One easy to see component that readily shows the state of a nation’s economy is the condition of its roads and overall logistic network, which is something one experiences as soon as the drive away from the airport or train station begins.
Re: photo of a Moscow metro station. In two brief visits to the Soviet Union at the end of the ‘70’s, I rode the metro in several cities. At the time, policy was a subway system would be built for every city approaching population of a million. Every station was spotlessly clean; each station had its own unique artistic design or theme such as the one in the picture—almost like cavernous rooms of a museum. Cost was the equivalent of a nickel. Trains arrived every two to five minutes during the busy times of the day, lengthening to about 15 minutes for trains around midnight. Lines were shut down only three or four hours in the early AM. It was decades later before platform clocks appeared on station platforms of US metro systems. And no US metro station that I have seen to date has resembled a large exhibit hall in a museum…
I plowed through a large number of station photos before I found the image I used. Russian urban planning is top-notch with high-density housing amidst a mass of varying mass transit types, and it continues to plan in that manner—no US-style suburban sprawl that wastes resources and atomizes society. Even Russian villages were/are designed that way where the houses are clustered together while the cultivated fields surround it.
Appears to me that word "implode" in title of this informative post is perhaps an error. Also, the following sentence seems not only incorrect but unnecessarily provocative. Thank you sir for your interesting, informative posts.
The scary adjectives are a refutation of Trump’s uninformed assessment of Russia’s economic condition he announced to the world. Only a few days prior to Trump’s idiocy. Russia held a meeting on the economy that I translated and published on 22 January which was viewed by only 2,601 people, a below average number. If I can access and translate, what prevents Trump’s team from doing the same? Just what are they getting paid to do?
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. I was asked to do another item on Russia’s energy outlook, and that will appear soon without any misleading adjectives,
It's always a good reason to get the maps out, the sat image of Yelizovo Airport is old as it only shows early stage construction. Ditto street view. I'm surprised that the Russians have allowed Google to drive around. Not so much in the PRC, good, kick the bums out.
Would you be willing to do a piece some time in the future about russian energy production and exports? I onow that Russia has massive reserves, production, and exports, but I'dd like to see details and projections for a few decades out.
Some months ago I wrote an item related to Russia's future energy strategy that had recently been published that's in the archives. I'll have a look and add to my reply.
I translated an article written by Russia's MR. Energy, Alexander Novak a year ago, https://karlof1.substack.com/p/russias-fuel-and-energy-complex-today The journal it came from is Energy Policy. His latest article was published today, "Russian Fuel and Energy Complex – Reliability, Sustainability, Development," which makes for a good comparison. Since I'm rolling along with Trump's assertion that Russia's economy is in the crapper, I'll translate and publish it by Monday. There are more articles related to the Russian energy sector in the archive.
I have read several articles in the past 3 months about ongoing issues with the management of railcar logistics. As we know from ocean container experience, patterns of freight movement are often directional. It's easy to end up with empty railcars/containers at destination and no equipment to load at origin when nobody wants to transport empty equipment at no/low charge. The reports indicate large backlogs of empty equipment in the Moscow area and a dearth of equipment in the Far East. This is further complicated by lack of personnel to expeditiously offload equipment resulting in longer dwell times. Finally, the SMO leads to military operational priorities regularly over riding commercial considerations, further complicating the situation (with no single authority having the power to deconflict). Like I said - I've read several similar independent reports on this challenge from in-country. Establishing a quick fix and developing SOP's to mitigate this in future would seem to be a top priority.
The dynamic you describe is often discussed at the meetings with government held by Putin and as noted by the Transport Minister is something Putin keeps his eyes on. Containers more than railcars have been the issue and effect through-put volume and shipment rapidity.
Yes, he specifically talked about the price of eggs and potatoes. He was in Australia if I'm not mistaken about a year ago, so even agricultural producers and exporters like Australia have had significant food inflation which the government blames on the supermarket duopoly, and otherwise attempts to gaslight the public on it's causes. I found Helmer's point a little strange.
«even agricultural producers and exporters like Australia have had significant food inflation which the government blames on the supermarket duopoly»
The strangest thing is that inflation in some countries, most notably the PRC, has been and is very low. My impression is that in most "western" countries inflation was a deliberate government policy to substantially shrink real wages and improve corporate profits, and it was quite successful.
You did? I didn't see that he was pushing much of a point at all but more simply being informative. Russia has economic woes. He outlined them, put them in context, elaborated somewhat. Made that point: that it has economy problems. Fair enough I thought.
I was watching, and he seemed less dispassionate in my view. Comparatively the west has worse problems, and Russians voted for Putin convincingly, so he could have framed his opinion better.
Re: photo of a Moscow metro station. In two brief visits to the Soviet Union at the end of the ‘70’s, I rode the metro in several cities. At the time, policy was a subway system would be built for every city approaching population of a million. Every station was spotlessly clean; each station had its own unique artistic design or theme such as the one in the picture—almost like cavernous rooms of a museum. Cost was the equivalent of a nickel. Trains arrived every two to five minutes during the busy times of the day, lengthening to about 15 minutes for trains around midnight. Lines were shut down only three or four hours in the early AM. It was decades later before platform clocks appeared on station platforms of US metro systems. And no US metro station that I have seen to date has resembled a large exhibit hall in a museum…
I plowed through a large number of station photos before I found the image I used. Russian urban planning is top-notch with high-density housing amidst a mass of varying mass transit types, and it continues to plan in that manner—no US-style suburban sprawl that wastes resources and atomizes society. Even Russian villages were/are designed that way where the houses are clustered together while the cultivated fields surround it.
Appears to me that word "implode" in title of this informative post is perhaps an error. Also, the following sentence seems not only incorrect but unnecessarily provocative. Thank you sir for your interesting, informative posts.
The scary adjectives are a refutation of Trump’s uninformed assessment of Russia’s economic condition he announced to the world. Only a few days prior to Trump’s idiocy. Russia held a meeting on the economy that I translated and published on 22 January which was viewed by only 2,601 people, a below average number. If I can access and translate, what prevents Trump’s team from doing the same? Just what are they getting paid to do?
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. I was asked to do another item on Russia’s energy outlook, and that will appear soon without any misleading adjectives,
It's always a good reason to get the maps out, the sat image of Yelizovo Airport is old as it only shows early stage construction. Ditto street view. I'm surprised that the Russians have allowed Google to drive around. Not so much in the PRC, good, kick the bums out.
Karlof,
Would you be willing to do a piece some time in the future about russian energy production and exports? I onow that Russia has massive reserves, production, and exports, but I'dd like to see details and projections for a few decades out.
Some months ago I wrote an item related to Russia's future energy strategy that had recently been published that's in the archives. I'll have a look and add to my reply.
I translated an article written by Russia's MR. Energy, Alexander Novak a year ago, https://karlof1.substack.com/p/russias-fuel-and-energy-complex-today The journal it came from is Energy Policy. His latest article was published today, "Russian Fuel and Energy Complex – Reliability, Sustainability, Development," which makes for a good comparison. Since I'm rolling along with Trump's assertion that Russia's economy is in the crapper, I'll translate and publish it by Monday. There are more articles related to the Russian energy sector in the archive.
I am not sure that "imploding" is the best descriptor of what is happening with transport in Russia.
I have read several articles in the past 3 months about ongoing issues with the management of railcar logistics. As we know from ocean container experience, patterns of freight movement are often directional. It's easy to end up with empty railcars/containers at destination and no equipment to load at origin when nobody wants to transport empty equipment at no/low charge. The reports indicate large backlogs of empty equipment in the Moscow area and a dearth of equipment in the Far East. This is further complicated by lack of personnel to expeditiously offload equipment resulting in longer dwell times. Finally, the SMO leads to military operational priorities regularly over riding commercial considerations, further complicating the situation (with no single authority having the power to deconflict). Like I said - I've read several similar independent reports on this challenge from in-country. Establishing a quick fix and developing SOP's to mitigate this in future would seem to be a top priority.
The dynamic you describe is often discussed at the meetings with government held by Putin and as noted by the Transport Minister is something Putin keeps his eyes on. Containers more than railcars have been the issue and effect through-put volume and shipment rapidity.
So everything is alright, then? You had me worried: "..imploding economy.."
That's what Trump called it. I'm just going with the flow. Something massive would need to occur to derail Russia's economy.
I guess he didn't check in with the IMF, but that's just his usual bluster and misdirection, and if he's not careful he'll be as confused as old Joe.
I sincerely hope that is right.
Helmer recently had a piece that was worrying:
https://johnhelmer.net/cost-of-potatoes-cost-of-blood-when-inflation-is-lethal/print/
then we get his drone thing and the 10% loss of oil
and then the sanctions increasing the price of russian oil so china and india don't buy....
tell me not worry...
:)
Yes, he specifically talked about the price of eggs and potatoes. He was in Australia if I'm not mistaken about a year ago, so even agricultural producers and exporters like Australia have had significant food inflation which the government blames on the supermarket duopoly, and otherwise attempts to gaslight the public on it's causes. I found Helmer's point a little strange.
Helmer is described charitably by Doctorow as Anti-Putin, with which I agree.
«even agricultural producers and exporters like Australia have had significant food inflation which the government blames on the supermarket duopoly»
The strangest thing is that inflation in some countries, most notably the PRC, has been and is very low. My impression is that in most "western" countries inflation was a deliberate government policy to substantially shrink real wages and improve corporate profits, and it was quite successful.
@ dornoch
You did? I didn't see that he was pushing much of a point at all but more simply being informative. Russia has economic woes. He outlined them, put them in context, elaborated somewhat. Made that point: that it has economy problems. Fair enough I thought.
I was watching, and he seemed less dispassionate in my view. Comparatively the west has worse problems, and Russians voted for Putin convincingly, so he could have framed his opinion better.