Russia braced for unrest

Source: Financial Times

Russia is bracing for further unrest as the rouble on Friday slid to a new low against the euro after a succession of moves to devalue its currency.

A cut on Friday extended six weeks of devaluations by Russia’s central bank designed to offset the impact of the global economic crisis and falling oil prices as the country’s main export commodity approached its lowest level since 2004.

Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader, warned Russia faced “unprecedentedly difficult and dangerous circumstances” and could be “heading into a black hole”. “It is not clear what the fate of our rouble will be or if society has sufficient financial and moral resources,” he said.

Mikhail Sukhodolsky, a deputy interior minister, warned on Christmas Eve that there could be further protests. “The situation may be exacerbated by a growth in frustration of workers over the non-payment of wages or those threatened with dismissal,” he said.



Read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fb228bfa-d385-11dd-989e-000077b07658.html

for the workers of mother russia.

Ah history never repeats itself, but patterns do

"History never repeats itself, but it does rhyme." Something like that...

quoting Churchill who was quoting Mark Twain who was actually trying to say... nevermind.

Putin made good progress is creating the ideological basis for the post-Soviet ruling group. He was lucky to have Bush as a foil. I think that the fact that his patriotism is all false will be made clear to Russians in the coming period. I wouldn't be surprised if the Russian Communists assume a leading position again. Aside from Putin, the communists are the only other viable choice.

They have no positive ideas about how to run things except "return back to the old days" and that attracts people over 50.
The youths don't want any of that. So no, it could be Putin or somebody else but Russia is certain going to move only in capitalistic direction.
Putin is just a stealing plutocrat who plays the masses on the nationalistic agenda but he will be eventually substituted by true Russian patriot.

Zyaganov et al. are pro-capitalist social democrats with a racist bent. They would never return to the old system, with the exception of a few of them.

I look for the economies of both Russia and the United States to totally collapse, and most other economies around the world will also collapse. We are in for a very dark period in the history of the world.

I am thankful that I live in a small rural community. I think we will have a better chance for survival in a place like this. There is plenty of wood for fire and there is game in the hills that we can hunt and eat. City dwellers won't be so lucky I am afraid.

on its way up. Oil is way down now, and not surprisingly so is Russia.

the masses


Enjoy it while you can cuz there is a new school of tin foiler doom and gloomers ready to say the world is due to end based on the Mayan calendar not long after 2010....

lol

:crazy: :woohoo:

there?