Do people just magically assume the world is some diverse candy land? The boers are probably one of the only people Russia can bring in without expending any political capital. It’s that simple.
In 1939, Britain spent 9% of its GDP on defence; this rose drastically after the start of World War II to around 40%.
EDIT: I'd also add a couple of caveats:
Given that this is in rubles, some is probably inflation, if the news source isn't adjusting for that, as the ruble has fallen in value relative to last year:
Relative to the dollar, it'd need to rise by 70% to hold constant since a year ago, so a 70% ruble increase may not be so exciting. I don't know what periods of time the numbers take effect at (like, in this situstion, where in the year the rubles are from may matter a lot).
What we have for this is Russia's word; it could very well be spot-on, but we don't know yet.
We don't know what the breakdown in spending is. So, for example, I believe that there may be benefits that need to be paid family of solldiers who were killed or injured and suchlike. At least in the US, I'm pretty sure that that'd be counted as military budget.
"All members of the families of military personnel who died during the special military operation in Ukraine (Putin's term for the war in Ukraine – ed.) will be allocated insurance coverage and one-time assistance in the amount of 7,421,000 roubles. Monthly monetary compensations will also be paid to each family member of fallen [soldiers]".
Details: Putin also stated that he considers it necessary to set up an additional payment of 5 million roubles for the families of dead soldiers.
In addition, he promises that the wounded receive a one-time payment of approximately 3 million roubles. And if a soldier becomes disabled during the war with Ukraine, he will be provided with monthly payments.
So it probably doesn't translate to something like "Russia has 70% increased capacity relative to last year."
I expect that Perun will put something up about it if he hasn't already, as this is his field.
Not to mention, even if Russia was fully trustworthy, they did help Armenia before, what Armenia needs from it is military power and power projection. And with pathethic how Russia's military looks right now this is not a given. They are too distracted and don't seem to have ressources to fight their own war, let alone help Armenia. So, there is really no value in them for Armenia's purposes.
To be fair, one of the reasons Azerbaijan's able to be so agressive, is because the EU buys so much energy from them. Azerbaijan is arguably consolidating its position ahead of talks in Spain next month, so it can present the take-over as a fait accompli. They know the EU isn't able to go beyond a strongly worded condemnation. Beggars can't be choosers.
Of course, the reason the EU is forced to rely on Azerbaijan, is because Russia invaded Ukraine.
The reason Azerbaijan was able to invade Nagorno-Karabakh,and why Russian soldiers who are supposed to be preventing this kind of thing did nothing, is because Russia is too busy in Ukraine.
If Russia hadn't invaded Ukraine, Azerbaijan would likely have been more cautious.
Surely the EU would have been unlikely to intervene or protest beforehand anyway, though? No EU country has ever recognised Artsakh as the legitimate government of Nagorno-Karabakh, to my knowledge. Their official position has been that it's part of Azerbaijan since the first conflict thirty plus years ago
How can russian teachers coordinate quietly, to discuss responses to this? And the older students too? Could the fediverse play a role, as it’s hard for the state to shut it down? I’m recalling how, in the 1980s, samizdat (self-printing of books) and later magnetizdat (self-copying of music), as well as anekdoti (complex jokes…), helped to crumble the general trust in the state propaganda (especially after chernobyl).
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