7elevenses t1_iui293k wrote on October 31, 2022 at 2:26 PM

Russia has its own currency that is entirely controlled by its government. It pays for the war by printing rubles. It produces its own weapons from its own natural resources and with its own workforce. It does not need to trade with anybody to do that, no more than the US needed international trade to finance its war in Iraq.

The real question is how Russia affords to have a share of its human and other resources devoted to its war effort instead of more productive endeavors.

Bolusss t1_iui91j2 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 3:14 PM

That's not true. Russia has massive chip shortages so it can't really make drones, airplanes, tanks, etc.

Edit: Those chips would normally be imported from Taiwan.

5kyl3r t1_iuioigr wrote on October 31, 2022 at 4:58 PM

not even remotely true. their tank production completely stopped and the only line they've been able to start are ancient tanks. they can't even build ladas and resorted to restarting their moskvich production line, if that says anything. they have raw resources, but war weapons need technology that russia imports, but now, can't, due to sanctions

7elevenses t1_iujp3x8 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 9:03 PM

Ladas are completely irrelevant to their war effort. OTOH, the information that Russia can't produce tanks came from Ukraine back in March. The latest information from Ukraine is:

>Uralvagonzavod, one of the largest tank producers in the world, has weathered sanctions against Russia and kept producing cheap tanks, which are now used to invade Ukraine.

Which sort of makes sense. The idea that Russia would make their tank production dependent on Taiwanese chips sounds very very unlikely.

5kyl3r t1_iuk12ax wrote on October 31, 2022 at 10:32 PM

well there's something missing in their part chain, as they've been sending ancient tanks in the last couple months, and even getting more from belarus

7elevenses t1_iuk1cxt wrote on October 31, 2022 at 10:34 PM

They're a country of over 100 million people and one of the largest arms producers and exporters in the world. They can make the parts they're missing. IMO this is all just wishful thinking.

5kyl3r t1_iuk2mx6 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 10:45 PM

and you forget their top down corruption and negligence causing a lack of maintenance. they've been falling apart (listen to the recent intercepted calls from the last two weeks, they're all complaining about it), not to mention three of their jets crashed IN RUSSIA, due to failures, likely resulting from all of the above

and i'm stating a fact, go look at all the footage from the last 2-3 months. the tanks are getting older and older. they can't even get uniforms for the conscripts but you think it's wishful thinking to believe they're starting to run out of newer tanks?

they will always have a set number minimum they'll keep on hand for the defense of their borders, so running out doesn't mean russia has zero new tanks. it means they're running out of the ones they're willing to lose