The US clearly isn't applying all possible pressure, could easily do more, but the current administration doesn't want to. Rutte bullshitting like this helps preserve the current American position.

A perfect (and another!) example of Russia now choosing guns over butter with spending cut from c.10% to 4% to hee-haw.

Vibes based assessment that ignores the complicity of America's ruling class in America's fascist turn and the deep roots this consequently gives it. Nice.

An American, Matthew Luxmoore, fetishizes Ukraine's recruitment and desertion challenges, while ignoring the significant contribution American policy makes to the situation; misinformation masquerading as war-porn.

1/5 Problems at Credit Bank of Moscow (MKB) were spotted last year during an audit run by the Central Bank. MKB’s chairman was subsequently replaced in June by the chair of the state‑owned Russian Regional Development Bank (VBRR), with other VBRR officials parachuted in to MKB's supervisory board.

Podcast idea: "Friends of Jeffrey". Each episode starts with a run thru of the latest evangelical pastors and Republicans listed as #notadragqueen then profiles someone from the Epstein files.

Russia's total GDP in 2024 was $2.2 trillion (world bank). $12 trillion reads like one those clown numbers countries fart at the US during trade negotiations* so Trump can go on Fox News and slobber about his deal-making prowess. *e.g. Japan's $550bn or S.Korea's $350bn US investment "commitments"

What makes most US reporting on Russia's invasion of Ukraine so shit is it reports on US involvement in the conflict, not the conflict itself, and when reporting on US involvement journalists take their cue almost entirely, and uncritically, from the Whitehouse.

When I "committed" to stop smoking it took me 12 years to eventually quit *

Despite a 25% YoY increase in VAT revenues and nominal 1.4% cut in spending, the budget deficit still jumped 17% in January. The 50% reduction in oil and gas revenues was key, but it's notable income other than VAT and oil & gas also fell 14% (this includes customs duties, income and corp. tax).

The Panama papers are the obvious companion piece to the Epstein files. One lifts the rock covering the ruling class at play, the other what they do with their wealth. The Panama papers are also instructive because of how the information was used and in many cases effectively neutered.

India agreeing to stop buying Russian oil is potentially a BFD, that merits more attention than its receiving. Except it might also be just more American bullshit. With clarity still needed here, Bloomberg* notes Indian exports have fallen back to Nov 2022 levels, not nothing, but not much.

Remember her name: Aliya Rahman Her testimony is everything and it deserves to be heard, by everyone. Decide for yourself. It’s powerful. It’s gut-wrenching. And no one should have to survive what she did. ICE MUST GO‼️

I reckon "Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to stop buying Russian crude” is a BFD*

British vs US reactions to the latest Epstein files dump Britain: MP reports Peter Mandelson to the police US: this billionaires are pedos tweet is a zinger

UK Defence Secretary: We are stepping up action to disrupt and deter the Russian shadow fleet, and choke off funds to Putin's war machine in Ukraine Royal Navy: takes photo of a ship Malaysia: ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️🔥

1/3 Russian mortgages: Standout feature in new lending was the YE rush to get a subsidised mortgage before this year’s proposed introduction of differentiated subsidies. Meanwhile, the credit quality of the overall mortgage book continued to deteriorate, with overdue debt finally reaching 1.0% of

"The Shadow Fleet Sanctions Act must next be approved by the full Senate, followed by the House of Representatives. It would then require the president's signature before entering into law." *

The income tax brackets Russia introduced last January remain unchanged. With nominal pay growth averaging c.13% in 2025, that's quite a chunk of fiscal drag (a caveat being only 3% of the workforce were affected by the income tax changes when they were first introduced).

1/4 Saw a normally v.astute commentator repeat the claim that Russia receiving Iranian/N.Korean aid is a sign of weakness. As a reminder, this notion originated with the Biden administration as an excuse to not send more military aid to Ukraine, and is as flawed now as it was then. Receiving aid

1/2 Some good stuff but conflates the actions being taken against Iran (primarily the US and intensifying), Russia (primarily the UK/EU and intensifying-ish) and Venezuela (the US and temporary), to imply a unified Western response when there clearly isn't. Indeed, it doesn't say it but the article

All that time spent reading Discipline and Punish is finally worthwhile.

1/2 Russian Central Bank repo auction results capture the immediate shock of the 2022 invasion and the Bank's decision to flood the banking system with liquidity. The trend since late 2024 also stands out: "From November 25, 2024 to March 3, 2025, the Bank of Russia will hold repo auctions every

The Baltic isn't being closed to Russian shadow fleet vessels (unfortunately), rather 14 nations have clarified the regulatory requirements ships have to meet and when they can be declared stateless, increasing the capacity of countries to take action against them (text from gcaptaion.com)

A story you hope is true

Very (VERY) positive assessment of US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil. Two caveats, one, given these only came into effect 21/1/25, I'd argue we're still in the impact phase which has previously been followed by adaptation both amongst sellers (the primary focus here) and buyers. Two, Trump.

1/6 A rolling loan gathers no loss: In the aftermath of the credit crunch in Britain there was a lot of talk about zombie loans to firms that were technically insolvent, but kept afloat by banks continuing to lend them money. These were bad things because, citing the example of Japan’s lost decade,

1/2 Useful updates on Russia's railways that highlight ongoing cashflow issues already severe enough to prompt a request for emergency state aid, a proposed debt for equity swap (rejected by the central bank*) and a 2026 pay freeze for it's >700,000 employees (so a real terms pay cut).

Frickn' A, all the humour and the humanity from the most prescient historical guide to contemporary America out there today.

I reckon The Beta Band's 3 EPs is better than anything else they made because it was the most influenced by Gordon Anderson/Lone Pigeon. As evidence here's a rough mix* of The Aliens (half the Beta Band plus Gordon Anderson)

"There are few more impressive sights in the world than a Scotsman on the make"

From the same folk claiming to be protecting the UK and Europe from civilizational erasure

So America went to Davos mob handed to declare "Capitalism has a new sheriff in town" ([c] Howard Lutnick). Instead, they're leaving with everyone thinking they're a bunch of ghastly fuckers and cheering on Mark Carney instead. Nice.

My pet theory is Trump took the secret documents because he wanted to play pretendy Mr President at Mar a Lago and needed authentic props*. His - and it's very much his - peace board would be an elaboration of that. It also suggests he's making an international role for himself when out of office.

An important perspective, plus the narcissism of the replies is mind boggling.

Amazing moment on French TV. A French judge explains how Trump sent people from the US Embassy basically trying to intimidate her during Le Pen's trial for embezzlement - something they've done to other judges around the world.

museums are cool because the people who work there are like look at this neat thing and you're like wow that is neat and you just do it over and over again until it is time to go

The 2026 Russian budget* assumes a 3% increase in oil and gas earnings, not a 46% fall. The budget also assumes the average export price of Russian oil would climb $1 to $59 whereas it's been in the mid $30s and the new, dynamic EU price cap was cut to $44.10 4 days ago. Double bubble.

1/4 Russian mortgage market: Given the direction of Russian interest rates since June 2025, the cost of subsidising mortgages was already falling. Introducing differentiated rates will accelerate this process. With c.60% of current borrowers currently set to qualify for 12% instead of 6%

1/2 Cheers to @delfoo.bsky.social on the latest Tochnyi weekly broadcast. So Russia is in the process of introducing differentiated rates for subsidised mortgages ranging from 4% for larger families (three+ kids) up to 12% for one child families (c.60% of the total). Given the forecast direction of

American narcissism appears so ingrained, no Yank appears to have even considered why Greenlanders really don't want to join them, the allure of a failing democracy that's now the most violent, unequal and corrupt Western country being presumably self-evident.

And it's only January.

1/2 A thing that confuses me is that whereas the politicisation of the judiciary is held up as measure of democratic-backsliding in Poland and Hungary, it’s been a loud and proud part of US politics since forever, most obviously Trump telling folk vote for him to get the judges they want, yet never

That Tooze always has the "help" read out the adverts on his podcast tells you more about his character than this does. It also leaves out how Big Tech turning fascist has killed off his gig as the Marxisant-Davos fairy.

1/6 Russian car market: Annual new car sales data show * the shock impact of 2022’s initial EU trade sanctions, followed by recovery as the Russian economy turned to China. Sales, boosted by record employment levels, largely recovered to pre-invasion levels in 2024, then unsurprisingly fell back in

A wee thought experiment is imagining how Texas - the governor, elected officials, police & national guard - and the broader US Right would've responded to Biden sending in masked Federal agents in full cosplay gear, to aggressively disappear Texan Jan 6th rioters into impromptu concentration camps.

🇷🇺 NEW | Monthly analysis of Russian Fossil Fuel exports & sanctions 📉 In December 2025, Russia’s monthly fossil fuel export revenues saw a marginal 2% month-on-month decline to EUR 500mn per day — the second lowest figure since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine

1/2 Russian oil revenues in 2026: Shot - "most tanker market forecasts for the year still see rates much higher than they were in 2025."

Pretty much every demographic marker shows the US is a shithole compared to Denmark, then add in the employment, welfare and healthcare rights, Danes would have to forgo, and yet Americans still think they'd prosper, cos 'murica!