Russia has the same size economy as Italy”. They get that number by using nominal GDP which would only include Russia’s dollar value exports. Because Russia is not a dollar bloc economy. It does not include production that is consumed/saved or re-invested inside Russia.
The proper way to measure an economy like Russia is PPP (the UN and IMF use PPP across the board) Using that method, Russia’s economy clocks in at #6. Just slightly behind Germany. & since the EU occupies #2 spot, and includes Germany as within the EU, you could knock Germany off the list and say Russia is #5. But lets go with #6.
Then the propagandists in the west will say something like “oh PPP isn’t accurate blah blah.
Hang on. Russia ALSO occupies #6 in forign exchange reserves. (A country’s savings account) Where does Italy sit ? #18 !
So tell me again dear western propagandist, which GDP measurement is more accurate again ??
Yes, and the ‘experts’ on the western economies consistently point out the size of US GDP but not the debt-to-growth ratio. For example the US has a nominal GDP of $18 trillion. Wow, biggest economy in the world. What is never mentioned, however, is the public debt which is $19 trillion. The US debt to GDP is 106% and the gap is growing. The trend line is in the wrong direction. Russia’s Debt-to-GDP ratio is, 17%. It would be useful is western ‘experts’ look at BOTH sides of the ledger before making asinine comments. Oh, and BTW add in US private debt (corporate, personal and household) and unfunded future liabilities (Medicaid, social security) and total debt balloons to three times nominal GDP. Also worth mentioning is the manner in which asset price inflation (housing, stocks, and bonds) is counted as growth, Ingenious!
Addendum to the above.
Today’s Federal Debt is $20,433,416,014,983.44.
The amount is the gross outstanding debt issued by the United States Department of the Treasury since 1790 and reported.
But, it doesn’t include state and local debt.
And, it doesn’t include the so-called unfunded liabilities of entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.
Federal Debt per person is about $62,622
In terms of private debt – the first quarter of 2017, consumer debt rose to $12.73 trillion, exceeding its peak in the third quarter of 2008.
Total Government And Personal Debt
In the US this is now 41 Trillion Dollars – Repeat $41 TRILLION. More than double GDP
There’s more. Non-financial corporate debt is 45% of GDP. Approx. $8 trillion and non-financial corporate bonds 25% of GDP $4 trillion. You can do the maths but according to my school arithmetic we are talking of an overall indebtedness of something like 400% of GDP.
Of course, it will be (and is) argued that it is not the absolute size of debts which counts but the longer term trends. Sure, if the debt is being gradually amortized as growth outruns debt, these are manageable problems. Unfortunately, however, the trend line is in the opposite direction: debt is growing faster than national income. The economy has to shoulder an increasing level of indebtedness which will lead to deterioration and eventual collapse. It cannot be otherwise, this is a classical Ponzi scheme.
Re your parable: “…British journalist claimed Soyuz rockets have less computing power than an iPhone. Russian Embassy in UK responded, “You try going to space on your iPhone.” …Soyuz rockets have most powerful engines to take people and cargo to orbit; also have enough computing power for the job.”
Enough to do the job: therefore Russian technology is affordable – and works. In contrast to US whizzbangs like the F-35 cost $zillions and are knocked out of action if they hit a bird (according to recent Israeli demo meant to impress Russian MOD Shoigu).
I used Russian cameras like FED for years, and like thousands of other amateur photographers am a fan of cheap and good Russian lenses (made in the Ukraina). Nevertheless, there is one drawback to this philosophy of near-enough-is-good-enough: it can lead to Design Laziness. Fortunately there are also inventive people in this world who for ever keep the hound of zeal chasing the hare of perfection. President Putin seems to be one of those zealous people, judging by your reports of the advanced state of Russian technology since he took office.
Space electronics have to be shielded from radiation. Same reason they don’t install an iPhone on every satellite or a laptop on the Mars rovers.
Russia’s History Revealed
St Petersburg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQRJmFk6dfI
Volvograd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjT_05RZay0
Moscow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKMB939sGSw
Great article Humor. Suchoi should replace all that foreign (surveillance) parts that probably included kill-switches and were “calling home” anyway.
It should also replace the engines with the much better suited Aviadvigatel domestic engine, especially the new improved version with a greater thrust.
“In the Arctic Ocean, it doesn’t matter whether an icebreaker has a European, an American or an Asian flag”.
What Mogherini actually is hinting at here is that an icebreaker with a Russian flag amounts to Russian/Kremlin/Putin aggression. Point taken.
“We Europeans, the European Union, we believe that a globalised world needs a more cooperative global governance.”
Again: Russia should just unceremoniously nuke the Euro-trash. That would highly facilitate true cooperative global governance.
Your suggestion makes me think of Dr. Strangelove. We all live on the same planet. Lets keep it that way. Disclaimer: I live in Europe, surrounded by the European Union.
Indeed. So do I.
The joke is on Ms Mogherini,
“Cooperative Globalised market”
yeah sure Ms Mogherini, except that the EU is anything but that.
Talking twaddle for Brussels echo chambers.
Getting cut off from the global supply eco-system was probably the best thing that could have happened to Russia, providing they can avoid a war with the globalists. The globalists have to pay for enforcement of this embargo, and as far as PR goes the west are the bad guys. If Putin had wanted to separate the Russian economy from domination by corrupt international mega-corps and attempted it on his own he never could have gotten away with it, now the west are doing it for him.
In western Europe the autos are now completely computer controlled appliances that are in-operable when one component fails to continually signal “ok”. As the west tries to force everyone into electric/electronic vehicles due to their myopic obsession with global warming this complexity will get worse, and Russia will be able to offer a simple, reliable and repairable alternative. Bravo.
As a side note, I am a big fan of Dacia, made from Renault designs in Romania. This would be Lada’s main competition/potential partner.
At one point I was looking for a Dacia Lodgy, and I searched the internet for dealers neighboring EU countries for low price inventory. There was none. The local Renault dealers had no inventory and all you could do was join the waiting list, delivery after over 3 months wait.
There would be a demand for robust and simple Russian consumer goods if they were allowed in the market. Throw in OBOR it would be a real win/win. EU regulations of course will prevent that.
Very informative Scott. Just shows what Russia is capable of.
I would love to read your opinion as to whether Russia is better off or worse off, regarding the EU/US sanctions, having had to make some major decisions in the direction of self sufficiency .
I might be wrong here but it does seem that pre-sanctions Russia was dare I say lazily just basically trading oil and gas for western “stuff” but since then has been challenged to develop it’s own non-imported products, food and also an alternative to the western financial system of international payments – a challenge it has risen to with style and success.
During a Putin Q and A, a fruit grower pointed out that without subsidized cheap western produce flooding Russia, the agricultural sector had responded magnificently and Russian food production was better than ever. He worried what would happen to indigenous food production if the sanctions ended. Food is a weapon.
THE EU/US ruling cabal bear nothing but malice towards Russia and are utterly unreliable, dishonest and corrupt.
Putin in fact gave a list of such betrayals at Valdai this week.
They would do to Russia what they did to Ukraine and that is their aim.
I might be quite wrong but I have thought for a long time that that the sanctions were the best thing that could have happened to Russia and that it is primarily whenever Russia trusts the west and seeks to integrate with them that it gets kicked in the teeth. (Remember the mistral saga, France refusing to hand over the paid-for ships to mention only one example?)
Another reason I think the sanctions were a “blessing in disguise” is because they woke Russia up.
Who foresaw the Ukraine coup and the near loss of Sevastopol?
And these people are “partners?”
Surely if sanctions were removed we would be back to square one?
Russia’s big weakness IMHO is it’s continuing to hold the US and the EU in awe whereas it’s real strength as a country comes from it’s own people and their efforts and it’s relationship with China, the SCO etc, not from western transnational corporations.
Nordstream 2 eg is huge joint project if it happens. Mutually beneficial deals like this are one thing, allowing your economy to wither to placate Zionist globalists is another.
So what I am wondering and would value an informed opinion on is – Is Russia stronger now than 5 years ago ?
All in all, have the sanctions benefitted Russia or harmed it?
Trans-Siberian Railway
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Siberian_Railway
Railways – Trans Siberian Railroad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNlRUqak3Lo
Thanks much, Azorka for Trans Sib links!
Construction of that railway was simply an unbelievable story, an incredible feat!
Scott. Thank you very much for the Soyuz MS-04 Construction, Testing and Integration video and the UPK2 shotgun slugs. Very interesting videos. Great compilation of information. Cheers.
All this information can’t possibly be true – Barack Obongo said so – Russia doesn’t produce anything.
“In the Arctic Ocean, it doesn’t matter whether an icebreaker has a European, an American or an Asian flag”.
Indeed, for the Russians they are all foreigners.
There is no European Union it is the fourth German Reich in disguise.
Penso possa essere anche mio padre!
E per quanto riguarda questa maledetta Unione Europea, è presto eliminata per sempre.
Hi Scott,
I wonder if these links would interest you. They seem to be for a scanned copy of a book on the Tu-160 (in Russian, 552 pages, published 2016, Polygon Press). The Tu-160 is a marvel of Russian/Soviet engineering.
http://www.aviationunion.ru/Files/Nom_2_TU_1.pdf
http://www.aviationunion.ru/Files/Nom_2_TU_2.pdf
Scott, an FYI: this article (“Made in Russia VIII”) is not posted under “Scott’s Corner.” I recommend that it be so that all of your articles are in one place.
Scott
Great article – I like positivity angles to news items and techs stuff. So great combination. Hope there’s more to come!
Yours aye