Excellent 48 minute video by a Russian expat economist, educated in western Russia, N. Calif. and Maine. Good English with Russian accent, the guy's personable, makes sense to me. He's in Tashkent, Uzbekistan right now. I believe he calls his channel "Inside Russia."
Russians Are Disappearing | A Silent Catastrophe Is Hitting Russia Now
One of the comments, I think is excellent:
6 days ago
Konstatin, thankyou for your informed insights and commentary so let's discuss harsh facts as I see them.
1. Prior to Russia's first invasion of Ukraine in 2014 to militarily seize and occupy all of Crimea and part of the Donbas, Russia had a serious looming demographic crisis, an aging population and a low birthrate. A life expectancy of males among the worst in the World, females not so bad.
2. Russia's invasion in 2014 saw the West respond to punish Russia's illegal aggression breaking various treaties, many Russians decided to leave Russia, likely the best and brightest. I'm not sure of the numbers of permanent exiles versus tourists.
3. Russia's further full-scale invasion in early 2022 intended to conquer all of Ukraine, unseat and replace Ukraine's elected government failed abysmally, mostly through Russian incompetence, a major rout and a windfall for Ukraine in capturing enormous quantities of undamaged, Russia's best heavy military equipment, ammo and supplies. Russian troops fled on foot and a month later, Russia's best, most secret heavy weaponry turns up in the USA to be evaluated. Why didn't the Russians destroy it before running?
4. Yes in the South, aided by occupying Crimea, Russia took most of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts, mostly but failed to take Odessa.
5. In the North East, Russia failed to take pro-Russian Kharkiv and were cleared from the Oblast mostly because the people said we are Ukrainian, Russia cannot take our freedom by force!
6. To the current day, Russia is ruined long-term, it has no future. Putin's war to suppress Ukraine's independence, to deny the existence and to genocide the Ukrainian People, culture, language, history and existence is doomed to fail.Firstly the entire World except for a handful of minor countries oppose Russia's illegal, barbaric aggression.Secondly over 100 countries provide Ukraine with financial and humanitarian aid.Thirdly, 55 countries provide military aid towards Ukraine's defence of its Motherland, maybe not the best of Western weaponry and munitions but what they can spare as being old, needing replacement. Russians should be worried if they ever have to face the best of Western weaponry!
7. Obviously Putin's war is the most costly, most expensive in Russia's history, a crippling drain on Russia's economy and future. Russia has been very actively launching mass attacks on well-defended Ukrainian positions increasing short of ammo for many months and has taken an insignificant amount of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine claims basically a toll of 1,000 Russians killed per day, and another 2 or 3 times severely wounded, permanently disabled for life. Basically WW1 trench warfare slaughter.
8. Now that the USA has freed its block on weapons and munitions and wealthy Europe has ramped up its industries producing munitions after decades of "sleeping", the Russian military occupiers of the Ukrainian Motherland are going to be severely punished, as all invaders should be! Many, many more Russian invaders will die or be killed if they remain on Ukrainian soil. There is nothing more dangerous than a patriot defending his family and country!
9. Back to demographics, and life expectancy, Russia ranks 100th in the World but there is a stark difference between men and women, a 10 year gap. Demographically Russia's future is bleak but Putin is making it far, far, far worse. Look at the numbers, at least 300,000 killed, another 700,000 crippled for life and most of these were the best. At least another 1 million permanently leaving Russia, maybe 3 to 5 million of generally Russia's best that won't return.Putin is indicted, subjected to an international arrest warrant if he leaves Russian protection, for the war crime of abducting Ukrainian children from their parents to be re-educated by force as "good Russians".Whatever happens, Ukraine will never again be a friend of Russia, only known as more evil, more barbaric than Hitler's Nazi invaders! A struggle that cost 14 million Ukrainian lives.
10. Industrially, Russia is undeveloped, lacks investment, depends critically on foreign technology, cannot self-produce anything of modern sophistication. Like Russia can still produce big metal battle tanks but without the West's technology, the sophisticated sensors and guidance systems they are dead meat.Russia has permanently lost access to Western sophisticated technology, goods and services, it may gain access to some but basically Russia is stuffed long-term. It will stagnate and decline while the World thrives. China may help a little but it is tenuous, China is heavily dependent on the West, its major market.I could go on but the essentially truth that Putin's regime is living in the past century, the World has moved on and perceived Russian power means nothing if you are opposed by the entire World and the norms of decency, humanity and common respect for everyone.
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