With the risk of getting downvoted, let me play the devil's advocate here. Russian economic growth hits 5.4% https://www.rt.com/business/597842-russia-economy-

With the risk of getting downvoted, let me play the devil's advocate here. Russian economic growth hits 5.4% https://www.rt.com/business/597842-russia-economy-growth-quarter/ https://www.rt.com/business/597842-russia-economy-growth-qua... (Russian propaganda outlet. May not even open in your jurisdiction. Used it today because corruption allegations against Ursula von der Leyen appeared early there). The fight against Russian oligarchs has actually worked to the advantage of Putin. For the first time in 30 years, the oligarchs have to reinvest their money in Russia. I don't see a command economy. War expenditures are still pretty low measured in % GDP RUB which is basically "funny money". No, it isn't. Friends of mine converted dollar and rubles in Moscow easily. Western banks blocking SWIFT and other stuff makes financial transactions difficult. This does not mean the Ruble is worthless. Russia has a flat income and corporate tax of 13%. This may be eye watering for a westerner. Russia has raw materials, gas and oil. And little debt. I think the US has 300 times more debt and debt INTEREST payments have reached, according to a recent visual capitalist graph, 1 trillion USD per year alone. The war in Russia may not be winnable by the west. While the industrial might is bigger than that of Russia, China has more industrial capacity than the EU and US combined. And BRICS+ are working on their own currency to replace the dollar as the world reserve currency. Don't get me wrong. I am a western citizen, not from Russia or China as my nick may suggest, and not a fan of Putin. But it is very possible that Russia emerges as a major power from this conflict. Other outcomes are possible too of cause: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/13/ukraine-us-war-russia-john-pilger https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/13/ukrain...