Quote Originally Posted by Firn View Post
Nobody knows what will happen in political terms in Russia if a recession or even a depression hits the economy. As you said in some instances you are puzzled just how bad things can go worse and worse. Perhaps Putin might endure all political attacks with the large power he has concentrated over the years and with the 'new' enemy at the gates as a culprit to target.

I don't doubt however that his bunch will gobble up their large share even if the whole cake shrinks, as long as they can...
Firn---have spent time going back over a large number of Interfax press releases concerning Russian economic development and their banks--if one looks at the math and compares their statements to western financial analyst statements one has a distinct feeling---their economic conditions currently are in serious straits---not even their own CB statements make financial math sense.

The oligarch's have been great at ripping off the system so what is the true foreign currency assets in 2014 of the CB? If 36B in foreign currency assets disappeared from the Ukraine overnight where did it go-which oligarch or Russian ministry got it?

Reason for asking---they are trying virtually every trick in the trade to make any form of money---check this article on Russia leaving the 1954 UN run TIR customs program which has been working great for Russia up to now---then suddenly they leave allowing them to take illegal border fees and additional customs also illegally---and the sum is not chum change.

By charging illegal fees it just drives up the Russian consumer pricing which in turn drives up inflation as well and it can on the long run even reduce consumer products as companies will refuse to ship products due to the extra hassle for the truckers.

So if they are having to do this just to make money the next question is why?

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2014/...ref=world&_r=0