Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
1. at $6-8B budget, Latvia receives $2Eu each year in dotations. That's what - budget 25%? And, said to be done and over soon, and then what? IT/hackers? All three republics are agrarian countries with literally no production
2. THIS IS NOT C/P, this is translation, per request to not post in foreign languages. Source linked:
In the West, there is a revision of attitudes towards the countries of the former USSR. The stereotypical idea that the three Baltic states are the most successful of the post-Soviet states as the only ones to join NATO and the European Union is becoming a thing of the past. But we have to recognize the growth and achievements of the new Russia. The leading position of Russia in the post-Soviet space and in Eastern Europe today is not the verdict of "Russian propaganda", but of US analysts who put the "exemplary" Baltic states at the end of their ratings. U.S. business magazine News & World Report - one of the leading weekly magazines in the US - is known primarily for its ratings: the ranking system of countries, business corporations, universities, medical centers. One of the most famous and sought-after U.S. News & World Report isannual ranking of the best countries in the world. This rating is widely used in comparative country studies.
The rating is calculated on the basis of a survey of 17,000 experts around the world who received an offer to evaluate the countries for which they have basic information, according to a number of criteria. 10 of them include quality of life, business environment, social protection, cultural influence, development dynamism and others.
According to these criteria, 78 countries are ranked, then the arithmetic average is calculated, objective indicators are added, such as the volume of gross domestic product (GDP) or the amount of direct investment in the economy, and thus the best countries in the world are determined.
U.S. annual polls News & World Report is very interesting in terms of the evergreen post-Soviet discussions about who came to what results in the 30 years after the collapse of the USSR.
Experts interviewed by the Americans recognize Russia's unconditional superiority over all other parts of the former USSR, as well as New Europe - the former countries of the Eastern bloc.
The Russian Federation is not just ahead of the Central Asian republics or the former socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe - in the ranking of the best countries in the world, it is in a completely different weight category. In the overall standings, Russia takes 24th place - next to Ireland, Austria, the United Arab Emirates, India and Brazil.
For comparison: among other former Soviet republics, Estonia ranks 57th, Latvia - 64th, Lithuania - 67th, Ukraine - 71st, Kazakhstan - 72nd, Uzbekistan - 73rd, Belarus - 75th .
Such expert conclusions confirm the words of those who say that the term “post-Soviet space” has not been adequate to reality for a long time.
Russia has broken away from its neighbors - other former members of the "unbreakable union" - and today plays in a much higher league than Ukraine, Kazakhstan or the Baltic countries.
The latter, by the way, with all their snobbish rhetoric that they are not post-Soviet, have remained in this post-Soviet league. Again, these are the conclusions of US analysts. Lithuania with its 67th place is not far from Ukraine with its 71st, even though it is a member of the European Union and NATO.
The established stereotypes about which of the former Soviet republics have been developing “correctly” over these 30 years, who “wrongly”, and who is a guiding star, standard and model for whom, have to be corrected. In the ranking of the best, Russia is many positions ahead of not only the “progressive” Baltic countries, but also Poland (43rd place), which Ukraine and Belarus are orienting to, and Romania (63rd place), which Moldova is compared to.
However, special mention should be made of the Baltic countries. Their entire post-Soviet history is built on the myth of a "success story", according to which Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are the standard of democratic modernization, which made them full members of the Western "elite club" and put them on an unattainable level in relation to other former members of the USSR, even remotely approaching the Baltic "successes".
Rating of the best countries in the world from U.S. News & World Report puts this mythology under a very big question. Yes, the Baltic countries are ahead of most other former Soviet republics, but not by much.
Firstly, they are in the same group: 64th place in Latvia, 66th in Azerbaijan, 67th in Lithuania and 73rd in Uzbekistan - this is not about full members of the “elite Western club”. Secondly, the gap between Russia and them is huge and insurmountable.
Russia is the undisputed leader of the "post-Soviet space", and the Baltic countries are lagging far behind - today these are the conclusions not of "Russian propaganda", but of US analysts.
One might object that the incomparable cannot be compared. Reasonably. Where is Russia and where is the Baltic in terms of, for example, military power?
It is necessary to compare according to those indicators by which the “patriots” of the Baltic countries themselves compare themselves with Russia. They constantly emphasize that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, although incomparably weaker and smaller than the great eastern neighbor, are richer, more prosperous, more cultured than "a Russian that bends from vodka under a fence."
They calculate their GDP in such a way that in terms of per capita it is in any case higher than the Russian one. They "trump" with their salaries - the highest in the former USSR, delicately silent about their prices and utility tariffs. They appeal to all sorts of Western ratings of well-being.
Excellent - we appeal. U.S. Quality of Life rating News & World Report: Estonia - 48th, Latvia - 50th, Lithuania - 56th, Russia - 31st. Russia is the leader. Entrepreneurship: Estonia - 45th place, Latvia - 55th, Lithuania - 48th, Russia - 22nd. Once again, Russia is the leader, and undeniable. Although it loses to the Baltic countries in the rating of openness for business.
The most impressive figures, however, are found in rankings of cultural influence and what Americans have called Movers: "the country's projected future growth in terms of gross domestic product at purchasing power parity." In other words, positive dynamics and prospects.
According to these two criteria, the Baltic countries are among the worst in the world.
Latvia occupies the penultimate, 77th place in terms of cultural influence, and last in terms of prospects. Lithuania is the last, 78th place in the world in terms of cultural influence and 76th in terms of prospects. Estonia's cultural influence is 73rd in the world, and prospects are 72nd.
What does it mean? The three Baltic countries have given nothing to the world in the post-Soviet 30 years, and the world knows nothing about them. And how could it be otherwise, if the majority of young, active, creative-minded people “dumped” from these countries? That's why there are no prospects. What are the prospects for endangered countries?
Now let's compare with Russia. Cultural influence of Russia - 28th place in the world, prospects - 11th place.
Still understandable?
The endless streams of Russophobia from the Baltics are connected not only with a political order from overseas, but also with sincere hatred for Russia, which is generated by black envy and the clash of one's megalomania with an inferiority complex.
Life has refuted the Baltic myths about their own "success" and "fading" Russia. And not only life. The Americans also deny it.
1. at $6-8B budget, Latvia receives $2Eu each year in dotations. That's what - budget 25%? And, said to be done and over soon, and then what? IT/hackers? All three republics are agrarian countries with literally no production
Who needs apple farms when your country is becoming a very desirable destination for IT outsourcing operations?
And all those outsourcing jobs drive additional development for stores, housing, restaurants, etc. to support the IT industry.
The Baltics have done a good job of a) preserving the best of the old Soviet STEM higher ed system, which was often quite excellent and b) having the graduates of their programs seen as honest and trustworthy in the IT realm.
Russia is also good at preserving the best of the Soviet STEM higher ed system but because of their hacking activities and internet disinformation campaigns, there are trust issues the keep a lot of businesses from doing business with them.
Ukrainian forces conducted successful limited counterattacks around Bakhmut on May 9. Geolocated footage published on May 9 and 10 indicates that Ukrainian forces likely conducted successful limited counterattacks north of Khromove (immediately west of Bakhmut) and northwest of Bila Hora (14km southwest of Bakhmut) and made marginal advances in these areas. Ukrainian sources claimed on May 9 that Ukrainian forces destroyed the 6th and 8th companies of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army Corps near Bakhmut and advanced 2.6km along a 3km frontline in the area, although ISW has not observed visual confirmation of these reported wider Ukrainian advances. A prominent Russian milblogger claimed on May 10 that the Ukrainian forces tried to advance further in the Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade’s zone of responsibility in the Bakhmut area following Ukrainian counterattacks on May 9 but that formations of an unspecified Russian paramilitary company (PMC) prevented a Ukrainian breakthrough. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that Russian Airborne Forces (VDV) are constraining the actions of Ukrainian forces on the flanks around Bakhmut. ISW has previously assessed that reports of Ukrainian counterattacks throughout Donetsk Oblast appear to be a part of an ongoing pattern of localized and limited counterattacks.
Meh, nothing really happened.
Wagners gained another 150m of Bakhmuit, what changed 2.5 km. sq to 2.25 km sq left. EVP already is beatching again about the lack of shells and ammo.
Some mutual bickering at Ugledar.
That's it.
And all those outsourcing jobs drive additional development for stores, housing, restaurants, etc. to support the IT industry.
The Baltics have done a good job of a) preserving the best of the old Soviet STEM higher ed system, which was often quite excellent and b) having the graduates of their programs seen as honest and trustworthy in the IT realm.
Russia is also good at preserving the best of the Soviet STEM higher ed system but because of their hacking activities and internet disinformation campaigns, there are trust issues the keep a lot of businesses from doing business with them.
Exactly!! That's exactly what is happening. Country, that was, previously self sufficient with food, now has to buy it, as there is no investments into agriculture, as EU has already established its own produce to sell. Say, from Holland. But, city hipsters are becoming IT.hacker bunch.
Bravo'! Farmers - who gives about them. Traditional industries - who cares! IT, IT, IT, IT!!!
Exactly!! That's exactly what is happening. Country, that was, previously self sufficient with food, now has to buy it, as there is no investments into agriculture, as EU has already established its own produce to sell. Say, from Holland. But, city hipsters are becoming IT.hacker bunch.
Bravo'! Farmers - who gives about them. Traditional industries - who cares! IT, IT, IT, IT!!!
Do you even realize, how silly this sounds?
Allowing for specialization for what each country or region can best specialize in is like free market economics 101.
Agriculture is a low margin sector and at the whims of climate and extreme weather. Eh, so what if you have to ship the apricots in from Poland next door and focus on higher value industries that will provide a higher and more consistent return on investment.
Allowing for specialization for what each country or region can best specialize in is like free market economics 101.
Agriculture is a low margin sector and at the whims of climate and extreme weather. Eh, so what if you have to ship the apricots in from Poland next door and focus on higher value industries that will provide a higher and more consistent return on investment.
Agriculture down on your list? What til there's no food and the govt runs and owns all the farms. Thread has gone far afield now. I miss the old Ukraine winning Russia no ammo stupidity.
No it's not, because this would imply that France is not a civilized country (unless you point me at the differences with their Foreign legion.)
Wagner's contract originally is signed for 6 months only by the way.
A testing ground for people to understand whether it's something they want to stick with.
P.S. "Devil" is a very variable definition as well.
Does the French Foreign Legion brutally murder their own people without any trial?
Wagner does.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
