"Serfdom existed centuries ago and honestly it never really went away."
Since September 2022, the Russian Ministry of Defense has not published official data on military losses in Ukraine.
In this street interview, a Russian man shares his thoughts on why the real numbers are kept hidden, how propaganda works inside the country, and why many people are still afraid to speak openly.
He also talks about censorship, the lack of real opposition, freedom of speech in Russia, and why he believes Ukraine’s army has become one of the strongest in Europe.
This is one person’s opinion - but it reflects a rare and honest perspective from inside Russia.
Some comments on YouTube:
This man is brave enough to tell everyone that the emperor has no clothes! Unfortunately the people that need to see this won't get to see it. Bravo Monsieur - from France What an intelligent articulate man. You met the one smart guy in russia! Well, not smart enough to keep quiet (we know what will happen now), but all due respect to him... a REAL russian hero! (If not a russky government entrapment exercise.)
Geez, somebody check on this guy some time, hope he's safe Clever and brave This man impressed me. He has a full grasp of both the real situation and what is going on. I hope he does not get arrested. Wise man, I wish him safety after this
Smart fellow. Brilliant wish that there were more like him.. good luck to the guy. Brave man Respect. Wow. This man speaks for every other Russian who is afraid to stand up for their rights or lack of them. Slava Ukraine from Canada. An honest russian man finally speaking the truth..bravo brave man speaking up in a free way Hopefully, he’s not “suicidal” And hopefully he can stay away from windows and tall buildings.
Anne Aspinall was born
in Manchester and trained at Manchester College of Art. She joined the Longden
Gallery and Workshops in 1986 as a printmaker specialising in etching. From
1988 – 1989 she travelled extensively in Europe and North Africa where the effects
of strong sunlight on the desert landscape and the rich texture and patterns of
the architecture and textiles made a lasting impression. Anne’s work is a
personal response to the patterns and rhythms inherent in the landscape and the
subtle changes of light and colour through the seasons. She has been profoundly
influenced by the work of the Scottish painters William Gillies and Barbara
Rae, as well as the Catterline landscapes of Joan Eardley. In addition to the
intense colours of Morocco, her current subject matter encompasses the hills
and valleys of North Wales, the Peak District, where she lives and works, and
the coastline around the British Isles.
Maryport Harbour.
Her paintings start with the monoprint process where ink is applied to Perspex
plate using rollers. This enables transparent layers of colour to be built up
and texture is added by working back into the ink using stencils, brushes and
rags. The image is then transferred onto paper by use of an etching press. When
the inks have dried, Anne works into the monoprint with chalk, oil pastel and
paint to achieve the final mixed media painting.
In een live opname, op de avond van 20 mei jl. gemaakt in Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam, spreken Tim de Wit en Arend
Jan Boekestijn met Nobelprijswinnaar Paul Krugman (te zien vanaf minuut 10). Hij praat over hoe Trump met zijn
oorlog tegen Iran de wereldeconomie ontregelt, hoe beloftes over lagere boodschappenprijzen volledig in duigen vallen en hoe de Republikeinen het
Hongaarse draaiboek van Orbán rechtstreeks kopiëren om de midterms te winnen.
Wat moet Europa doen nu Amerika afglijdt? En waarom is hij ondanks alles tóch
hoopvoller dan een jaar geleden?
Paul Krugman was vijfentwintig jaar lang columnist bij The New York
Times en bereikt tegenwoordig meer dan een half miljoen lezers via zijn
eigen Substack, waar ook ondergetekende (HD) abonnee van is. Krugman was als academisch econoom verbonden aan het MIT en
Princeton, en is sinds 2015 verbonden aan het City University of New York
Graduate Center. Voor zijn werk ontving hij in 2008 de Nobelprijs voor Economie.
Zijn academische publicaties richten zich vooral op internationale
handel. Krugman ontwikkelde, op basis van schaalvoordelen (zie Wikipedia) en de voorkeur van consumenten voor productdiversiteit, een verklaring
voor intra-industriële handel tussen landen met vergelijkbare kenmerken –
iets wat eerdere theorieën moeilijk konden verklaren. Deze
inzichten paste hij vervolgens toe op de economische geografie: door
schaalvoordelen en positieve externaliteiten hebben bedrijven en
werknemers de neiging zich te concentreren in stedelijke gebieden, wat
leidt tot economische divergentie tussen het centrum en de periferie. Deze benadering is New Economic Geography gaan heten. Tegen de achtergrond van Trumps protectionistische handelspolitiek is
Krugmans werk, zowel als econoom als criticaster, relevanter dan ooit.
May 21, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) questioning General Eric Smith.
A highly educated Republican
Before he became Senator in
2017, John Kennedy was elected to five terms as State Treasurer of Louisiana. As
Treasurer, he oversaw the state’s $10.6 billion investment portfolios.
He also oversaw local and state bond issues and returned millions of
dollars in unclaimed property each year. Prior to his position as
Treasurer, John served as Secretary of the Department of Revenue,
Special Counsel to Governor Roemer and Secretary of Governor Roemer’s
Cabinet. He was also an attorney and partner in the Baton Rouge and New
Orleans law firm of Chaffe McCall.
John
was raised in Zachary, LA. and graduated from Zachary High School. John
graduated magna cum laude in political science, philosophy and
economics from Vanderbilt, was president of his senior class, and
elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his law degree from the
University of Virginia and his B.C.L. degree from Oxford University in
England where he was a First Class Honors graduate. John has been an
adjunct professor at LSU Law School and has been a volunteer substitute
teacher for Louisiana public schools for over 15 years.
He
resides in Madisonville, Louisiana, with his wife Becky and their son,
Preston. They are founding members of the North Cross United Methodist
Church.
Operating under the principle of “Duty to Warn,” 233 mental health professionals endorsed a letter published in the The New York Times describing Donald Trump as an “imminent catastrophic public danger” should he be re-elected, citing concerns based on his recent public appearances.
In the letter, the signatories argued that the 78-year-old Trump “exhibits behavior consistent with diagnostic criteria outlined in the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5 for narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and paranoid personality disorder,” adding that these traits were “further exacerbated by intense sadism, a feature associated with malignant narcissism.”
The letter further stated that “Trump appears to be showing signs of cognitive decline that warrant a comprehensive neurological evaluation, including MRI imaging and neuropsychological testing.” According to the authors, the reported symptoms include “reduced verbal fluency, tangential thinking, limited vocabulary, repetitive use of superlatives and filler words, perseveration, confabulation, phonemic and semantic paraphasia, confusion involving people and events, and declining judgment, impulse control, and motor functioning, including a wide-based gait.”
Describing the alleged evidence of decline as “disqualifying,” members of the group said they would expand on their concerns in a video scheduled to air on cable television during the final days of the campaign.
RawStory & ChatGPT
Robert, Elizabeth, Freddy, Donald en Maryanne Trump.
The contact between the Vikings and the Sámi during the Viking Age was intensive and characterized by a high degree of reciprocity, social acceptance, and close cooperation, especially in central Scandinavia.
The two peoples lived in a kind of symbiosis where they shared the land, although the Sámi were not always regarded as equals by the Norse.
The contacts can be divided into three main areas:
1. Economy, trade, and specialized craftsmanship
The Sámi acted as specialists within the Nordic economic system.
They were skilled hunters and gatherers who supplied the Vikings with exclusive and highly sought-after luxury goods such as furs (marten, fox, beaver, and bear), walrus tusks, hunting falcons, feathers, and ship ropes made from seal and walrus hide. These raw materials were often purchased or collected as tax (tribute) by Nordic chieftains, and then sold on by the Vikings in international markets, as far as Constantinople and Baghdad. The Sámi were also known as specialists in tanning hides, building boats, forging iron, and making skis for the Nordic peoples.
2. Marriage and social alliances
There were close contacts at a high social level, and elites from both groups often exchanged marriage partners. This is confirmed by both archaeological grave finds and written sources. A well-known example from the Old Norse sagas is that the Norwegian king Harald Fairhair married the Sámi woman Snæfríðr, daughter of the Sámi king Svási. Sámi women could thus marry into and be accepted into the very highest levels of Norse society.
3. Religion and magic
The Norse had great respect for the Sámi’s spiritual and magical abilities. The Sámi often served as healers, advisors, and masters of magic. The two cultures shared several fundamental religious concepts, especially the form of sorcery and shamanism known in Old Norse as seiðr. This magical practice is believed to have developed in harmony with Sámi religion as part of a shared Nordic spiritual heritage. Respect for and belief in Sámi magic was so strong that the earliest Christian laws in Norway explicitly forbade Christians from traveling to Sámi territories to seek prophecies or healing.*1
In summary, the Sámi were not just a peripheral group, but a strongly integrated and very important part of the Viking Age’s economy, culture, and religious life.
Gunnar Östberg Published on Quora, 26 april 2026 (translated from Norwegian by ChatGPT).
The two aquarelles were made by Johannes Flintoe (1787-1870).
Sámi magic drums (Jan Luyken, 1682).
*1 Visit also my post about Eivør Pálsdóttir, titled Trøllabundin (HD).
Love him or hate him, but Piers Morgan is a fine interviewer. He
recently had the disgraced former actor-turned-Christian grifter
Russell Brand on his show.*1 Brand, ever the performative twat, had his
Bible on him… since being accused of some rather awful behavior by
several women, he now has — oh surprise of surprises! — “found Christ”
and now cloaks himself in a protective shield of highly calculating
PDoR’s (Public Displays of Religion).
Piers
Morgan asked Russell Brand if this was the same Bible he carried with
him in court, which Brand confirmed — he carries it everywhere. Morgan
asked if the actor had any specific passages annoted, as he previously
said he had, to read and give him strength or inspiration during his
trial. Brand said this was the case. Then Morgan asked him if he would
be so kind to share some of those relevant Bible passages with the
audience. Brand said he would, and began looking through the pages. For
several minutes, he kept looking, mumbling, coming up with… nothing.
The
best thing an interviewer can do isn’t just asking a critical question,
but to actually give the person they’re interviewing a lot of time to
answer. Say nothing, encourage them a little, then watch them unravel
before our very eyes. A good interviewer knows how to fill silence with a critical note when needed, but a great interviewer knows the unbeatable power of silence.
Jean-Marie Valheur (on Quora) studied and practiced journalism
*1 Russell Brand (1975) is an English comedian,
actor, podcaster, and media personality. In September 2023, following a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4's documentary series Dispatches, five women publicly accused Brand of sexual assault and sexual and emotional abuse. The accusations concern incidents between 2006 and 2013. Brand is currently facing seven serious legal allegations involving
multiple charges of rape and sexual assault. The case has garnered
significant media attention due to the nature of the accusations and Russell Brand's public persona.
In Russia, mysticism is resurgent as more people, including soldiers in eastern Ukraine, turn to supernatural practices due to conflict and economic issues. Self-described witch Natalia Malinovskaya offers mystical services. This revival challenges norms, drawing opposition from the State Duma and the Russian Orthodox Church.
Amidst the ongoing conflict and economic instability in Russia, a resurgence of mysticism has taken hold, with many turning to supernatural practices as coping mechanisms. Self-proclaimed witch Natalia Malinovskaya has gained popularity, especially among soldiers fighting in eastern Ukraine, who seek her mystical services during times of distress.
Malinovskaya, who claims her powers are inherited, offers various services, from detecting negative health energies to casting love spells. Despite her growing clientele, including soldiers concerned about partners' fidelity, she faces challenges performing rituals given war's constraints, highlighting the unique intersection of mysticism and military life.
This revival has sparked controversy; lawmakers and the Russian Orthodox Church have voiced concerns over financial exploitation and 'devilish powers.' Polls show increasing belief in magical practices, with consumer demand for mystical items like crystal balls and amulets soaring. The Orthodox Church warns of the manipulative nature of these practices, of which some link to forbidden satanic influences.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow supported a ban last year and in January condemned the "mass manipulative influence" of fortune tellers and psychics. In an interview with the TASS propaganda agency, he said fortune telling contains a "dark force" and contrasted it with miracles, which he linked to divine power and grace.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, leading a Pentagon prayer meeting two days ago,
quoted a fictional Bible verse taken from a violent monologue in Pulp Fiction,
originally delivered by actor
Samuel L. Jackson just before his character shoots a helpless man to
death. The secretary used the prayer to frame the war in Iran as an act
of divine justice, the same justification Jackson’s character cites in
the film before pulling the trigger.
Hegseth
told the audience that
he learned the prayer from the lead mission planner of the “Sandy 1”
team that recently rescued downed Air Force crew members in Iran. Hegseth
said the verse frequently is spoken by combat search-and-rescue crews,
who call the prayer “CSAR 25:17, which I think is meant to reflect
Ezekiel 25:17” from the Bible.*1
A cultural watershed
Pulp Fiction
is a 1994 American independent black comedy crime film written and
directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he conceived with Roger
Avary. It tells four intertwining tales of crime and violence in Los
Angeles. The film stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis,
Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman. The title refers to the pulp
magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th
century, known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue.
Pulp Fiction
is widely regarded as Tarantino's magnum opus, with particular praise
for its screenwriting. The self-reflexivity, unconventional structure,
and extensive homage and pastiche have led critics to describe it as a
touchstone of postmodern film.
It is often considered a cultural watershed, influencing films and
other media that adopted elements of its style. The cast was also widely
praised, with Travolta, Thurman, and Jackson earning high acclaim. In
2008, Entertainment Weekly named it the best film since 1983 and it has appeared on many critics' lists of the greatest films ever made. In 2013, Pulp Fiction
was selected for preservation in the United States National Film
Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or
aesthetically significant".
Sources: Los Angeles Times andWikipedia
*1 Ezekiel 25:17 (King James Version): And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.
De
betrekkingen tussen de Amerikaanse president Donald Trump en het
Vaticaan verslechteren zienderogen, nu Trump op zijn Truth Social fel
heeft uitgehaald naar paus Leo XIV. Trump noemde de paus, die eerder
nauw verholen kritiek uitte op het voeren van een aanvalsoorlog in de
naam van het geloof, 'zwak' en 'verschrikkelijk'. De paus liet op zijn
beurt weten zich te zullen blijven uitspreken.
'Paus
Leo is zwak op het gebied van misdaad en verschrikkelijk op het gebied
van buitenlandbeleid', aldus Trump. De paus had op eerdere dreigingen
van Trump dat 'een hele beschaving zal sterven' in Iran gereageerd en
Trumps uitspraken 'onacceptabel' genoemd. Paus Leo riep op tot een
vreedzame oplossing van de oorlog tegen Iran. Ook vroeg de paus om
'diepgaande bezinning' over de manier waarop migranten in de VS onder de
regering van Trump worden behandeld.
'Leo
zou dankbaar moeten zijn', schreef Trump, 'want zoals iedereen weet was
hij een schokkende verrassing. Hij stond op geen enkele lijst om paus
te worden en werd alleen aangesteld door de kerk omdat hij een Amerikaan
is en zij dachten dat dat de beste manier zou zijn om met president
Donald J. Trump om te gaan. Als ik niet in het Witte Huis zou zitten,
dan zou Leo niet in het Vaticaan zitten', aldus Trump.
Daar
bleef het niet bij. 'Ik wil geen paus die het oké vindt dat Iran
kernwapens heeft. Ik wil geen paus die het verschrikkelijk vindt dat
Amerika Venezuela heeft aangevallen. En ik wil geen paus die de
president van de VS bekritiseert, omdat ik precies doe waarvoor ik ben
gekozen', vervolgde Trump zijn tirade.
Als
klap op de vuurpijl deelde Trump ook een afbeelding, mogelijk met AI
gemaakt, waarop hij is afgebeeld met bovennatuurlijke krachten. Te zien
is hoe er licht uit zijn handen komt terwijl hij zich over een zieke man
ontfermt. Trump lijkt ook een bijbels gewaad te dragen, maar kwam
verder niet met een toelichting over wat de illustratie moet
voorstellen.
Someone in the White House seems to have put the word out: Stop talking
about a free and prosperous Iran, and start talking about pulverizing
Iran until you can sift the rubble through a tennis racket. On
Wednesday, Donald Trump vowed to bomb Iranian targets hard enough to
send them “back to the Stone Ages where they belong.” Pete Hegseth also
tweeted “back to the stone age,” a military cliché so lazy and flabby
that if it were one of his generals, it would be frog-marched to an
elliptical machine and forced to melt away its belly fat until its abs
showed through. The messaging shift over the past couple of weeks
reflects a change in plans, after Iran’s resistance proved more vigorous
than expected. If Iran will not change its regime’s intentions, America
will reduce it to resisting American imperial aggression with sticks
and stones.*1
The Atlantic, April 3, 2026
A dispute about war crimes
The long-running war of words between George Clooney
and the White House has ignited again after the Oscar-winning actor
criticised Donald Trump’s threat to Iran that “a whole civilization will
die tonight”.
On Wednesday (April 8), in a speech to
3,000 high school students in Cuneo, Italy, Clooney said the US
president had committed a war crime with his threat.
“Some say Donald Trump
is fine,” the 64-year-old told the students at an event organised by
the Clooney Foundation for Justice. “But if anyone says he wants to end a
civilization, that’s a war crime. You can still support the
conservative point of view but there must be a line of decency, and we
must not cross it.”
In response, the White House communications director, Steven Cheung, told the Independent: “The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability.”
The Guardian, 9 April 2026
*1 Also watch/read Paul Krugman's opinion on this topic on Substack.
BBC Russia editor Steve Rosenberg believes his continued ability to report from Moscow is largely due to Vladimir Putin’s
desire for Russia to be viewed as a global superpower—an image that, in
his view, requires tolerating the presence of international news
organizations. Like correspondents from other Western outlets in countries such as France, Germany, and Italy, as well as networks like Sky News, Rosenberg knows he is constantly balancing on a knife-edge, aware that he could be expelled from the country at any moment. Hisposition remains precarious. He holds only a three-month visa, and its
renewal is typically delayed until the final day, a recurring reminder
of how fragile his situation is.
“I don’t kid myself—this could end tomorrow,” Rosenberg said while accepting the 2025 Charles Wheeler Award for his outstanding contribution to broadcast journalism. “Every
time I file a report, I feel like I’m walking a narrow line—a tightrope
stretched over a minefield of repressive laws designed to punish
criticism of the Russian state or so-called anti-Russian rhetoric in the media. “But
Russia considers itself a great power,” he added, “and as a center of
global influence, it hosts journalists from around the world.”
Nato-øvelsen Cold Response skjer i en utenrikspolitisk opphetet verden, med krig både i Ukraina og Midtøsten.*1 Den skjer også i et forholdsvis varmt nordnorsk jordsmonn.
Tidlig snø i
nord har gjort at kalde værperioder ikke har kommet særlig langt ned i
jorda. Nå varsler Forsvaret om at kombinasjonen av lite tele og tungt
militært utstyr kan gi store skader på dyrket mark.
– Vi eravhengig
av tilstrekkelig tele og nok snø for å redusere skadeomfanget, men
dessverre er det ikke så mye tele i øvelsesområdet i år som i fjor, sier
miljøvernoffiser ved Forsvarets operative hovedkvarter (FOH), Marianne
Rygh Bø.
– Vi er
veldig klar over skadene kjøring på jorder kan medføre, så vi søker å
få avdelingene til ikke å kjøre der. Men må avdelingene likevel krysse
jorder, oppfordrer vi dem til å kjøre i ytterkant eller i færre spor,
sier Rygh Bø.
I et landmed bare tre prosent matjord må det være en høy terskel for å legge potensielt ødeleggende trafikk nettopp hit.
Om lag 25.000 norske og allierte soldater trener på forsvaret
av Norge. Ett av målene ved årets øvelse å øve på samspill mellom sivile
og militære. Det er en god anledning til å inkludere lokale
landbrukskontorer i øvelsen.
Kjøresporog
ødelagt grasdekke er lette å oppdage. Skader nede i matjorda, for
eksempel skadde eller tette dreneringsrør, viser seg først over tid. Det
gjelder å melde fra så tidlig som mulig når skade er oppdaget eller
mistenkt.
Også reindriften
påvirkes når soldater beveger seg i reinbeiteområder. Reineieren Ole
Nils Aslak Baal fikk et våpen rettet mot seg da han oppsøkte en norsk
avdeling ved Helligskogen forrige søndag. Baal ville informere om at en
reinflokk beitet like i nærheten.
– Det var en veldig ubehagelig opplevelse, sier Baal til avisa Nordlys.
Forsvaret sier at hendelsen skyldtes en misforståelse. Våpenet som ble rettet mot Baal, var ikke skarpladd.
– Hæren har
fredag hatt et konstruktivt møte med Helligskogen reinbeitedistrikt om
Cold Response 2026, og ønsker å bygge videre på det, sier oberstløytnant
Lars Strøm, som er kommunikasjonssjef i Hæren.
Dyrevelferdenmå
veie tungt når Forsvaret nærmer seg tamreindriften. Samtidig må alle
utmarksbrukere regne med å merke det når vi og våre allierte øver på å
forsvare landet.
Skader må
søkes unngått, og erstattes om de oppstår. Men den som tror at store,
motoriserte militærøvelser er det verste som kan skje arealbrukende
virksomheter, har ikke vært i en krigssone. Alle har interesse av at
Forsvaret øver på å forsvare fedrelandet.
*1Cold Response er
en Norskledet militær vinterøvelse som avholdes hvert annet år. På land
og i luften trenes det i Nord-Norge (Troms og nordre Nordland) og
Nord-Finland. På sjøen skal det øves i sjøområdene utenfor Norge.
Hoveddelen skjer 9.–19. mars 2026. Rundt 25 000 soldater deltar i
øvelsen. Av disse øver rundt 11 800 på norsk jord. Resten deltar på
sjøen, i luften og i Finland. Deltakerne kommer fra Norge, USA,
Storbritannia, Tyskland, Nederland, Frankrike, Italia, Canada, Spania,
Tyrkia, Sverige, Finland, Danmark og Belgia.
Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, 86, who has ruled Iran since 1989, is dead, according to a
report from Reuters. Israeli officials told the news agency earlier
today (28 February) that Iran’s Supreme Leader was killed following
Israeli strikes.
Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Mehr reported that the Supreme Leader was “steadfast and firm in commanding the field”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald
Trump earlier speculated that Khamenei was dead. On a call with NBC news
Trump said: I have spoken to a lot of people, we feel that is a correct
story.”
“This morning we destroyed the compound of the tyrant Khamenei,” Netanyahu said in a brief video statement this evening.
“There are many signs that this tyrant is no longer. This morning we
eliminated senior officials in the ayatollahs’ regime, Revolutionary
Guards commanders, senior figures in the nuclear program… In the next
few days, we will hit thousands more targets of the terror regime.”
On another call with ABC news tonight Trump said: “I don’t want to
say anything definitively until I see things but we believe he is. And
much of their leaders are gone.”
Source: The New Statesman
The Guardian, Sun 1 Mar 2026 07.48 CET:
Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed, Iranian state media has confirmed, in the opening salvo of a war the US and Israel launched with the aim of regime change.
Khamenei
had not been heard from since the strikes began, and satellite imagery
showed that his secure compound was heavily damaged in the initial
barrage on Saturday.
The confirmation came early on Sunday, hours after Donald Trump announced the death of the ayatollah, who has ruled Iran as supreme leader since 1989, in a post on Truth Social.
Q&A
Will this military operation fundamentally change things in Iran? Will the country become a truly democratic, gender-equal, and open society? Is Donald Trump’s main objective in this war really regime change? Or is it merely about regime alteration and oil, as we saw two months ago in Venezuela?
Rusland beweerde gisteren dat Frankrijk en het Verenigd Koninkrijk werken aan het leveren van 'een superwapen' aan Oekraïne. Gedoeld werd op een kernwapen of een 'vuile bom', een explosief dat radioactief materiaal verspreidt. De media die het nieuws naar buiten brachten beroepen zich op informatie van de Russische buitenlandse inlichtingendienst (SVR). Dmitri Medvedev, de oud-president en huidige vice-voorzitter van de Russische Veiligheidsraad, greep het bericht aan om opnieuw te dreigen met een nucleaire aanval op Oekraïne en sloot bovendien een dergelijke aanval op Frankrijk en het VK ook niet uit. Waarschijnlijk was de boodschap vooral als afleidingsmanoeuvre voor Vladimir Putins annexatie van Oekraïne bedoeld, die tot op heden weinig succesvolle 'speciale militaire operatie' begon gisteren namelijk exact vier jaar geleden.
Ondertussen hebben de enorme defensie-uitgaven, tezamen met het geheel aan westerse sancties, de Russische economie zwaar onder druk gezet. Sommige Russen kunnen zich enkel nog pap veroorloven en inmiddels zijn zelfs alledaagse spullen voor veel mensen te duur. Dit blijkt ook uit de Borsjtsj-index, een index die meet hoeveel het kost om een pan borsjtsj, bietensoep, te maken.*1 Door de prijzen van ingrediënten als bieten, aardappelen, kool en vlees te volgen, laat de index zien hoe hard inflatie Russische huishoudens treft. Deze is sinds het begin van de oorlog van 393 naar boven de 500 roebel gestegen.
De Borsjtsj-index wordt in Rusland beschouwd als een betrouwbare indicator voor de levenskwaliteit van de armste dertig procent van de bevolking. Waar officiële inflatiecijfers van de Centrale Bank van Rusland rond de 4,5% - 5,5% voor 2026 worden voorspeld, laat de Borsjtsj-index zien dat de kosten voor de bereiding van het nationale gerecht inmiddels al veel harder zijn gestegen. Inmiddels besteden Russische huishoudens gemiddeld 40 procent van het inkomen aan voeding, in april 2025 was dat nog ongeveer 34 procent.
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