RussiaGate #Digest

2022-05-24 19:53:14 Chinese technology exports to Russia plummeted in March after U.S.-led sanctions took effect, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said today.

Chinese shipments of laptops to Russia fell by 40% in March compared with February, while exports of smartphones were off by 65%. Exports of telecommunications network equipment fell 98%.

As we have pointed out numerous times, China will follow American sanctions against Russia more or less accurately. Open / Comment

2022-05-23 16:27:07 According to Bloomberg, Aviation data specialists IBA estimate Russian airlines have supplies to last three months and then may start cannibalizing aircraft for parts.

To make it simple, Russia isn't capable to overcome the deficit of technology in crucially important aviation.

You could hardly find another sector or company devastated by the sanctions to the extent of Russian civil aviation and Aeroflot.

It's a pity, for a really competitive international company is turning into a domestic product with very grim perspectives. Open / Comment

2022-05-23 15:42:59 Putin is appointing another member of his personal security service as a federal emergency minister.

His former security officer Evgeny Zinichev, who died tragically last year, will be replaced by another Putin's personal security officer from FSO Alexander Kurenkov, who is also a close associate of Russian Guard's chief Viktor Zolotov (also former bodyguard of Putin).

The circle of bodyguards. The man really trusts nobody. Open / Comment

2022-05-23 11:53:17 Austria has frozen a total of €254mln in Russian wealth across 97 accounts, including five properties linked to Russian oligarchs targeted by sanctions.

"Neutral" Austria is still committed to following sanctions against Russia. Other countries with traditional ties with Russia are doing the same.

By the end of April Italy has frozen €800mln, Netherlands - about €400mln. Open / Comment

2022-05-20 17:08:06 US may offer Lukashenko a good deal: a six-month sanctions waiver to allow potash export in exchange for allowing Ukrainian grain export through Belarus.

The export of Ukranian grain is important to avoid severe food crisis in poor countries and is negotiated by the UN, but is restricted by the Russian operation in Ukraine.

Let's see if Lukashenko, who is clearly unsatisfied with the lasting crisis, will sell out. It is a good deal. Open / Comment

2022-05-20 14:24:39 Reserves held by the Central Bank of Russia have fallen from $629.4bn on February 25 to $585.7bn as of May 13, a fall of $43.7bn according to the latest data released by the Bank.

More than $300bn of Russian reserves held in Europe are frozen, although they are still counted as part of the Bank's reserves.

According to the latest data released by Russian Finance Ministry, Russia has spent $9.6bn on defense in April, or about $308mln a day.

The military spending is surging rapidly, while the incomes of Russian budget outside gas and oil are almost collapsing: -10.8% in March, -18.1% in April.

Russia's future will be basically defined by the possible European ban of Russian gas and oil. Numbers don't lie. Open / Comment

2022-05-19 16:52:07 American journalists have audiotape with Mikhail Fridman heavily criticizing Russian special operation in Ukraine.

We confirm personally that this audiotape exists, but could only guess why it hasn't been published yet. Fridman has always been a generous lobbyist. Open / Comment

2022-05-19 15:52:31 Notorious senator Andrei Klishas claimed today that Russian "import replacement program has completely failed".

Sure enough, this drew negative reaction from Kremlin: spokesman Dmitry Peskov had to disagree with Klishas publicly.

Klishas gained notoriety for introducing various bills aimed to centralize Putin's individual power in the country.

Perhaps, today was the first day in his life when he publicly said something that is true and makes sense. Open / Comment

2022-05-19 14:35:33 Kazakhstan's largest ore enrichers SSGPO has cut its supplies to Russian steel giant MMK in Magnitogorsk.

SSGPO has been MMK's largest supplier. It has no obligations to follow Western sanctions against Russia, but chose to do so.

We see how sanctions are slowly disrupting economic ties between two members of Eurasian Economic Union - Kazakhstan and Russia.

At the same time, we do not see how Russia will be able to hold on in Kazakhstan against China and Turkey, for that matter. Open / Comment

2022-05-18 16:18:55 Ukraine has seized securities of sanctioned oligarch Mikhail Fridman in Cypriot companies worth $420 million held at a bank in Ukraine.

Fridman plans to sell his business in Russia, but stay in Ukraine and even invest in the country's ruined economy.

Sure enough, Fridman has no altruistic intentions and only plans to buy his ticket allowing him to further live in the world he is used to live in.

This guy is not about ideas and values. Open / Comment