Beyond oil and reserves, Russia running on empty

Reuters ^ | 1 Aug 14 | Lidia Kelly and Katya Golubkova

[elhombrelibre]

Russia's very dependent for its revenue on its oil exports in ways that the US government and our economy are not. The USA's gross domestic product is eight times Putin's GDP. By way of contrast, Russia's GDP is just twice that of the (17 million people) tiny Netherlands.

People can say how swell things are in Russia all they want. And they'll be right that it's better than it was, but Russia is still a vast and poor country. The average Russian earns around $800.00 month.

[McGruff]

Europe is going to freeze this winter if they Putin decides to turn off their gas. And we won’t be able to get to the Space Station. But Putin doesn’t seem to be a capitalist. He likes the West’s money.

[elhombrelibre]

Yeah, turning off Europe’s gas would do wonders for the Russian economy, like suicide.

[preacher]

Bttt

[Southack]

You are in denial...you are betting that Russia can’t take the pain for as long as Europe can take freezing with no natural gas for heating this Winter.

Putin’s strategy doesn’t need to be pain-free to Russia. You don’t understand that part.

Putin’s strategy merely needs to be more painful to Western Europe than to Russians.

[elhombrelibre]

And you’re thinking that Putin has totalitarian control that will allow him to run Russian without any revenue until Europe cracks and buy Russian gas. Europe needs Russian oil and gas, but Europe doesn’t only get oil and gas from Russia.

[Southack]

So?

Who cracks first: a freezing Europe or a broke Russia?