Serge retweeted
No one is surprised that @TheStudyofWar provides high-quality military analysis, daily. What amazes me is how good they are in understanding Russian politics: understandingwar.org/backgro…. Obviously, they are better than most think-tanks' talking heads - I think they are on par with the top Russia scholars in academia.
Serge retweeted
800-900,000 people took refuge from Russia since the start of the war, per @TheEconomist's estimates, more precise estimates than before. Among scientists, educators, intellectuals, artists - the biggest one-time loss in 100 years.
The anti-Russian conspiracy undoubtedly exists — the problem is only that it involves the entire adult population of Russia.
Victor Pelevin, Generation "P"
Serge retweeted
OPEC+ production cuts help Russia. Russia exports more oil than ever and can't raise production. But its current account surplus is down (orange) and is far below the historical norm for this time of year (blue). Russia desperately needs higher prices. OPEC+ cuts deliver those...
Serge retweeted
Re. success in "transition".
If you simply take the average growth rate of GDPpc in real terms between 1985 (which was the last year of conventional state socialism) and 2021, the results are pretty clear.
Serge retweeted
Solar Beats Coal in Europe for First Time finance.yahoo.com/news/solar…
Serge retweeted
'Decolonial struggle belongs to indigenous people..' saisreview.sais.jhu.edu/not-…
Serge retweeted
Excellent by @Volod_Ishchenko
alameda.institute/2023/04/28…
"The class conflict behind Russia’s war"
(It does not explain all, but it asks the right questions.)
Serge retweeted
which means: 1. it was an actual and not a false flag attack; 2. such (or more precise) attacks will continue, 3. a nuclear option is out of question for them
Serge retweeted
Russie / pression politique / « Poutine, c'est la corruption, une économie en chute et des prix en hausse. Poutine, c'est la guerre ! Les derniers mots de Lilia Chanysheva au tribunal ( Le procureur a requis 12 ans de prison contre elle )
theins.ru/news/262124
Serge retweeted
Over the years, I've read dozens of books about Stalin and @simonmontefiore is the author of the best one. Here is what he says about Putin, and this I think this is a very good take: time.com/6280869/vladimir-pu….
Serge retweeted
This is an official Kremlin video and it is totally crazy. Putin justifies his war against Ukraine by finding a (one!) 17th century map in which the Ukrainian lands are marked as a part of Russia. Ukraine didn't exist at the time, he says. So what?! United States did not exist either. Italy did not exist. Germany... Most European countries of today did not exist then.
Serge retweeted
This staggering number - 58% of the HSE University students told pollsters they want to emigrate - is interpreted as a symptom of HSE being "Westernized" or "liberal": themoscowtimes.com/2023/05/1…. I see this differently - HSE students are exactly those who come to get the best education. Their willingness to leave is the same desire to have the best education. This drive is what made the HSE University the best university in Russia in the 21st century, toppling the Moscow State, my alma mater, after a century at the top. This is why Putin and his coterie has been targeting HSE faculty first - Putin's war on Russian science and education targets the top.
Serge retweeted
Trust in government (% of population):
🇨🇭 Switzerland: 83.78
🇱🇺 Luxembourg: 78.02
🇫🇮 Finland: 77.54
🇸🇪 Sweden: 68.79
🇳🇴 Norway: 63.61
🇩🇰 Denmark: 63.54
🇮🇪 Ireland: 62.34
🇦🇹 Austria: 61.05
🇩🇪 Germany: 60.76
🇨🇷 Costa Rica: 60.01
🇵🇹 Portugal: 58.92
🇧🇪 Belgium: 57.24
🇲🇽 Mexico: 52.88
🇮🇸 Iceland: 51.53
🇳🇿 New Zealand: 51.39
🇿🇦 South Africa: 50.90
🇪🇪 Estonia: 50.85
🇨🇦 Canada: 50.67
🇦🇺 Australia: 49.91
🇳🇱 Netherlands: 47.23
🇷🇺 Russia: 45.70
🇸🇮 Slovenia: 45.07
🇭🇺 Hungary: 44.19
🇮🇱 Israel: 43.96
🇰🇷 South Korea: 43.38
🇫🇷 France: 43.35
🇯🇵 Japan: 43.15
🇹🇷 Türkiye: 42.60
🇬🇧 United Kingdom: 39.48
🇧🇷 Brazil: 39.16
🇪🇸 Spain: 37.17
🇮🇹 Italy: 35.43
🇵🇱 Poland: 34.16
🇨🇿 Czech Republic: 34.08
🇺🇸 United States: 31.02
🇱🇹 Lithuania: 30.38
🇨🇴 Colombia: 29.68
🇱🇻 Latvia: 29.46
🇨🇱 Chile: 28.72
🇬🇷 Greece: 25.63
🇸🇰 Slovak Republic: 21.5