Russia - threadbanned users in OP

I'm not so sure Jmreire. As was noted previously in this thread, the nazis in Germany lasted not much more than a decade and before them Germany was a sophisticated and quite liberal democratic state and mindset, so when they were done and dusted they reverted to type pretty much overnight. Russia on the other hand has been the same imperial power for centuries, with the same tiny corrupt number at the top, bolstered by religion/communism with regional governers lording over their subjects who in better times got better crumbs from their master's tables. Russia has never been or had a democratic and liberal state and mindset. In some ways I think the only way such a large state can function is under such a system(the US gets away with it for a load of reasons, but one being a conglomeration of federal "local" states with a common overall purpose). If Rome had never fallen the way it did and you wanted to get an idea of what that might have looked like I'd point to Russia(and China to some degree). More isolated in history than not, culturally stagnant for large perios of time, obsessed with historical narratives, centralised with power residing with a ruling elite and obsessed with their borders and threats, military and cultural from "outside forces".

The fact that Putin and Russia's online flying monkeys cry so very hard about the economic sanctions + keep arguing, get rid of them, you fools are only hurting yourselves etc. etc. tells me our leaders are doing something right there anyway.

Indeed. Note how that poster completely ignored the point that the very reason the Rouble has never been so "strong" is because the sanctions are having an effect and a large one. If the Rouble being strong was the positive his spindoctors paint it, then why has the Russian finance ministry brought in a myriad capital controls and three interest rate slashes in as many months to devalue it? If the Rouble being strong was the positive they spin, surely they'd be trying to strengthen it? They don't because they understand basic economics.

Pity you're avoiding all the other points raised while capslocking "FACTS" thinking this makes them so. Russia's economy is small by world standards, microscopic by the standards of her size and natural resources. All they have is oil and gas, and nukes. They're a run down petrol station with a shotgun. Now when you need petrol you will drop in, but the more the owner waves his shotgun about the more people will look elsewhere even if it costs more, while others will drop in if he slashes his prices. Not a great business model.

And yep their money is "resting in an account" because of the sanctions. Sanctions that won't be lifted any time soon. They're essentially cut off from international finance and money markets and international delivery systems and leasing and insurance and that gets worse as the months and weeks pass. I'm afraid they're the "FACTS". I may have a million quid in my bank account, but if my card is blocked and stops working and the bank is unwilling to replace it, I'm broke.

Some did, many didn't and looked at their gas/oil revenues coming in. A strong Rouble is not good at all. Oh it's better than a complete crash, but that's like saying a slow growing tumour is better than a fast growing one. Untreated the result will be the same. More, the very reasons the Rouble grew in strength are because of the widespread negatives of sanctions and why the Russians are struggling to devalue it. Oh and it's only strong domestically. Nobody's buying Roubles as investment.

As for being happy about it all? I'm not happy at all that putin and his gangster state has plunged the world into this shít, but I'd personally be quite happy to pay double for petrol if it meant Russia got their coughs softened and threw out putin because of it. I already avoid buying Chinese made goods where and when I can and am quite happy to pay more rather than support that totalitarian state. I feel sorry for Ukrainians, but I also feel sorry for the Russian people. Not a popular sentiment with some I'm sure. I view them akin to an abused spouse who have come to see abuse as some twisted love and they deserve much better. But like all too many abuse victims they need to break that hold themselves. The west, or rather Europe - as the US would just be abusive in different ways. They'd buy them flowers afterwards - Europe had an opportunity to give support in the 90's and 00's and in some ways tried, but it sadly came to nought.

Look son, if you want to start listing the imperial and other ballsology of Mother Russia since the 13th century(🤣) we'll run out of keystrokes. And throughout Russia remained a largely isolated feudal state of peasants lorded over and literally owned as serfs by a tiny number of inbred nobility and churchmen.

Oh and Germany has been a liberal democracy. Russia hasn't been.