Charlatans From Economics.

Generally speaking, what passes in the West and, by default, many other places globally for "economic science" is almost a complete BS, a pseudo-science, a euphemism for fraud and snake oil peddling. Long ago economics in the West has become nothing more than just another political and ideological tool in the arsenal of means which serve only one end--the recycling of Western political "elites" at the top while selling an illusion of a democratic choice to plebes. But sometimes the reality breaks through seemingly impenetrable barriers of BS, demagoguery, gaslighting and beaten to death economic tropes (how about the US economy being "first in the world") and even fraudsters cannot continue to deny it. 

FRANKFURT/LEUNA, Germany, May 16 (Reuters) - RWE (RWEG.DE) has opened an account in Russia to pay for gas in euros, a spokesperson for Germany's largest power producer said, preparing to meet Moscow's demands for a new payment scheme ahead of a closely-watched deadline later this month. Germany's economy minister Robert Habeck also sounded an optimistic note, saying the new method, which has led to confusion among European gas buyers and raised concerns about possible supply disruptions, would not cause any problems.

This is yet another one who did so and the list of EU "customers" opening those accounts is growing. Now even complete morons from European Commission, who helped to ruin European economy, cannot deny reality.

The country’s export earnings are expected to surge thanks to high prices and strong demand for commodities. “This will enable the government to support the ruble, vulnerable groups and the economy, limiting the decline in real GDP to 10.4% in 2022,” the report says. The EC predicts the Russian economy to stabilize as soon as in 2023, as the country is expected to adjust to the new reality. At the same time, GDP growth is projected to remain restrained next year, amounting to 1.5%, since the ongoing import substitution evoked by the departure of foreign businesses will not be effective enough.

Truth is, ANY, I underscore it--ANY info and conclusions on Russian economy from Western rating agencies, economic forecast and accounting firms, international banks and orgs are absolutely worthless, because the framework within which this whole well oiled machine of selling economic BS to Wall Street operates is totally removed from the economic reality on the ground which is much more complex than just debit-credit ledger or reports (always wrong and under reporting) on inflation. 

Yet, this news is as important, if not more, than any events on the ground in Russian SMO in Ukraine, because it is this geopolitical and geoeconomic background against which the war progresses in 404. For dopamine-dependent armchair "strategists", gamers and military porn masturbators, who need their daily doze of destruction, death and combat observed from afar, this news, same as such as news as Kherson Oblast already confirming its intent to become Russia's region (in Russian), same goes for Zaporzhskaya Oblast and other regions of primarily Southern Ukraine and this time, in 2022, not least through a windfall of cash due to dramatic rise in prices of resources, even against the background of overall combined West's economic decline. In the end, one may live just fine without new (and overpriced) junk of iPhone or new, also overpriced, brand hand bag, one cannot live without heat, electricity and food, despite Western economists trying to convince other people that one can. But even they now surrendered to a grim reality of doing as Russia tells them to do and it really hurts the pitiful remains of their self-respect. 

Plus, of course, the beginning of the process of surrender of Nazis, mercenaries and VSU blocked before that for month at the Azov Steel (recall how many "analysts" were crying foul when Putin ordered to simply seal off this plant?) does not add to already grim mood in the West (not to mention the remnants of 404) and even regurgitating military fakes from 404 does nothing to improve it. As you all know, I am not really interested in all this "tactical" minutiae of SMO (I leave that and deriving BS conclusions from it to all those Podolyaka, Kotenok, Cassad and other benefactors of monetization of their militarily illiterate crap) but insights, especially through VSU foreign mercenaries and Nazi POWs, provide a glimpse into the kitchen of Ukie resistance. Here is one (in Russian) among many thousands of other POWs. 

He complains that Polish and American mercenaries treated VSU badly, ate and drunk much better than VSU regulars, never sharing really, and, in general, used VSU personnel as their maids. Ladi-fucking-da, and what did they expect? For NATO people VSU are subhumans given only enough equipment and training to kill Russians (civilians primarily). No wonder all those NATO "heroes" evaporate once they smell the start of the real battle, not the safari-type hunting on Rooskies. Indeed, those damn Rooskies have tanks, artillery and high precision weapons--not a TOE all those NATO people used to facing in war. 

While I radically disagree with Rostislav Ischenko that Russia didn't expect 404 resistance--this is not how military planning on a strategic and operational level works and how decision trees are acted upon--but even he, and he surely knows 404 orders of magnitude better than me, had to admit (in Russian) that disintegration of VSU has begun, and even the latest about the removal of Ukies' big honcho of Territorial Defense (battalions) which continue to sustain appalling losses on the front, is another indication of the ongoing implosion. Again, Austin didn't call Shoigu to talk pleasantries, he demanded the immediate "cease fire". I also radically disagree with Ischenko on his interpretation of the American aims in 404, but Ischenko is not a military man and he doesn't know the US that well. So, here is your primer for Monday and we need to be patient.