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> Russian budget receives the money in taxes paid by exporters That is incorrect. The oil and gas companies is owned by a few oligarchies with direct ties to P

by belorn 5y ago

> Russian budget receives the money in taxes paid by exporters That is incorrect. The oil and gas companies is owned by a few oligarchies with direct ties to Putin and the Russian government. Based on what secret service and other agencies has leaked, there isn't a major difference between what is the Russian government, what is controlled by Putin, and what is owned by the owners of the oligarchies. To a degree they operate just like a banana republic in this aspect, although a better comparison is likely state owned Chinese companies that get funded, instructed, operated by government personal, given benefits by their secret service, and with party representatives being directly involved in the leader structure and ownership. And it may indeed take years before the sanctions actually hurt enough for the Russian government to start move to the peace table. American war in Afghanistan took 20 years. Iraq started in 2003 and ended in fully in 2021. Their war in Pakistan took 14 years. Yemen is still ongoing, same in Somalia, and Syria. 6 months would be comparable short, and it is not out of the question that it may take many years. The more funds they get the easier they have in continuing operations. And while Russia produces nearly all of its military equipment, just like the US does, both require a lot of imports to actually do the production. Military equipment require a lot of electronics, much which isn't produced in Russia. Machines, vehicles, technology and tools all depend on international supply chains, and the more isolated the nation is the harder and more money they need to spend on maintaining those critical imports. All while the nations population suffer from the economic downturn. At some point reserves gets low and that is when peace is best pursuit.

ivan_gammel 5y ago
>> Russian budget receives the money in taxes paid by exporters >That is incorrect. The oil and gas companies is owned by a few oligarchies with direct ties to Putin and the Russian government… …To a degree they operate just like a banana republic in this aspect. This is just generic description of corruption, but you forgot to explain where I was wrong. Take, for example, Novatek - if you think its profits are funding the war, how do you think this cash reaches the army?
- belorn 5y ago
  If you remember the Panama Papers we had multiple major Nordic banks being involved in money laundering with sanctioned Russian oligarchs. The result was multiple CEO's being forced resign, cash flows worth many hundred billions, several employees arrested, some employees that fled their own country to avoid prosecution. After this leak we have multiple bank leaks with similar stories fraud, tax evasion, and evading of international sanctions. We can put some wishful thinking that Novatek is the exception here and has no shell companies, no tax schemes, no avoidance of sanctions, no unaccounted money flow hopping around between banks in order to avoid insight. How likely is it, and how much more likely is it that with the right access to bank records or secret service files, some investigative journalist will have a field day describing just how much money ended up in the hands of the Russian government?

by belorn 5y ago

ivan_gammel 5y ago

>> Russian budget receives the money in taxes paid by exporters >That is incorrect. The oil and gas companies is owned by a few oligarchies with direct ties to Putin and the Russian government… …To a degree they operate just like a banana republic in this aspect. This is just generic description of corruption, but you forgot to explain where I was wrong. Take, for example, Novatek - if you think its profits are funding the war, how do you think this cash reaches the army?

belorn 5y ago
If you remember the Panama Papers we had multiple major Nordic banks being involved in money laundering with sanctioned Russian oligarchs. The result was multiple CEO's being forced resign, cash flows worth many hundred billions, several employees arrested, some employees that fled their own country to avoid prosecution. After this leak we have multiple bank leaks with similar stories fraud, tax evasion, and evading of international sanctions. We can put some wishful thinking that Novatek is the exception here and has no shell companies, no tax schemes, no avoidance of sanctions, no unaccounted money flow hopping around between banks in order to avoid insight. How likely is it, and how much more likely is it that with the right access to bank records or secret service files, some investigative journalist will have a field day describing just how much money ended up in the hands of the Russian government?