Comments by "peabase" (@peabase) on "Vigorous Vladimir? A look at the attempts to portray Putin as an all-action leader" video.
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Sure, Russia is presently managing to squeeze out modest growth, but it comes at a great cost. The quality of living in Russia has taken a severe blow and recovery there is much slower. The big question is, will the Russians' patience last?
It's not so much the sanctions that are keeping the GDP down -- and let's be honest, Russia brought them onto itself -- but the oil price, which, despite recent gains, is still painfully low by Russian production standards.
There's little to show for Putin's much-vaunted economic reforms. Investors remain wary of Russia, which means raising the necessary funds is challenging. There seems to be widespread distrust of Russia both economically and politically, and the sanctions are -- again -- only part of it. Here, too, Russia should look in the mirror.
Actually, in the 90s, I had a ringside seat watching the Russian economy transform itself. I briefly managed a charity set up by my late grandmother to help the poor in her former birthplace. We had city officials queue for soup and bread since they hadn't been paid for six months. Russians tolerate hardship like no other, but unfortunately, they also have a high tolerance for leaders who don't act in their best interest.
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