TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 36542.fido_politics@1:124/5016 2d691c66   
   PID: Synchronet 3.21a-Linux master/2fde21cc9 Oct 29 2025 GCC 13.3.0   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.30-Linux master/2fde21cc9 Oct 29 2025 GCC 13.3.0   
   BBSID: EOTLBBS   
   CHRS: UTF-8 4   
   FORMAT: flowed   
   NOTE: FSEditor.js v1.105   
      
   It's not happening quickly, but little by little, the Russian economy is   
   crumbling. Company after company is closing its doors or scaling down its   
   operations. There's no more revenue, no parts, no demand for the products.   
      
   Equipment is breaking down and cannot be repaired. This is gradually eroding   
   economic activity in Russia. Even in the arms industry!   
      
   Money is becoming scarce. The official exchange rate between the ruble and the   
   dollar remains the same, but trade doesn't exist at that rate. Consumers are   
   no longer buying expensive goods in stores, and businesses no longer trust   
   each other. After all, your contract partner could go bankrupt tomorrow, so   
   first pay, then receive service or goods, but the buyer has the same fear...   
      
   It also doesn't help that Ukraine is now attacking the energy supply deep in   
   Russia's hinterland. All these losses are also for the economy when the power   
   goes out for hours and becomes increasingly unstable. More and more gas   
   stations are out of gasoline, gas, and diesel. With the power outages,   
   electric driving isn't helping either.   
      
   Meanwhile, Putin is talking about an encirclement of Ukrainian troops, and   
   that would require a ceasefire, so the press can see it. If you're really that   
   strong, go get them now. After all, you've got those troops surrounded and in   
   the weeds. What can they do?   
      
   Putin lives in a dream world. Just like Hitler in 1945, he's moving   
   non-existent units.   
      
   That doesn't mean Russia is already defeated—far from it—but in Putin's   
   mind, there's a different Russian army than the one actually present in   
   Ukraine.   
      
    .   
   --- SBBSecho 3.30-Linux   
    * Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (1:124/5016)   
   SEEN-BY: 103/705 105/81 106/201 124/0 5016 128/187 129/14 305 153/757   
   SEEN-BY: 153/7715 154/10 30 110 203/0 218/700 221/0 226/30 227/114   
   SEEN-BY: 229/110 112 206 300 307 317 400 426 428 470 700 705 240/1120   
   SEEN-BY: 240/5832 263/1 266/512 280/464 5003 5006 291/111 292/854   
   SEEN-BY: 292/8125 301/1 310/31 320/219 322/757 341/66 234 342/200   
   SEEN-BY: 396/45 423/120 460/58 256 1124 633/280 712/848 770/1 902/26   
   SEEN-BY: 5020/400 5054/30 5075/35   
   PATH: 124/5016 280/464 460/58 229/426