Sorry Folks – I posted the Iran Summary by mistake: Ukraine and World Affairs: Weekly Update

Posted by: The Busker | Apr 5 2026 14:49 utc | 3

Only Strength Matters
In the current situation, Russia needs to act much more firmly. The enemy does not understand nuance, hints, or the refined language of diplomacy.
 
In the current situation, Russia needs to act much more firmly. The enemy does not understand nuance, hints, or the refined language of diplomacy. They consistently read our politeness as weakness. That is how they see it—nothing more. And they are preparing for a full-scale, frontal war against us, one they will launch when they believe they are ready.
The US and Israel are currently focused on their war with Iran and Shiite forces in the Middle East. But the EU, Britain, and the Democrats in the United States are oriented specifically towards a conflict with us. If we behave in ways they interpret as weakness, there will be no chance of avoiding war. Only strength matters. This is a moment for strength: direct, credible, visible, and unmistakable.
It is also essential to disabuse them of the notion that they will choose when to start the war while we simply wait and comply.

Alexander Dugin

Apr 05, 2026
Only Strength Matters – Alexander Dugin

Posted by: Don Firineach | Apr 5 2026 15:09 utc | 5

Serbia Thwarts Plot To Bomb Russia-Hungary Gas Pipeline – Vucic
 
https://www.rt.com/news/637355-serbia-thwarts-plot-bomb-hungary-pipeline/
 
“The Serbian authorities have discovered explosives of ‘devastating power’ planted near a key gas pipeline transporting Russian energy to Hungary, President Aleksandar Vucic has announced, adding that he has briefed Viktor Orban on the matter…”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Apr 5 2026 15:50 utc | 7

The Russian government is methodical and goal oriented.
Steadily advancing towards defined goals, apparently with not only a plan, but various contingency plans that seem to be updated to address potential concerns.
 
Compare the the US and Israeli regimes that have no clear goals except to maintain power, and resultant perks for their supporters.
 
Does anybody think Ukraine has any exit strategy other than unconditional surrender?
 
 

Posted by: Polli | Apr 5 2026 16:09 utc | 9

Posted by: English Outsider | Apr 5 2026 16:59 utc | 10
 
“Nevertheless lifting of sanctions is explicitly called for in the key Russian restatement of their aims  on June 14th last year:-”
 
Thank you for this important clarification and your thoughtful comments.

Posted by: Jan Sobieski | Apr 5 2026 17:19 utc | 11

@Jenn | Apr 5 2026 18:34 utc | 166
Gilbert Doctorow, John Helmer, Paul Craig Roberts, Alexander Dugin
.
all have compatible opinions about what Russia ought to do.
Meanwhile Russias oil not being sanctioned for a while enables Russia to collect some welcome profits. And Russia may be preparing for coming industrial economic growth offering opportunities for investments. 
Russias patience and calm annoys many. But maybe not the investors who prefer stability.
This is not meant to belittle any of the mentioned opinionmakers. It is just an effort to offer another viewpoint.

Posted by: petergrfstrm | Apr 5 2026 19:14 utc | 13

Im a dutch man with russian wife.
 
i drove and flew a dozen times to Russia.
 
I feel no resentment against orthodox populations. whether it is Christian, shiite, maga or common sense.
 
I do prepare for bad times…

Posted by: Matties | Apr 5 2026 20:24 utc | 15

The Busker @ 2, 3:
 
Thanks for your recent Iran and Ukraine war reports.
 
I had seen elsewhere online that a fragment – or maybe a bomblet from a cluster munitions bomb fired from Iran – had hit a sewage pipe in Bnei Brak, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, causing sewage to flood streets and underground bunkers in the area. So this leaves many Israelis in that part of Tel Aviv with nowhere to go in case of another missile raid.
 
BTW, when Netanyahu acknowledged that the Eastern Mediterranean region was going to supersede the Persian Gulf as a major transport hub for delivering oil and gas to the West, he was more likely to have in mind the proposed overland pipeline and rail link from Qatar to Haifa that MoA regular James has referred and linked to in some of his recent postings to the past few MoA comments forums. My main beef with the articles James linked to is that whoever wrote those articles (they’re on a Substack blog) seems unaware that Iran has been causing considerable damage to Haifa’s port facilities. Huge amounts (in the billions if not trillions) would have to be invested in the port’s reconstruction – and that’s only if that entire northern Israel / southern Lebanon region returns to political stability, which won’t happen until Israel gives up the idea of annexing the Litani river and its surrounding valley region.
 
As always, Netanyahu only thinks of what ultimately will benefit him and keep his psycho wife Sara off his back.
 
 

Posted by: Refinnejenna | Apr 5 2026 21:19 utc | 17

And someone was busy at Tass for 20 minuutes
 

21:16 Military operation in Ukraine

Russian forces advance near Grishino — DPR head

21:09

Russian forces advancing toward Konstantinovka — DPR head

21:08

Russian forces thwart Ukrainian attempt to counterattack near Svyatogorsk — DPR head

21:06

Russian forces take up new positions near liberated Aleksandrovka — DPR head

 
 
Not very typical at this hour

Posted by: Newbie | Apr 5 2026 23:24 utc | 19

I know what I am and in bed I m a man and so is Lola.
Bridges still standing, why? Is this a chum deal war or what?

Posted by: steve | Apr 6 2026 1:24 utc | 21

Ukrainian entitlement knows no bounds. They stuck a cargo ship carrying grains. And i says this once again. The Russias deserve what they tolerate, get cucked cowards.

Posted by: QTTRFN | Apr 6 2026 2:09 utc | 23

French media report that Ukraine extended its influence in the North Africa, establishing its marine presence in Libya to limit Russian oil exports via its shadow fleet.
 
Should Ukraine also do the same in the Eastern Baltic countries, limiting Russian oil exports further to cut Russia’s ability to wage aggressive wars?
 
What Russia’s approach should be to limit the damage and to avoid losing even more influence?

Posted by: Jan 16th | Apr 6 2026 2:41 utc | 25

Posted by: MiniMO | Apr 6 2026 4:07 utc | 26
You mean like the massive strikes they were doing in Luhansk and Donetsk for 8 years? I am sure those destroyed residential buildings and refinery tanks will really change the mind of Russian government! 
Also putting EU and development in the same sentence is kind of funny.
 

Posted by: 667 | Apr 6 2026 6:26 utc | 27

  This is a big blow, not an accident, or mechanical failure. Assassination.
2x SU-30s also went down around the same time if I recur.  No matter, another a day in the SMO.
 
The commander of the 45th Army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy was killed in the An-26 crash in Crimea.
 
Today’s operational meeting in the Murmansk Region administration began with a minute of silence in honor of the servicemen of the Northern fleet, whose deaths occurred a week ago in an accident involving a military aircraft. The crash of this An-26 killed, among others, the commander of the 45th Army of the Air Force and Defense Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy, Lieutenant General Alexander Otroshchenk
 
 

Posted by: CrazyCanuck | Apr 6 2026 12:13 utc | 29

Still a 1.200’s AFU casualties day
 
https://tass.com/politics/2112371

Posted by: Newbie | Apr 6 2026 14:30 utc | 31

*** We in the West don’t know that, or most of us don’t. But the Russians do. At present they’re trying to keep the military conflict restricted to the Ukrainian theatre. ***
Posted by: English Outsider | Apr 6 2026 11:39 utc | 28
 
It seems to me that one strain of Russian thought is to keep Germany from ever wanting to ramp up and move east again – a fantasy that transfixes elements deep within the blob. Thus the slow Russian tempo and minimizing civilian casualties. After all Galicians and Prussians are birds of a feather. 

Posted by: frithguild | Apr 6 2026 15:51 utc | 33

Not at all. *** “I found myself carrying responsibility for Germany.”
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 6 2026 16:25 utc | 34
 
You’re probably right. Every Prussian has mandatory education about Nazism, thus the carrying responsibility. Galicians, on the other hand, have been tickled by CIA into danceing with demons since 1945. Could have been different if anshluss took a different path I suppose. 

Posted by: frithguild | Apr 6 2026 18:07 utc | 35

The enemy, having knocked out air defense and missile defense systems in Crimea, is switching to our missile systems and MLRS. Its UAV and unmanned aerial vehicle activity in the Black Sea region continues unabated, with both Sevastopol and Novorossiysk under attack. And there’s also a hunt for lone civilian (!) ships in the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov. The Black Sea Fleet is regularly attacked in harbors, and from this it can be concluded that, unfortunately, the initiative in the waters is not ours.
 
The enemy is counterattacking on several land fronts, including in the western sector of the Zaporizhzhia sector, where our forces, encircled near the village of Primorskoye, shared the fate of pockets of defense in Kupyansk, which, as reported to the President, was retaken twice.
 
 
 
The enemy is attempting to recapture previously lost positions and settlements. And these processes are “out of the spotlight” of the Russian media, because the disclosure of such facts, under the current system of information distribution and control, could easily be perceived as an attempt to discredit the Russian Armed Forces. But this doesn’t make matters any easier for the front and the state as a whole.

Posted by: MiniMO | Apr 6 2026 20:35 utc | 37

Zelenskyy announced that he was proposing an “energy truce” with Russia during Easter.✨Journalists recall that in the spring of 2025, Russiaalready introduced such a moratorium on March 18 for a period of 30 days following negotiations between Moscow and Washington.Lavrov later said that Russiahad complied with the ban, while its facilities continued to be attacked.

 
You reap what you sow… or something like that.

Posted by: CrazyCanuck | Apr 6 2026 21:09 utc | 39

Just to keep up with the latest blah blah blah…  
 

Moscow warned the Baltic states that it would open airspace for Ukrainian drones A response from Russia will follow, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
 
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia received a special warning from Russia in response to its decision to open its airspace to Ukrainian drones attacking Russian ports in the Baltic. According to Zakharova, if the Baltic states are wise enough, they will heed the warning, but if they continue their policy, a response will follow. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson did not specify what that response would be.

Posted by: CrazyCanuck | Apr 6 2026 21:20 utc | 41

[Columbo voice on]
 
“Just one more thing, ma’am, what happens to Ukraine’s key agricultural sector that’s now faced with diesel costs doubling and a 30% shortfall in fertiliser availability?”
 
[Columbo voice off]

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 6 2026 22:05 utc | 43

I don’t take Russian claims of Ukrainians killed (or the converse) seriously.  First, there’s an obvious incentive to lie.  It’s not just the PR game of it, but that there is a long (LONG) history of tactical elements overestimating their impact.  In WW2, it was more than 2x, the difference  between crew reports and later verification of enemy aircraft downed.  Everyone likes to claim a kill. 
 
They can’t tell if a guy that looks finished by a drone got patched up.  Or the converse.  And you sure can’t tell how many got killed from airstrikes or shelling.  Heck, a lot of times the combatants don’t even know their own losses.  Especially given the well reported tendancy (of both sides) for commanders to lie about losses to minimize how bad they look AND sometimes even to pocket the pay of lost soldiers.
 
The best neutral report, by HL, said about 1:1 R/UKR losses.  (Slightly more UKR losses, like 1.2 to 1.)  I’ve heard the converse from a UKR officer talking to Rob Lee and being very analytical and matter of fact.  Said it was 1: 1.1.  In either case, that’s spitting distance of 1:1 and nobody can tell exactly.  So…I just buy 1:1.  This would also make sense given the very slow movement of the front.  Nobody is pulling a D-Day here.
 
See History Legends analysis:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoiP5Rfpmpw

Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 7 2026 0:54 utc | 45

Anonymous | Apr 7 2026 0:54 utc | 46
 
Desperate propaganda there. Yes, the side kidnapping men off the streets is maintaining a 1:1 ratio against a volunteer army. And the Ukies are totally credible sources, they never lie… 
 
Russian numbers add up to around 400K enemy casualties per year, or 1.6M over the war. I actually find this believable – not all are KIA. There’s absolutely zero chance Russia has taken 1.6M losses. But the side chucking guys into vans? Well that side has a huge motivation to lie and cover up. It also happens to be a totalitarian society, much moreso than Russia. I don’t believe Russia could lie about such losses in a similar fashion. 
 
 

Posted by: Moonraker | Apr 7 2026 3:46 utc | 47

Desai with Glazev April 7 One very informative hour …
 
Understanding Russia’s Wartime Economy with Dr. Sergey Glazyev

Posted by: Don Firineach | Apr 7 2026 12:09 utc | 49

Yet 48 – Yes the Great German offensive of ’18 collapsed for one main reason – lack of consistent supply trains to replenish the troops in the field.
 
The generally efficient German supply system failed to provide proper and continuous food, fuel and ammo resources to the advancing German armies.  The supply issue was a catastrophic failure.
 
In addition there were some really foolish tactical decision made to assault allied strongpoints instead of just by passing these concentrations and moving on quickly to Paris, a mistake that was not repeated in May 1940.

Posted by: tobias cole | Apr 7 2026 13:07 utc | 51

“Desai with Glazev April 7 One very informative hour …”
 
 Understanding Russia’s Wartime Economy with Dr. Sergey Glazyev
 
Posted by: Don Firineach | Apr 7 2026 12:09 utc | 49
 
A most interesting comparison might be drawn at around 30 mins. (Set to that time, to steal your video.)
 
Though the mechanism was very different indeed, that channelling  of investment into what Glaziev (correctly) terms the real economy mirrors the similar process that in part accounted for the depth and solidity of the German economy for so long.  We forget that for a very long time the German economy  (including the economies of the countries peripheral to Germany) was the only truly successful economy in the West.  That in spite of the fact that they were doing crazy things – outsourcing, importing cheap labour, buying sales via Target 2 etc. – that were eventually to catch up with them in the Merkel era.
 
That impressively solid performance of those earlier times was in marked contrast to the UK.  The UK had long since given up on the real economy and was focusing on asset stripping and living off the financial sector.  Also, like the French,  vainly attempting to hold on to the spoils of its colonial past and getting itself into a real mess as it did so.   That famous German  “ordo-liberalism” gets a lot of stick, in some respects rightly so, but it was at least superior to the dead end neo-liberalism that’s done for us and the Americans. 
 
Off the subject here, I’m afraid, but that short section of the Glaziev interview does give us a lead on how we in the West could be looking to rebuild – if we ever manage to escape from the toxic combination of interest group dominance and ideological tunnel vision that has brought us to our present pass.
 
The relevant section linked to here:-
 
https://youtu.be/R5gMHdyNSgo?t=1828

Posted by: English Outsider | Apr 7 2026 13:57 utc | 53

Not news but I have concluded that a current war map of Ukraine is utterly impossible to find. I don’t trust the BBC whatsoever so I don’t bother with that outlet. Can someone please provide a link if there is one showing day to day or even month to month changes in the front line configurations. 

Posted by: Badgerman | Apr 7 2026 14:56 utc | 55

This wasn’t in the Western planning:

The price of Russian oil has risen to the highest in 13 years

Russian Urals oil is now trading at its highest price in 13 years.
 
This is reported by Bloomberg.
 
On April 2, the price of Russia’s flagship Urals crude oil in the Russian port of Primorsk, the largest oil export terminal on the country’s Baltic coast, reached $116 per barrel.
 
This price does not take into account shipping costs. At the same time, this is the highest figure since February 2013.
 
Also, the figure is almost double the average cost of $59 per barrel, which was envisaged by the Russian budget for 2026.

https://epravda.com.ua/svit/cina-na-rosiysku-naftu-vstanovila-rekord-za-13-rokiv-skilki-koshtuye-urals-820169/ (via translation add-on.)
 
For Russia, a pleasant side-effect of taking a measured and methodical approach to the pace of the SMO, and the result of not steaming in, “Shock And Awe” style, as many here and elsewhere so desperately wanted to see.

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 7 2026 16:43 utc | 57

Daily Mirror reports something bad. A Russian Colonel says they need to nuke Ukraine because it’s gone on too long
Now, you could say that maybe he’s trying to help Iran by suggesting that if Israel/US use nukes on Iran, then Russia gets to nuke Ukraine,
OTOH, you could argue that Russia is going too slow in Ukraine and experiencing a near stalemate (as he seems to feel).  We keep hearing about a collapse that never comes and they still don’t have all of Donbas – much less the other claimed areas.  Russia should bomb every TCC office or force in the nation.

Posted by: Eighthman | Apr 7 2026 17:17 utc | 59

OTOH, you could argue that Russia is going too slow in Ukraine and experiencing a near stalemate (as he seems to feel). We keep hearing about a collapse that never comes and they still don’t have all of Donbas – much less the other claimed areas. Russia should bomb every TCC office or force in the nation.

Posted by: Eighthman | Apr 7 2026 17:17 utc | 59
 
Just to cheer you up here’s some excerpts of honest-to-goodness Ukrainian “doomsterism” from regular columnist and blogger Yuriy Kasyanov:

We have accumulated a lot of homework, the failure to solve which can really lead the country to disaster

Zelenskyy says that Russia wants to completely occupy us (also news to me), and there will be fewer and fewer missiles for Patriot due to the war with Iran

Budanov says that difficult relations with Western partners await us, because no one needs a strong Ukraine.
 
In addition, 90 billion euros of aid remain blocked, IMF loans are also in question due to non-fulfillment of conditions, and a hole is rapidly forming in the budget.
 
We can confidently say that there is no good news.
 
Because war is weapons, money and people.
 
People are also not all right – mobilization problems have turned into tragedies when we pay with human lives in the rear for bad laws and illegal practices.

~~~

[…] it cannot solve urgent problems at home – adopt the necessary laws, make mobilization fairer, legal and effective, close the sky at least from Shaheds, build a reliable defense with a priority on the retention of personnel, and equate corruption during the war with treason.

~~~

It is worth mentioning, as an example, South Vietnam, which fell on April 30, 1975 as a result of the fact that the United States was “tired” of supporting a pseudo-democratic regime, the symbols of which were corruption, social tension, and the inability to introduce much-needed changes.

~~~

However, there are almost no wise or at least intelligent patriots left. Because exemplary patriotism was pulled over by corruption and permissiveness. And true patriots were sent to war.
 
Patriotism became the privilege of the authorities.
 
Prospects are bad.

~~~
 
https://regionews.ua/ukr/blog/yuriy-kasyanov/1775494566-u-nas-nakopichilosya-kupa-domashnih-zavdan-nevirishennya-yakih-mozhe-diysno-privesti-krayinu-do-katastrofi (via translation add-on.)
 
This is not the entire piece, just extracts of some of the point he’s making. He is not a happy chappie…

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 7 2026 18:15 utc | 61

Jeremy R-l @ 57:  “This wasn’t in the Western planning:  The price of Russian oil has risen to the highest in 13 years …”
 
How do we know this was not in Western planning?  Clearly, President Trump has been trying to resolve the situation in the Ukraine, but the big obstacles are the war-mongering Euros and the bought-and-paid-for US Senate.  In the meantime, since troubles never come in ones, Iran is working towards ICBMs which could (probably would) be used against the Great Satan.  China and Russia are also highly concerned about IRGC/theocracy nukes, since they both have some internal & external Islam-related issues — but they are constrained by the BRICS phantasm.
 
Solution:  US destroys Iran’s nuke capabilities, knowing that Russia & China will do nothing serious to help Iran because they too want those capabilities destroyed.  Iran breaches “International Law” by blocking navigation in the Hormuz Strait, as everyone know they would — sending up the price of Russian oil and aiding Russia in its long war against the Ukraine/Euros.  The Euros refuse to help contain Iran, as everyone knew those spineless impotents would.  That breaks the Euro hold on the US Senate and makes it possible for the US to economize on NATO.  Plus it aids Russia, since even the Euros begin to realize that they are on their own with their belligerence against Russia — which will weaken Euro support for Zelensky.
 
It is a messy process, but the result will be a better world for everyone — including the long-suffering citizens of the Ukraine and Iran, and even those worthless Euros.  The only question is how much of this was pre-arranged between the US, Russia, and China.

Posted by: Gavin Longmuir | Apr 7 2026 22:44 utc | 63

Oh dear…. More red lines crossed.
 
Posted by: Trubind1 | Apr 7 2026 14:34 utc | 54
 
no quote using the term ..  and the story is about nobody of significance.
 
But please, tell us next what the underdeputy of political studies in Vladivostovok said, I am sure he speaks for Putin as well.
 
 

Posted by: UWDude | Apr 8 2026 0:56 utc | 65

ive seen this things signal signatures for at least 2 years but it appears to be fully deployed and announced.
Spirit 030.
The new terminal is now portable and uses 30-cm diameter antennas, rather than the 90-120 centimeter diameter found on older systems, making it more difficult to detect.The Spirit-030 terminal is a Russian development in mobile satellite communications. It is a domestically produced version of the American Starlink system, adapted for Russian technology. Communication is provided via geostationary satellites of the Russian constellation. The system is slated to operate in the centimeter C/Ku bands, but its narrow-beam parabolic antenna array places strict demands on the azimuth and elevation pointing parameters of the antenna, some other information indicates it uses phased arrays T/R elements. Some reports indicate the terminal weighs 5–7 kg, has an antenna with a diameter of 30 cm and provides speeds of up to 50 Mbps for reception and 10 Mbps for transmission. It operates in the Ku-band , compatible with major Russian and Chinese satellites, such as Express and Yamal. As the system’s data transfer terminals can transmit encrypted files with target coordinates, large text files describing the tactical situation in a given theater of operations, and also provide secure voice communications likely even video data. The Spirit-030 represents tactical shift by Russian Armed Forces toward low-profile, tactical SATCOM:Similar concept to portable satellite internet terminals used by modern militaries. Trades raw bandwidth for stealth, mobility, and survivability. Indicates Russia is trying to replicate LEO-like battlefield connectivity using its existing GEO satellite network. Not perfect but than starlink.

Posted by: NJH | Apr 8 2026 2:26 utc | 67

Seems NATO has designed the perfect weapon to strike the rear.  The fact they continue to blame ‘the Ukraine’ is beyond delusion.

 
The “Martian-2” attack wing is the most dangerous threat to our rear logistics️
 
Our friends from one unit handed us a nearly complete “Martian-2” UAV for study (the exact name is questionable; some call it a “Hornet”).
 
This drone is actively terrorizing our rear areas, including cases of our vehicles being hit at distances >50 km from the LBS (Mariupol Highway). It’s primarily active in the Pokrovskoe direction (Selidovo/Ocheretino), but it can be found everywhere, including in the Belgorod direction.
 
We will gradually post a detailed report on the disassembly of all the parts of this drone on our channel, but for now we’ll post a very preliminary description (there may be errors at this stage).
 
– The drone is very well assembled, evident even in the cables used in aviation. Overall, this suggests either that the drone was assembled in the West, or that the enemy has significantly improved the quality of drone production.
 
– The drone is equipped with two daytime cameras (head-up and down) and possibly a very effective target acquisition system; the down-facing camera is capable of auto-lock-on.
 
Despite the daytime cameras, attacks by this drone have been recorded at dusk, suggesting that it could also be used with twilight or thermal cameras.
 
The drone’s priority target is our equipment and vehicles, but in some cases, it has switched and attacked our infantry (so mobile task forces and air defense forces could be a priority target for this drone).
 
– Nets on logistics routes are ineffective in protecting against this drone.
 
– We’ll discuss the warhead and initiation separately, but typically it’s a cumulative-fragmentation warhead weighing about 1.5 kg. It has an almost 100% success rate, so intact specimens are very rare; usually, only the “tails” remain.
 
– In most cases, the drone flies at low altitudes (around 200 m) along our transport routes, then locks on to the target and strikes. The drone approaches the target very quietly, so usually not everyone has time to react.
 
– Regarding communication and frequencies, this drone’s communication modules were previously in one of the TG channels. We’d like to add that the range can be very wide; in addition to 2000 or 3000 GHz, it can also range from 1700-1900 and 160-180 / 450-480.
 
Communications are via digital modems, which are invisible to standard drone detectors. Furthermore, the drone likely supports a MESH system, meaning it’s connected to other similar drones in a single network.
 
The drone is equipped with a simple GNSS antenna, but whether it’s used for the entire flight or just for targeting a takeoff point is still unclear.
 
From this preliminary data, we can conclude that this is an extremely dangerous UAV – it’s difficult to hear, undetectable by detectors, flies deep into our rear, and is resistant to electronic warfare. Furthermore, since it’s a wing, shooting it down with small arms fire is extremely difficult (unless you hit the pilot, warhead, or battery). The best countermeasure is an FPV interceptor/tree.
 

Posted by: CrazyCanuck | Apr 8 2026 14:28 utc | 69

@English Outsider | Apr 7 2026 13:57 utc | 53
 
Glad you found useful comparison – especially on ‘real economy’, ‘real production’ – worth noting the Mittelstand. This was an integrated system with a number of inter-linked pillars- skills and education system; trade union system (lay-offs kept to a minimum during downturns – part time etc, holding onto skilled labour etc, gov support); structure of industry – export oriented, innovation and R&D; available energy [which many are now waking up to notwithstanding fact that Germany agreed to deindustrialise due to US pressure and sabotage, eliminate nuclear, and place rabid russophic Greens in Gov [I’m not anti-Green]); and ‘prudent ordoliberal’ finance where you may have come across Herr Prof. Sinn during financial crisis. 
All is now very changed – militarism and weapons manufacturing and war with RF the future – madness. I was on a guided tour of VW in Wolfsburg years ago – v. impressive.
 
I won’t comment on  the UK – can’t remember what Koestler said about The English Working Class in the 60s – not sure such a ‘class’ exists these days
 
Glazev still believes RF system & Central Bank and Oligarchs too close to neo-liberal – he is much closer in thinking to China on use of, and control of, financial system for ‘real production’. He is also very involved in design of alternative methods of financial transactions for BRICS. A heterodox in same stable as Hudson, Keen etc
 
I value your comments here. So does Roberts.

Posted by: Don Firineach | Apr 8 2026 23:14 utc | 71