I haven’t seen any ‘popular unrest.’ To the contrary, another article at the same blog site is titled, “Half of Russians Would Like to See Their Children Work in the Security Services.”
Gorby didn’t have the huge resources of China.
OTOH he didn’t have to bow to China like Putin does.
Interesting how powerful a nation’s perceptions and mentalities remain fixed over decades and centuries, even in the face of a changing world around them.
It is a mystery how Russia even functions. It’s economy is the size of Italy’s, it is a kleptocratic state, and only the suicidal would invest a dime in Russia.
Demographics are also against it. If you wanted to point to a culture that is the pinnacle of an abortion and divorce culture, that would be Russia. They have an abysmal replacement rate, rivaled only by Japan, and in fact have a SHRINKING population.
I am happy they are fighting ISIS tooth and nail - doing what America is prevented from doing, but beyond that they are a sick dog.
About half of the points above is utter rubbish.
Even factually incorrect.
The only really significant foreign-policy adventure Russia is in is Syria, and that seems to be going really well for them. Ukraine is a distraction, and Putin isn't expending any significant blood OR treasure there.
This is pretty stupid. Putin throws out some corrupt kleptocrats (which, if you pay attention, has been his M.O. across the board) and somehow it is bad? These Dagitstanis were stealing everything in sight.
This is the most laughable claim in this article. Putin has been President of Russia since 2000 (with a brief, constitutionally mandated pause when Medvedev held the reins). Between 1991 and 2000 (the immediate post-Soviet era, when everyone was allowed to steal everything) the quality of life hit rock bottom. Life expectancy and birth rate plummeted, and the suicide rate skyrocketed. Since Putin took charge, all of these trends have reversed and quality of life is way better. Population is growing, life expectancy is growing. People are buying cars, new houses and apartments are going up EVERYWHERE, and jobs/business opportunities are ubiquitous.
The trouble is that is so much of the Russian identity that such moves are what make a leader popular—and thus enable him to stay in office.
Not good for the Russians, of course, but really of their own doing since that sort of ambition and perceived global status is what they crave.