[somenameforme]

Right, now look at economic data that directly influence things like quality of life, or economic stability of the country, and compare between 2008 and today. You'll find that things are better to a degree that cannot really be overstated. For instance real wages are up to a somewhat ridiculous degree, home ownership rates are substantially up (now higher than 90%!), and so on.

This [1] page is a data orgy for any sort of economic indicator that might interest you. The one thing to be careful about is to ensure you're using real (inflation adjusted) values and PPP adjusted values. A dollar goes much further in Russia whether buying tanks or tacos, so doing something like comparing nominal GDP values is misleading. It's like how a guy earning $70k in Bodunk is, in practice, earning dramatically more than a guy earning $70k in San Francisco. Even though the nominal figures are identical, $70k goes much further in Bodunk than San Francisco. Same thing, often to an even more extreme degree, between countries.

[1] - https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/home-ownership-rate

[leptons]

>For instance real wages are up to a somewhat ridiculous degree, home ownership rates are substantially up (now higher than 90%!), and so on.

lol, everyone with half a brain ran from Russia as soon as they could, and they aren't coming back if they can avoid it. And the ruble will continue to sink lower and lower. There's no reason to think it wouldn't and no matter how you try to spin it, that's not a good thing for Russia's economy.

[somenameforme]

The site has data on that too!

In 2008, there were 68 million employed persons. Today there are 74 million. In 2008 there was a population of 142 million, today it's 146 million. Even their fertility rate is up, after much focus on it. In 2008 it was 1.456, today it's 1.825 [1]. Still far too low, especially for a country with so much land, but this is a struggle all developed nations are currently facing and, by that standard, 1.825 is better than average.

These are simply data. The spin is how the media takes one single data point, and disingenuously frames is as a core targeted effect. The sanctions are certainly having an impact, but in terms of the desired outcome - the destabilization or collapse of Russia - they have been a complete failure. Instead the primary consequence of our actions has been to split the world in 2, almost certainly to our own detriment.

[1] - https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/RUS/russia/fertility-r...

[leptons]

You work hard to serve Putin. Lies are all that Russia has. There is no reason to believe any numbers that Russia supplies about their economy. They lie about literally everything. It's easier than having actual prosperity.

[somenameforme]

You know you can take a stroll around e.g. Moscow anytime you like? Search YouTube for something like "Прогулка по Москве". That means 'taking a walk around Moscow'. Change москве to Санкт-Петербург for St. Petersburg. Here's [1] a video from a couple of months ago in Petersburg at the tail end of summer. Here's [2] one from literally 2 hours ago in Moscow. That would've been at around 7pm, and in 13C Fall weather, so not the most enticing, but it also gives an interesting perspective IMO.

Russia is the new enemy, or the old one I suppose. We've always been at war with Eastasia after all, right? Perhaps a more appropriate reference would be, "The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."

[1] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZuoXU6y5sY

[2] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_yIkGFzKeU

[leptons]

>You know you can take a stroll around e.g. Moscow anytime you like?

No thanks, I never, ever would do that, because FUCK RUSSIA.

[somenameforme]

Up to you. Personally before deciding to hate something or somebody as much as you seemingly do, based on the words of others, I'd like to ensure that what they're saying is at least true. Otherwise, you risk just becoming a hate fueled tool, literally no different than Germany circa 1935.