While U.S. leftists are wasting trillions of tax dollars on global warming,aid to illegal aliens, funneling $ to government pensions/'Crat corrupt cronies

[LateForLunch]

...Russia is busy expanding their empire...by quietly investing their money in conquering the Arctic circle and making it and the abundant resources it contains theirs do with as they please...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4421072/Russia-unveils-new-Arctic-military-base.html


I better understand Putin's patience with the Obama administration. As long as the Eightball Obama and his cronies were busying themselves with nonsense, he was free to pursue what was important to him - expanding the Russian Empire for instance.

While the U.S. population spends endless millions of hours watching Game of Thrones on T.V./Net applications, the Russians, Chinese and others are busy actually living it.

[thackney]

That is really far to the North.

[LateForLunch]

Nice map! Thanks for posting that Thack!

The Russians have a LOT of experience with doing things in cold weather. One might say it's one of their strengths in a strategic sense. While we're fiddling around sending billions and billions of dollars in foreign aid to nations through the U.N. who then turn on us like vicious dogs, the Russians are investing in permanent infrastructure in places where nobody else has the inclination to go, much less develop.

No doubt that is what many people mean when they say that they would like the US to have a president like Putin - one who doesn't waste obscene amounts of money trying to convince other nations that he and Russia are soft fuzzy harmless playmates who do not have to be considered dangerous, even if threatened openly to our faces. 
See, Putin may be a pig, but he is a realistic pig who understands that it is better to be respected in the world community, than liked.

[geronl]

I wonder how much money Russia wasted on the Sochi Olympics? It's a big abandoned relic now.

Not to mention huge outlays to subsidies housing and heating bills.

[geronl]

Lost trillions haunt Russian budget-keeper in cheap-oil era

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-21/-lost-trillions-haunt-russian-budget-keeper-in-era-of-cheap-oil

Putin is against the "shock therapy" of cutting welfare

Russia's deficit last year was about $22 billion (sounds low to us, but that's massive for them) and they have about drained one of their two reserve funds.

Besides, when 31% of the economy is government procurement (not even including welfare subsidies and paying salaries), you know the real economy is being burdened.

[LateForLunch]

I wonder how much money Russia wasted on the Sochi Olympics? It's a big abandoned relic now.

Not to mention huge outlays to subsidies housing and heating bills.

According to Reuters they made $53 million in profits. Other estimates I have seen put the number a little lower at $22 million.

It was likely even more-importantly a propaganda coup for the Russians in the sense that they were widely criticized by many far-left led nations for being "anti-gay" (non-inclusive) and of course because of rising tensions in Ukraine (about which I have mixed feelings, but largely side with the Ukrainians). The actual invasion/annexing of Crimea by Putin did not take place until some time after the Olympics had concluded.

It was also a demonstration of Russia's ability to provide a secure space for international events even under the constant threat of terrorism from the muzz.

Although much of what you posted is true, comparatively Russian external debt is among the lowest of any major player in the global economy (about 25% of GDP). That is mitigated by other extraneous factors and does not diminish the truth of Geronl's central point that the Russian economy is far from trouble-free.

They are still struggling, as the Chinese, to move into the 21st century as not only a military super-power (as both unquestionably are) but also to become qualified economic superpowers  ( China is closer to that than Russia at this point).