Economic strength about as important as military strength. Putin stepped into a NATO trap and has single handedly put Russia back at least 20 years industrialization.
I have said before that over 2 years, their planes won't have spare parts and oil equipment won't be serviced as most of the tech they use is imported.
The automotive industry collapse within a year is faster than I thought what it would be. As a paper tiger/counterbalance to NATO, Putin would have been smarter to continue to do what he was doing for the last 20 years. Sow discord, use other means to impact his adversaries (cyber attacks, manipulation) if economic strength was not there. That would have given the impression of strength.
Instead , even if Russia maintains the 15% of territory, it will do so so with its rich and smartest out of the country, its oil no longer relevant in a more renewable economy, and expended 50% of its fighting ability.... no clothes.
The height of irrationality
Putin calls for price controls as Russian car sales crash to record low
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin urged the Russian government on Wednesday to control car prices, as one industry head said Western sanctions could send annual sales crashing to below 1 million for the first time since records began.
Auto sales have fallen over 60% so far this year, and may end up being less than a quarter of what they were a decade ago, according to Maxim Sokolov, head of Russia's top carmaker Avtovaz.
Some of this year's drop is due to the pullout of foreign carmakers such as Renault and Mercedes-Benz and a collapse in demand due to a mass mobilisation for the Ukraine conflict.
But much is also due to falling living standards and higher prices, as well as the difficulty of securing foreign-made components after the imposition of a barrage of sanctions by Western countries in response to Russia's military campaign in Ukraine; the latest Lada model has had to be produced without airbags or anti-lock brakes.
Speaking with top officials, Putin acknowledged that the situation was "not easy", and asked the government to look at making cars more affordable, suggesting that prices were being raised unfairly.
"I would like to draw your attention to the need for constant control over pricing, so that under these difficulties, of which we are all aware, including logistics, no one abuses or unreasonably raises the prices of road vehicles," he said.
These are lame excuses. However which way you try to spin this, Iranian drones done a number on Patriot missiles. What was protecting US bases when those Iranian BMs smashed Ain Al Assad or where they misconfigured as well?!
Oh no, an investigation! Russia is running scared!
It was a secondary infantry base. I can guarantee you there was no Patriot battery there. If Iran wanted to make a point, it should have attacked Al Udaid or Aldhafra. Then we would have known for sure.
What’s coming wise one?
Can I screen shot this
I remember prophecies like this when Russians first withdrew from Kiev. Equivalent of Baghdad Bob: every time there is territory lost, some futurustic announcement like this shows up. In the meantime RUssia auto industry is a fraction of what it was 8 months ago because it can't make cars
