If you're wrestling with a bear, fighting for your own survival, and finally manage to get it into a choke hold, you don't let go until you're sure it can't hurt you anymore.
@@johnwilliams9914in fairness people said the same of the USSR. Putins plan is based on Russians being ok with invading Europe and having 100 years of poverty to fund it. Maybe Putin is right.
Humanitarian help to Russia would be a huge mistake. That would only less the russian economic burden and leave more money for the russian war machine. No sanctions relief is what makes sense.
Hm, I‘m not sure. I totally understand your feelings,. I‘m German, from the west. I assume the world had very similar feelings towards Germany in 1945 as many of us have towards Russia today. Nonetheless the USA decided to help Germany with the Marshal plan. And I‘m beyond grateful for it. Germany became a country of wimps that does not want war at any cost. One of the reasons might be that we have too much to lose. A country that has nothing to lose might do a lot of bad things. Prerequisite of any help would of course be total defeat, tight control and denazificati0n.
@@denkenhilft1607 Germans aren't russians. Germany works together towards what ever the common goal is. Orcs are subhuman degenerates that are fucked on a genetic level to be cruel and backwards, it's every mutant for himself. Besides, how does it make sense to cripple their economy with sanctions, at cost to ourselves, and then sending aid, again that we pay for, only to lessen the impact of the sanctions that we imposed?
What they did to Trump..(Doxing him, making fun of of his son Barron, slandering his wife, and the 32 Federal Indictments that were nothingburgers yet they sued Trump and Investigated Trump and EVERYONE around him *is a metaphor for what the Elites are doing to Russia Russia Russia* And the whole world can see exactly what the UiSrAël is doing to Russia.
Brilliant- the puzzle picture is clear. Russia is not a 'country of people' as much as it is a rolling machine without empathy, without a heart, a malevolence with a goal of destruction, depression and captivity. Ukraine is fighting valiantly and we must not falter for this requires us to hold striong to the 'key' to Russian destruction and a brighter future for all. Thank you, Mark for the understanding that the puzzle can come together as a beautiful landscape or a fractured world. Blessings, Jack
A big hug from Spain amigo economista. I agree, this is the moment and the opportunity to stop this criminal mafia regime that rules Russia should not be missed 🇪🇦🇪🇺🗽🤝🇺🇦✌️
Not another 'Peace in our time' - we know how that ended the last time it occurred - let's not sleep walk into oblivion - stand tall and stand up for the best versions of ourselves as Mark says.
I was in Montreal in 1967 at the World Expo. French Canadians would negatively react to English speaking until they found out you were Americans. French president Charles de Gaulle. Had just visited and stirred up French Canadian separatists. Store owners and clerks at first would refuse to sell unless you spoke French but, when you showed USD and said “I’ll buy it next door” they miraculously learned to speak English. One owner apologized, “pardon me, monsieur, I thought you were Canadian. How can I help you?” My first exposure to the “power of the U.S. dollar”
@@LRRPFco52Of course, Ruzzians who think that the U.S. is only strong because of the dollar have it backwards. The dollar is strong because the U.S. is strong economically and militarily, is stable, pays its debts, and allows legal recourse by foreigners against Americans. The ruble is weak because Ruzzia’s economy is weak and no one sees Ruzzian currency as a safe investment.
Moreso it was the Quebec hatred of the Brits, inherited from France and extended to English Canadians. But Quebecers like the rest of Canada understand economic realities.
Thx for update Mark. And thx for highlight the longterm effect if we dont handle this correct.. We need to work hard for make this world a better place every day..
If we go down this path, I may add EU needs to be 20 different countries too.. #### Edit:my replies to erttikoo2052 get deleted. So here it comes: If we here in Scandinavia resurrect the Kalmar Union, then you can remove 3 states EU. And for the rest, you may consider if the PIGS countries naturally belong in EU. Then you are left with 20. So, this dumb.. Can you read this?
@@verttikoo2052 If we here in Scandinavia resurrect the Kalmar Union, then you can remove 3 states from this number. And for the rest, you may consider if the PIGS countries naturally belong in EU. Then you are left with 20. So, this dumb..
We have seen that it does not matter that lots of Russians are dying in the war. We can also conclude it does not matter how many million of Russians will be cold and hungry in rural Russia. They are use to suffering and seem to be happy suffering. Will it change the political landscape? Who knows. A sudden change can happen without the West predicting it accurately.
Russians are resilient like cockroaches and expansionist like thermites. There are people living without central heating, without plumbing and still supporting Putin in everything.
Original World opinion was the Army Grunt would pickup his 'Kit' and walk for home when he realized the State is not paying him after all 3million Russian's Voted with their
Dear Deploy, What he means is that they have in the past withstood famine and poverty; but generally, like children, are resilient and are happy being left to live their lives undesturbed. Heroyam Slava. Slava Ukraini. Shalom.
Mark said that if the sanctions are not lifted, the Russian economy will collapse in June. I'm a bit of an optimist, about 2 months ago I told 2 Ukrainian friends of mine in Odessa that the Russian economy would collapse by May 20th. I am guessing that Mark is looking mostly at economics, I was looking at economics and the collapse of Russian infrastructure, much of which can only be repaired with western help. If Ukraine decides to attack Russia's electrical infrastructure the way that Russia has attacked Ukraine's electrical infrastructure, Russian industrial production will collapse. Zelensky seems to be afraid that making Moscow and Saint Petersburg go dark during the winter will cause an upsurge of Russian patriotism and make the number of volunteers joining the army increase dramatically. Other than this, I cannot think of a reason not to make Moscow and Saint Petersburg go dark. Not only would it bring the cost of the war home to the civilians in a dramatic fashion, but factories don't work very well without electricity. Factories that have back-up generators could be attacked later.
While I can't comment on your schedule, Putin is throwing men into the meat grinder because in January Trump becomes president and Putin thinks he can tell Trump what to do. If so the war ends in January. I don't think so, I think big oil is telling Trump what to do and they want to get Russia's oil and they can only do that if Russia is defeated.
I lived in Russia from 2008-2009, have studied them since the 1970s since my mom is Finnish. Russian economy has been collapsed since the forever. Any rises and falls are already in the toilet, so Western perspectives don't grasp how low it is there as a norm. They take pride in suffering because it's cold and isolated.
@@LRRPFco52There are degrees of that though. Ruzzians know they’re not going to have luxuries or even a comparable standard of living to the West-at least outside of a few elite areas. But they also expect to be fed and for their pensions to be paid. Keeping the pension fund solvent is one thing Putin considers essential for regime security. They’re not stupid, and they know Putin started this war and that it’s not existential. Putin knows he can only push them so far for an aggressive war, as opposed to a real existential defensive war like WWII. That’s why he’s only used one round of mass conscription and has been so careful about messaging.
@@LRRPFco52but millions of Russians have now experienced how good life can be. And I guess this time it might be other than before. Even rural Russians did have internet. Not the retired and old ones, but the younger ones. And they don’t believe in Putin in much higher numbers.
@@LRRPFco52 yes of course the russian people have no limit to their tolerance for poverty, but to finance the war a lot of money is needed and if they collapse economically they will no longer be able to finance their war.
I do not follow the news related to Slovakia, but Hungary indeed has fallen to a propaganda depicting Russia as a non-violent agent in the Ukrainian war and promising protection against the War (just that way, abstractly). Many retger (retired people made homophonic to USAian N-word) follow blindly what the Orbán regime say and unfortunately they are a very huge group of voters.
Not really the country of Hungary - but the political party in power is using propaganda against EU, against surounding countries. Viktor Orbán is using EU funds for his followers only, plays the game of "Greater Hungary" groups , that claim to recover territories lost to what is now part of mainly Romania, Slovakia but also small region in Ukraine.
Well, there is only one big city in Hungary, Budapest, and this is part of the problem. People living in big cities are better educated, have better access to information, know foreign languages and don't fall for propaganda so easily.
Thanks Mark. The real Russian economy for the everyday folk has already collapsed. The talk on the streets from towns outside of Moscow is of nothing but rising food prices, utilities that don't work but are paid for, people now in negative equity post house ownership boom and unable to meet their mortgage repayments.. People now taking out loans at exorbitant rates to just get by. It's a mess. But everything is going according to plan. I think Churchill would suggest that it is time to return the fighting bulldogsback under their silk rug, tied with real tight, and deposit them in the Volga. You can move industry to Siberia, or east of the Urals en masse like Uncle Joe did but you require manpower to enable production.. NATO needs to get in there and support Ukraine. Bullies and cowards always back down when faced up to. Let's hope augurs well for Ukraine in 2025. And Peace. Love from Cumbria .
@@OakInchjust because Russia is suffering doesn't mean Ukraine isn't. Everyone and every European economy is linked to this war. Hence there are no winners. Hope you understand... No one is winning the war except elites who are making alot of money.....
you got me listening to you, 1 hr into the new year, shows your influence Mark and , unfortunatley how i embrace the new year concenred about searching for reassuarrance that these fckrs and this frk riddiculousness has a resoulotuion i can endure..., for some reason you are convincing, likely because you dont blow smoke or sunshine (as Popok would say), and your genuinely invested physically and intellectually. Especially the fearlessness that oozzes outta you!! Wishing all a better New Year! - Ukrainian Canadian!
I dont know how others interptret. Your message, i listen to that as a high probibillity change it could go the way you predict. Thats where the surplus is in your message. Thanks for that and i think you are a bright and positive person. Thanks for your insights. I am not going to study what you did i really apriciate the time and effort you put in the videos. Kudo's to you sir!❤😊
Russian collapse or continued expansion: Strong ideas presented passionately. It is up to us all in the democratic world which will materialize. Thanks.
Great as always! Have a good Year in 2025 and let us all stay strong against the bolshevic project! This time they will loose another time, cause the Kievan Rus project has Been awakening! Thank you Mark for your great channel! Best wishes from your German Fan in Munich Germany
One of your best. You are testing people with your big picture view. Any failure to entertain these possibilities is, as usual for most failures, a failure of imagination. These scenarios are not black swan events but dark human nature going about its business. BYT tricky light a real pita!
Have you been looking at the market today or in the last few days? For whatever reason, USD/RUB hit 113.7 today (or .88 cents if you want to look at it the other way), which is almost as high as the highest number in late November when the ruble had its crazy slide and the central bank did some maneuvers. I do wonder what 2025 brings along with regards to the Russian economy. Have a good new year Mark!
Thanks for your daily insight Mark! Unfortunately Trump is a weak little excuse for a human being. I hope I'm wrong but I'm so afraid he will cave to Pootin and Musks' compliments and bend the knee to their demands.
Out of curiosity what's an ethnic russian? Given the fluctuating boundaries and borders, invaded and occupied territories, russified indigenous cultures, assimilated minorities it's a hard one to define.
@moritamikamikara3879 Russia is a fascist country. To ignore their problems with minorities is pure stupidity. Demographics means the extreem low birth rate in Russia. Why should all the Russian colonies stay under the the control of Moscow if the different ethnicities can become free? It seems to me you never lived in Russia and you have not understood how Mosowites have concoured Bashkiers, Dagestan Ingutetia and all the other republics of the Federation.
According to data from internet the etnic russians might be as much as up to 90 millions. Of the 140 millions today calculated there is over 40 millions pensioners. The men from age 20 up to 64 years old possible to get into the war there is 42,65 million. Out of this men there is 37% heavy alcoholics drinkers the remaining 26,82 million have to stay home and work hard. Then as the corruption in the parliament and justice and police goes into 100% the war will as the military is as corrupt there is not much to do about this old imperical kind of strange country with that very little people. The corruption level is much worse in Russia than in Ucraine. Russia is on the same level as Uganda in Africa! Etnic russians could move to Africa and feel like at home! Dictators in many countries there in Africa to choise from many of them are as Putin! !
the Turkish speaking south will flip to Turkey, and Siberia will flip to China. The rest - "European Russia" with a white russian majority - is a useless pile of crap.
Mild winter this year in Poland, and here in Baltics. This time last year we had the standard non-stop snow and -20°c for weeks and months on end, this year sliding between +8°c and -3°c with occasional light snow. Looks to be dipping and snowing more in the coming weeks though. Greetings from Estonia.
@JacquesLatour-ef8ix Had a "green Christmas 🌲" 😢here in Chicago 😢. A green Christmas 🌲 is so depressing. Usually, it's snowing and at least 15-30 degrees. It was raining and 42 degrees, yuck
@@EEX97623 As a Lithuanian I'm really enjoying this winter. Last year we got like 3 hours of sunlight and it was cold af, I got so sick of these winters it almost made me move out to Spain lmao
Your spot on about a lot of your take on the Russian people having visited there several times and married to two Russian women my experience tells me there two different types of Russian people and the difference there not afraid to work but the folks that don’t live in Moscow per say or St Petersburg it’s a whole different world the folks in Moscow seem to have so much more and some of them smile but in the country or forest they have very little and I mean very little period because the tzar and Moscow are two different ini ties like two different worlds and the city’s or villages are completely in denial of what is going on at all, It’s not as bad as it was in the late 90’s the first year I flew into Moscow in 97 as I looked out the window when landing the whole place looked like the late 40’s and 50’s but when I cleared customs and walked out to get a cab there were Mercedes all around and the ride to the center of the city was old old old , the Marriot I stayed at was absolutely amazing and till this days it’s one of the nicest hotels in Europe I have ever stayed at , all the funds that is made outside of Moscow is gathered up twice a month and sent to Moscow, there’s no plumbing there no police department or any part that works at doing any thing that the income is kept in the outskirts it all goes to the tzar , the only anything in Russia is going to change is when the refrigerators are bare. The only thing that is produced there is the petrol business and the state owns them the internet business and channel 1 and mostly FEAR
Your comments regarding sanctions/restrictions on russia reminds of a quote from Shakespeare's McBeth; . . . "Screw your courage to its sticking place and we'll not fail" ! . . .
I guess a definition needs to be found for a collapsed economy. Zimbabwe apparently collapsed, yet it still exists. Same for Libya. So has Russia already collapsed? Is Russia actually "a state" or "a mafia group" where the people are completely separate from the mafia? The mafia (Siloviki) use USD whereas the people use RUB. So when mafia individuals buy consumables, everything keeps getting cheaper... Life gets better and better for them.
Firstly, we must define the term “collapse”. Let say that a “collapse” is an economic state where the country no longer function as a player in the world trade and the wealth goes below som treshold. Then russia is collapsing right now. Secondly, this state doesn’t mean that russia during hundred years can produce weapons and uphold a gigantic army. Much like North Korea. They just have to enslave the russian people for this purpose and allow for mass starvation and such.
❤thanks Mark Last lesson for 2024 😢 So interesting 🤔 HAPPY NEW YEAR GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY X KEEP SAFE AND TAKE CARE RON UK 🇬🇧 UKRAINE 🇺🇦 POLAND 🇵🇱 PRAYERS PEACE TO EVERYONE ❤
Out of range of any potential threat? Not sure anything is out of range - especially high tech networked. Moscow will dominate an economically and agriculturally poor place and people. You are right the world needs to get together against this evil.
Unfortunately, there has been endless wars since times began. When one conflict stops, another one starts up for whatever reason. Until we get leaders in all countries that prefer peace to war, fighting will continue.
Mark as you pointed out in Russia's history defines it plus it has never changed as it keeps repeating the same mistakes they have done in the past. Remember the seeds of the 1917 revolution was in the Czar invading Japan in 1905 and got well defeated. This was a template for the invasion of the Ukraine where Russia has made the exact same mistakes. So change in Russia will only happen in extreme situations when the Russian people and Oligarchs realise they have nothing to lose. Also look out for China taking Eastern Mongolia back
I totally agree. I don’t want to look like pretentious but this is the scenario I explained to my partner a few weeks ago. Basically, if sanctions are maintained we have a chance like it happens once in a 1000 years to make Russia small again, as it used to be at the time of the Kyivian Russ, a few barns on the Moskva river to use a picture. And to the ones in the West who are afraid, nothing will happen. Countries that build this Russian federation will simply return to their natural sphere of influence : Turkey, China, Europe or other Muslims countries. If sanctions are relieved, than, we will have to deal with 100 years of wars between the 3 big China, Russia and the USA. Each one re-shaping its sphere of influence. Europe will collapse because a part from Poland and the Baltic states, all leaders are incompetent to deal with what is about to happen as none of them has ever had to deal with an existential threat. As I use to say, the most existential threat they have ever had to deal with is a second choice spot for winter holidays. In my humble opinion. Also, I am using my partner’s account. So do not blame her for what I write ;-) Happy new year to everyone.
Mark, a few days ago you were talking about Crypto. Do you see a MAJOR scam by the Axis of Evil to recover their economies? My economics come from 1970 High School, so I appreciate your insights so very much. Thank you. Have a Happy New Year
I think a lot of people, online especially, take Trump the wrong way. Maybe on purpose because its popular or an easy dig, or maybe out of hate or some other underlying agenda like the environment they really dislike. But i think all this stuff with Ukraine and russia is bigger than any 1 leader, you've seen Trump soften his rhetoric now and say that he's going to continue supporting Ukraine, i truly believe there's a status quo plan that we're all following that will bring this war and russia to an eventual end.
Sir, I don't agree with you on a lot of things (Americans are always choosing between the lesser of two evils, but I think the People made the right call this time). However, you are spot on with this assessment. I certainly hope that people from the US can get back to a point where they can disagree, but still discuss important issues. I think it's important to realize that when DJ Trump makes an outrageous statement (100% tariffs or ending a war in 24 hours) he is simply opening negotiations. Perhaps he can get a peaceful Cease Fire, but now is the time to end the aggression of Russia forever, not give them what they want. If the sanctions hold, Russia will fail financially and they will never again have the manpower required to mount an assault on another sovereign state.
Good Message for the end of the year. Many smart people are saying stay the course and the Russian empire will dissolve into something better. I found it interesting that he quoted Einstein. He often quotes these Austrian economists. Einstein advocated socialism. I'm not sure if there is a real schism there.
If you're wrestling with a bear, fighting for your own survival, and finally manage to get it into a choke hold, you don't let go until you're sure it can't hurt you anymore.
'and finally manage'.... yeah that bit lol
Guess, this comment is NOT based on personal bear-wrestling experience ...
@@РусланЗаурбеков-з6еbecause if he did have experience the bear would be dead
@@johnwilliams9914in fairness people said the same of the USSR. Putins plan is based on Russians being ok with invading Europe and having 100 years of poverty to fund it. Maybe Putin is right.
@РусланЗа😂😂урбеков-з6е
Humanitarian help to Russia would be a huge mistake. That would only less the russian economic burden and leave more money for the russian war machine.
No sanctions relief is what makes sense.
Yes, and you know little would reach ordinary Russians.
Hm, I‘m not sure. I totally understand your feelings,. I‘m German, from the west. I assume the world had very similar feelings towards Germany in 1945 as many of us have towards Russia today. Nonetheless the USA decided to help Germany with the Marshal plan. And I‘m beyond grateful for it. Germany became a country of wimps that does not want war at any cost. One of the reasons might be that we have too much to lose. A country that has nothing to lose might do a lot of bad things. Prerequisite of any help would of course be total defeat, tight control and denazificati0n.
@@denkenhilft1607 Germans aren't russians. Germany works together towards what ever the common goal is. Orcs are subhuman degenerates that are fucked on a genetic level to be cruel and backwards, it's every mutant for himself. Besides, how does it make sense to cripple their economy with sanctions, at cost to ourselves, and then sending aid, again that we pay for, only to lessen the impact of the sanctions that we imposed?
What they did to Trump..(Doxing him, making fun of of his son Barron, slandering his wife, and the 32 Federal Indictments that were nothingburgers yet they sued Trump and Investigated Trump and EVERYONE around him
*is a metaphor for what the Elites are doing to Russia Russia Russia*
And the whole world can see exactly what the UiSrAël is doing to Russia.
Help only came after Germany surrendered.
Brilliant- the puzzle picture is clear. Russia is not a 'country of people' as much as it is a rolling machine without empathy, without a heart, a malevolence with a goal of destruction, depression and captivity. Ukraine is fighting valiantly and we must not falter for this requires us to hold striong to the 'key' to Russian destruction and a brighter future for all. Thank you, Mark for the understanding that the puzzle can come together as a beautiful landscape or a fractured world. Blessings, Jack
lol u come from the most evil empire in the world, how many people have the brits killed worldwide
Well said
Like the borg
KLING-ONs seem pretty appropriate, no?
Or, they are just responding the fact that Kiev declared war on Russia the month Biden took office in 2021.
A big hug from Spain amigo economista. I agree, this is the moment and the opportunity to stop this criminal mafia regime that rules Russia should not be missed 🇪🇦🇪🇺🗽🤝🇺🇦✌️
Not another 'Peace in our time' - we know how that ended the last time it occurred - let's not sleep walk into oblivion - stand tall and stand up for the best versions of ourselves as Mark says.
Great presentation Mark. Keep it up. Slava Ukraine, Slava democracy!
Do you realize how scarce it is to find such a heart felt and smart person as your self. Most people are short sighted going no where.
I appreciate the videos, thanks.
Thank you Bob
Happy New Year, Mark, and thank you. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦 💙 💛
I was in Montreal in 1967 at the World Expo. French Canadians would negatively react to English speaking until they found out you were Americans. French president Charles de Gaulle. Had just visited and stirred up French Canadian separatists. Store owners and clerks at first would refuse to sell unless you spoke French but, when you showed USD and said “I’ll buy it next door” they miraculously learned to speak English. One owner apologized, “pardon me, monsieur, I thought you were Canadian. How can I help you?” My first exposure to the “power of the U.S. dollar”
That is the exact thing that happened to me, but not in Canada.
When I lived in Russia, I had Euros that were 1.3 USD at the time. Russians contorted their faces when presented Euros, only wanted dollars or rubles.
@@LRRPFco52Of course, Ruzzians who think that the U.S. is only strong because of the dollar have it backwards. The dollar is strong because the U.S. is strong economically and militarily, is stable, pays its debts, and allows legal recourse by foreigners against Americans. The ruble is weak because Ruzzia’s economy is weak and no one sees Ruzzian currency as a safe investment.
Moreso it was the Quebec hatred of the Brits, inherited from France and extended to English Canadians. But Quebecers like the rest of Canada understand economic realities.
Your choices for background in your videos is awsome Mark
Thx for update Mark. And thx for highlight the longterm effect if we dont handle this correct.. We need to work hard for make this world a better place every day..
Russia needs to be about 20 different countries and China should grab Manchuria now before it's too late
China needs also be 20 countries.
If we go down this path, I may add EU needs to be 20 different countries too..
####
Edit:my replies to erttikoo2052 get deleted. So here it comes:
If we here in Scandinavia resurrect the Kalmar Union, then you can remove 3 states EU. And for the rest, you may consider if the PIGS countries naturally belong in EU. Then you are left with 20.
So, this dumb..
Can you read this?
European Union 🇪🇺 is 27 member states already 🙄 How thick can dumb be??
@@nedimyraAre you sure you know Europe and EU? 27 counties in EU and 44 countries in the European continent 😄
@@verttikoo2052 If we here in Scandinavia resurrect the Kalmar Union, then you can remove 3 states from this number. And for the rest, you may consider if the PIGS countries naturally belong in EU.
Then you are left with 20.
So, this dumb..
We have seen that it does not matter that lots of Russians are dying in the war. We can also conclude it does not matter how many million of Russians will be cold and hungry in rural Russia. They are use to suffering and seem to be happy suffering. Will it change the political landscape? Who knows. A sudden change can happen without the West predicting it accurately.
Russians are resilient like cockroaches and expansionist like thermites. There are people living without central heating, without plumbing and still supporting Putin in everything.
They are happy suffering????? Oxymoron much....
Rural Russians will not suffer as much as city Russians. By comparison rural Russians are producers city Russians are consumers.
Original World opinion was the Army Grunt would pickup his 'Kit' and walk for home when he realized the State is not paying him after all 3million Russian's Voted with their
Dear Deploy,
What he means is that they have in the past withstood famine and poverty; but generally, like children, are resilient and are happy being left to live their lives undesturbed. Heroyam Slava. Slava Ukraini. Shalom.
Well said…. Thanks from friends in Australia
A walking dead can have a longterm plan, too, and act due to its implications! 😅😇
Spot on sir
Mark said that if the sanctions are not lifted, the Russian economy will collapse in June. I'm a bit of an optimist, about 2 months ago I told 2 Ukrainian friends of mine in Odessa that the Russian economy would collapse by May 20th. I am guessing that Mark is looking mostly at economics, I was looking at economics and the collapse of Russian infrastructure, much of which can only be repaired with western help. If Ukraine decides to attack Russia's electrical infrastructure the way that Russia has attacked Ukraine's electrical infrastructure, Russian industrial production will collapse. Zelensky seems to be afraid that making Moscow and Saint Petersburg go dark during the winter will cause an upsurge of Russian patriotism and make the number of volunteers joining the army increase dramatically. Other than this, I cannot think of a reason not to make Moscow and Saint Petersburg go dark. Not only would it bring the cost of the war home to the civilians in a dramatic fashion, but factories don't work very well without electricity. Factories that have back-up generators could be attacked later.
While I can't comment on your schedule, Putin is throwing men into the meat grinder because in January Trump becomes president and Putin thinks he can tell Trump what to do. If so the war ends in January. I don't think so, I think big oil is telling Trump what to do and they want to get Russia's oil and they can only do that if Russia is defeated.
I lived in Russia from 2008-2009, have studied them since the 1970s since my mom is Finnish.
Russian economy has been collapsed since the forever. Any rises and falls are already in the toilet, so Western perspectives don't grasp how low it is there as a norm. They take pride in suffering because it's cold and isolated.
@@LRRPFco52There are degrees of that though. Ruzzians know they’re not going to have luxuries or even a comparable standard of living to the West-at least outside of a few elite areas. But they also expect to be fed and for their pensions to be paid. Keeping the pension fund solvent is one thing Putin considers essential for regime security. They’re not stupid, and they know Putin started this war and that it’s not existential. Putin knows he can only push them so far for an aggressive war, as opposed to a real existential defensive war like WWII. That’s why he’s only used one round of mass conscription and has been so careful about messaging.
@@LRRPFco52but millions of Russians have now experienced how good life can be. And I guess this time it might be other than before. Even rural Russians did have internet. Not the retired and old ones, but the younger ones. And they don’t believe in Putin in much higher numbers.
@@LRRPFco52 yes of course the russian people have no limit to their tolerance for poverty, but to finance the war a lot of money is needed and if they collapse economically they will no longer be able to finance their war.
I do not follow the news related to Slovakia, but Hungary indeed has fallen to a propaganda depicting Russia as a non-violent agent in the Ukrainian war and promising protection against the War (just that way, abstractly). Many retger (retired people made homophonic to USAian N-word) follow blindly what the Orbán regime say and unfortunately they are a very huge group of voters.
Not really the country of Hungary - but the political party in power is using propaganda against EU, against surounding countries.
Viktor Orbán is using EU funds for his followers only, plays the game of "Greater Hungary" groups , that claim to recover territories lost to what is now part of mainly Romania, Slovakia but also small region in Ukraine.
Most people are fools for most of the time. But not all people are fools for all of the time. 😊
Well, there is only one big city in Hungary, Budapest, and this is part of the problem. People living in big cities are better educated, have better access to information, know foreign languages and don't fall for propaganda so easily.
Cheers man!
short term survival long term collapse.
Might actually be the opposite!? 👍🏻🇬🇧
Thanks Mark.
The real Russian economy for the everyday folk has already collapsed. The talk on the streets from towns outside of Moscow is of nothing but rising food prices, utilities that don't work but are paid for, people now in negative equity post house ownership boom and unable to meet their mortgage repayments.. People now taking out loans at exorbitant rates to just get by. It's a mess.
But everything is going according to plan.
I think Churchill would suggest that it is time to return the fighting bulldogsback under their silk rug, tied with real tight, and deposit them in the Volga.
You can move industry to Siberia, or east of the Urals en masse like Uncle Joe did but you require manpower to enable production..
NATO needs to get in there and support Ukraine. Bullies and cowards always back down when faced up to.
Let's hope augurs well for Ukraine in 2025. And Peace.
Love from Cumbria
.
That is a lot of projection about Ukraine's problems.
@@OakInchjust because Russia is suffering doesn't mean Ukraine isn't. Everyone and every European economy is linked to this war. Hence there are no winners. Hope you understand... No one is winning the war except elites who are making alot of money.....
Thank you for the commentary.
Such as an extraordinary year we are going to start today! Freedom will prevail
Thank you Mark. Excellent questions. Let's hope we all have a better New Year!
Absolutely, 100% correct. No more to be said.
. Thanks for your thoughts, Mark
you got me listening to you, 1 hr into the new year, shows your influence Mark and , unfortunatley how i embrace the new year concenred about searching for reassuarrance that these fckrs and this frk riddiculousness has a resoulotuion i can endure..., for some reason you are convincing, likely because you dont blow smoke or sunshine (as Popok would say), and your genuinely invested physically and intellectually. Especially the fearlessness that oozzes outta you!!
Wishing all a better New Year! - Ukrainian Canadian!
Thank you for yet another great video Mark! Have a great year end and a wonderful 2025!
Thank you for talking good sence Mark
Thank you Mark, have a happy new year. Strength And Love And Accuracy.
Thanks, keep up the good work!
Happy New Year, Mark
Thank you and Happy New Year Romeo
Tune in mid January for another version of the Russian ecomony collapse.
Yeah...... Sanctions need to be enforced....... Russia lives in a different world of economics because they are just so evil.
Thanks mark for your insight. Happy new year my friend
I dont know how others interptret. Your message, i listen to that as a high probibillity change it could go the way you predict. Thats where the surplus is in your message. Thanks for that and i think you are a bright and positive person. Thanks for your insights. I am not going to study what you did i really apriciate the time and effort you put in the videos. Kudo's to you sir!❤😊
Happy New Year Mark..thanks for what you do
Silence means acceptance.
Excellent episode, thank you. Scary episode, to be honest.
Thank you very much!
Thanks)
Happy new year Mark!! Thank you for your lessons!
Happy new year, Mark
Russian collapse or continued expansion: Strong ideas presented passionately. It is up to us all in the democratic world which will materialize. Thanks.
Thanks, Mark and a good 2025 for you and your family.
such deep insights!
Happy new year 🙏❤️
Informative
Where's winter ?
Decided not to visit Central and Eastern Europe, this Year.
Very nice! Do you recall what happened in 1991? The USSR was much more powerful and independent. What could happen in the Russian Federation?
Thank you, Mark.
Mark Twain = History doesn’t always necessarily repeat itself but quite often rhymes.
Great as always! Have a good Year in 2025 and let us all stay strong against the bolshevic project! This time they will loose another time, cause the Kievan Rus project has Been awakening! Thank you Mark for your great channel! Best wishes from your German Fan in Munich Germany
North Korean currency, KPW, is about 900 to the USD. This didn't prevent them from invading Europe this past month.
One of your best. You are testing people with your big picture view. Any failure to entertain these possibilities is, as usual for most failures, a failure of imagination. These scenarios are not black swan events but dark human nature going about its business. BYT tricky light a real pita!
I've been watching 90%+ of your videos and this is the best weather you ever had.
LOL.
Thanks!
Thx Mark
Happy 2025!🎉
Have you been looking at the market today or in the last few days? For whatever reason, USD/RUB hit 113.7 today (or .88 cents if you want to look at it the other way), which is almost as high as the highest number in late November when the ruble had its crazy slide and the central bank did some maneuvers. I do wonder what 2025 brings along with regards to the Russian economy. Have a good new year Mark!
Thanks for your daily insight Mark!
Unfortunately Trump is a weak little excuse for a human being. I hope I'm wrong but I'm so afraid he will cave to Pootin and Musks' compliments and bend the knee to their demands.
I hope the criminal king Trump has advisors warning about this flattery from Pooptin and President Xelon Musk
I went to Expo 67 also!
Russias biggest poroblem is demographics. In the moment The ethnic Russians are the minority in the Federation it will be a different country.
Sounds far right to me, don't talk about demographics
/s
Out of curiosity what's an ethnic russian? Given the fluctuating boundaries and borders, invaded and occupied territories, russified indigenous cultures, assimilated minorities it's a hard one to define.
@moritamikamikara3879 Russia is a fascist country. To ignore their problems with minorities is pure stupidity. Demographics means the extreem low birth rate in Russia. Why should all the Russian colonies stay under the the control of Moscow if the different ethnicities can become free? It seems to me you never lived in Russia and you have not understood how Mosowites have concoured Bashkiers, Dagestan Ingutetia and all the other republics of the Federation.
According to data from internet the etnic russians might be as much as up to 90 millions. Of the 140 millions today calculated there is over 40 millions pensioners. The men from age 20 up to 64 years old possible to get into the war there is 42,65 million. Out of this men there is 37% heavy alcoholics drinkers the remaining 26,82 million have to stay home and work hard.
Then as the corruption in the parliament and justice and police goes into 100% the war will as the military is as corrupt there is not much to do about this old imperical kind of strange country with that very little people. The corruption level is much worse in Russia than in Ucraine. Russia is on the same level as Uganda in Africa! Etnic russians could move to Africa and feel like at home! Dictators in many countries there in Africa to choise from many of them are as Putin! !
the Turkish speaking south will flip to Turkey, and Siberia will flip to China. The rest - "European Russia" with a white russian majority - is a useless pile of crap.
Should there not be snow in Poland at this time of year ?
Mild winter this year in Poland, and here in Baltics. This time last year we had the standard non-stop snow and -20°c for weeks and months on end, this year sliding between +8°c and -3°c with occasional light snow. Looks to be dipping and snowing more in the coming weeks though. Greetings from Estonia.
@EEX97623 I guess the same over here 🇨🇦. But in this city we did get a white Christmas. I cannot imagine 🎄 without snow.
@JacquesLatour-ef8ix Had a "green Christmas 🌲" 😢here in Chicago 😢. A green Christmas 🌲 is so depressing. Usually, it's snowing and at least 15-30 degrees. It was raining and 42 degrees, yuck
@@EEX97623 As a Lithuanian I'm really enjoying this winter. Last year we got like 3 hours of sunlight and it was cold af, I got so sick of these winters it almost made me move out to Spain lmao
Thanks Mark. If their economy completely collapses, what will this look like?
Will the war end??
When do you think the war will end??
For a very long time in russia there was a huge gap between rich and poor its not getting better
It's inherent and perpetual since the founding of Moscovia
You had me at "thirdary."
3rd is tertiary, 4th is quaternary if that helps.
Thirdary sanctions affect milk and cheese. Duh. Obviously.
@@GetOutsideYourself Blessed are the cheesemakers!
What about Chinese ambitions in Siberia?
Your spot on about a lot of your take on the Russian people having visited there several times and married to two Russian women my experience tells me there two different types of Russian people and the difference there not afraid to work but the folks that don’t live in Moscow per say or St Petersburg it’s a whole different world the folks in Moscow seem to have so much more and some of them smile but in the country or forest they have very little and I mean very little period because the tzar and Moscow are two different ini ties like two different worlds and the city’s or villages are completely in denial of what is going on at all,
It’s not as bad as it was in the late 90’s the first year I flew into Moscow in 97 as I looked out the window when landing the whole place looked like the late 40’s and 50’s but when I cleared customs and walked out to get a cab there were Mercedes all around and the ride to the center of the city was old old old , the Marriot I stayed at was absolutely amazing and till this days it’s one of the nicest hotels in Europe I have ever stayed at , all the funds that is made outside of Moscow is gathered up twice a month and sent to Moscow, there’s no plumbing there no police department or any part that works at doing any thing that the income is kept in the outskirts it all goes to the tzar , the only anything in Russia is going to change is when the refrigerators are bare.
The only thing that is produced there is the petrol business and the state owns them the internet business and channel 1 and mostly FEAR
Drifting, from time to time. Being "parenthetical", Dr Roger Mosvick taught me.
Your comments regarding sanctions/restrictions on russia reminds of a quote from Shakespeare's McBeth;
. . . "Screw your courage to its sticking place and we'll not fail" ! . . .
Is it collapsing or not? Maybe BOTH! 🤣
Happy New Year from Sydney! 🎆🎆
M 🦘🏏😎
So true!
I guess a definition needs to be found for a collapsed economy.
Zimbabwe apparently collapsed, yet it still exists. Same for Libya.
So has Russia already collapsed?
Is Russia actually "a state" or "a mafia group" where the people are completely separate from the mafia?
The mafia (Siloviki) use USD whereas the people use RUB. So when mafia individuals buy consumables, everything keeps getting cheaper...
Life gets better and better for them.
Nice job
A collapse happens slowly...at first
Firstly, we must define the term “collapse”. Let say that a “collapse” is an economic state where the country no longer function as a player in the world trade and the wealth goes below som treshold. Then russia is collapsing right now. Secondly, this state doesn’t mean that russia during hundred years can produce weapons and uphold a gigantic army. Much like North Korea. They just have to enslave the russian people for this purpose and allow for mass starvation and such.
❤thanks Mark
Last lesson for 2024 😢
So interesting 🤔
HAPPY NEW YEAR
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY X
KEEP SAFE AND TAKE CARE
RON UK 🇬🇧 UKRAINE 🇺🇦 POLAND 🇵🇱
PRAYERS PEACE TO EVERYONE ❤
Waiting for this video
Out of range of any potential threat? Not sure anything is out of range - especially high tech networked.
Moscow will dominate an economically and agriculturally poor place and people.
You are right the world needs to get together against this evil.
Unfortunately, there has been endless wars since times began. When one conflict stops, another one starts up for whatever reason. Until we get leaders in all countries that prefer peace to war, fighting will continue.
Mark as you pointed out in Russia's history defines it plus it has never changed as it keeps repeating the same mistakes they have done in the past.
Remember the seeds of the 1917 revolution was in the Czar invading Japan in 1905 and got well defeated. This was a template for the invasion of the Ukraine where Russia has made the exact same mistakes.
So change in Russia will only happen in extreme situations when the Russian people and Oligarchs realise they have nothing to lose.
Also look out for China taking Eastern Mongolia back
The best version of me is still bloody scary.
I totally agree. I don’t want to look like pretentious but this is the scenario I explained to my partner a few weeks ago.
Basically, if sanctions are maintained we have a chance like it happens once in a 1000 years to make Russia small again, as it used to be at the time of the Kyivian Russ, a few barns on the Moskva river to use a picture.
And to the ones in the West who are afraid, nothing will happen. Countries that build this Russian federation will simply return to their natural sphere of influence : Turkey, China, Europe or other Muslims countries.
If sanctions are relieved, than, we will have to deal with 100 years of wars between the 3 big China, Russia and the USA. Each one re-shaping its sphere of influence. Europe will collapse because a part from Poland and the Baltic states, all leaders are incompetent to deal with what is about to happen as none of them has ever had to deal with an existential threat. As I use to say, the most existential threat they have ever had to deal with is a second choice spot for winter holidays.
In my humble opinion.
Also, I am using my partner’s account. So do not blame her for what I write ;-)
Happy new year to everyone.
Mark, a few days ago you were talking about Crypto. Do you see a MAJOR scam by the Axis of Evil to recover their economies?
My economics come from 1970 High School, so I appreciate your insights so very much. Thank you.
Have a Happy New Year
Neither. It's just a "special monetary operation."
I've just checked, RUB/USD pair, it's 109, very close to the previous record. Wonder if russian central bank has means to intervene this time
Elvira is just trying to avoid windows. Was her deputy, Ksenia something, actually doing the work
5 hours later, 113.75
The Russian ruble is collapsing again today!
I think a lot of people, online especially, take Trump the wrong way. Maybe on purpose because its popular or an easy dig, or maybe out of hate or some other underlying agenda like the environment they really dislike. But i think all this stuff with Ukraine and russia is bigger than any 1 leader, you've seen Trump soften his rhetoric now and say that he's going to continue supporting Ukraine, i truly believe there's a status quo plan that we're all following that will bring this war and russia to an eventual end.
how do you get your microphone to only record your voice, it seems so surreal to see all this movement around you with no noise except your voice..
RTX voice? just a guess
"the whole world is a stage"
Unfortunately it is stronger than I would like to be…
Sir, I don't agree with you on a lot of things (Americans are always choosing between the lesser of two evils, but I think the People made the right call this time). However, you are spot on with this assessment. I certainly hope that people from the US can get back to a point where they can disagree, but still discuss important issues. I think it's important to realize that when DJ Trump makes an outrageous statement (100% tariffs or ending a war in 24 hours) he is simply opening negotiations. Perhaps he can get a peaceful Cease Fire, but now is the time to end the aggression of Russia forever, not give them what they want. If the sanctions hold, Russia will fail financially and they will never again have the manpower required to mount an assault on another sovereign state.
Thanks Mark always informative, interesting, relevant & educational & 99% pure fact.
Crypto is Gambling 95% of people lose their money.
🔱🌻💙💛🤗🥰🦄
"Won't Get Fooled Again" is the only piece of popular music with any realistic political message. All else is just crap.
I thought I was the only one saying they were heading for a lost century.
You were right about crypto
God save us all from a culture of corruption.
Can we find a leader to unite us .
Please record in a room with normal acoustics, its very hard to follow through with bad sound and coughing all thr time
Good Message for the end of the year. Many smart people are saying stay the course and the Russian empire will dissolve into something better. I found it interesting that he quoted Einstein. He often quotes these Austrian economists. Einstein advocated socialism. I'm not sure if there is a real schism there.