#Russia National Wealth Fund “mysteriously” lost 171 tons of gold over 2024. The Fund was built on top of massive hydrocarbon sales incomes since 2008 and was intended to fund socio-economic development of Russia. Now it’s being hastily spent on funding the war. The liquid part of the Fund as of beginning of 2025 is only $38 billion and its largest beneficiary was state corporation “Rostech”, a major weapons producer.
Source: https://www.moscowtimes.ru/2025/02/21/izfonda-natsionalnogo-blagosostoyaniya-rossii-propalo-bolshe-100-tonn-zolota-a156013 (in Russian)
@kravietz
The reserves are nearing depletion, stashes of Soviet armour too, donkeys are being used in supply lines and soldiers are being sent to the frontline on crutches… No-no-no-no-no! Of course Russia can keep up this war forever!
I think we might be facing a massive discrepancy between the Russia and Trump narrative, and the economic reality on the ground in Russia. It’s not like Putin is “ready for peace”, Putin may desperately need peace. I have no idea what business Trump has in protecting Putin at any cost, but that’s secondary. Whatever the real situation of Russia is, I guess Zelensky and all other important leaders know that not from media…
@kravietz
No, of course it has to be something else 😅
It's hard to even imagine the scale of that kompromat if that is indeed the case.
@m0xee
I don’t think any tape would work today - because any tape could be disputed as deep fake. Also, what would a pee tape impress in the world that has saw Epstein island and their reactions was to shrug “well he’s a man, what did you expect”. Possibly, this could be a hard, verifiable documentation of financial swindles… but again, who would be impressed by it in the US?