This kind of decoupling from the West is the kind of Decoupling the West wishes they could pull off from China

How? There's nothing in that list that they aren't self sufficient in or can source from China who is more or less at the top of the supply chain

Have they closed the Turkish loophole yet?

Wait. There were Russian banks and officials and trade that wasn't already sanctioned?

Dunno. Like China and Russia there is a strong desire within India to weaken the West's control over the world's financial systems. The sort of financial leverage they see us trying to use against Russia is what they fear could be used against them. Thats what lead them to join in the founding of BRICS which was, and maybe is, still making progress despite Russia's attempt to derail the project.

The best weapon they could get against China would be Russia.

China with a dependent Russia is energy and food secure within a decade. American plans for a naval blockade are nullified by Russia's extensive rail and pipe networks.

China without Russia is reliant on the seas highways to import energy and food. It is still vulnerable to blockade. Further more, Russia's rail network can be used to transport troops right to China's back door threatening them with a second front.

you're suggestion is tantamount to the west being happy to spend Ukrainian lives to make sure Russia is down for good. Which is exactly what Russia's propaganda wants us to believe.

Well .. I found it surprising .. There's a war next door, hundreds of thousands dead, thousands dying daily .. and yet your still safer there as a journalist than in Russia

Well, to put it another way, you're more safer as a battlefield correspondent in Ukraine than you are being an independent journalist in Russia

Since pretty much the day after the launch of the Crimean annexation in 2014, the only legal way to leave military service is once you have reached the age limit, obtain a criminal record, or be declared unfit for duty

especially as he might actually be FGS and thus might know something about what will happen to the nuclear briefcase should Putin cark it.

or that is a typo and he's actually in the FGS and Russia just has too many three letter organizations with an F and an S in it for the West to keep track of.

He might not be a spy.

Novaya Gazeta has him listed as being in the FGS not the FSB, which either makes him some politicians meat shield or the guy carrying the nuclear briefcase

It's interesting. This article refers to him as an FSB agent looking to dodge the draft which is pretty funny given that the FSB are running the draft.

Novaya Gazeta (Russian opposition paper .. EIC is last years nobel peace price winner) listed this guy as FGS (or FSO) which is distinct to the FSB (The FSO's most well known tasks are providing protection details for politicians and controlling the nuclear briefcase)

Novaya Gazeta source

The article is wrong, he wasn't FSB he was FGS (or FSO).

FGS pffocer who escaped Russia to Kazakhstan to be deported to home country Yearning for asylum

The difference? While the FSB, in addition to being the secret service, is basically running the mobilization and as such is exempt to it (which should be a good clue as to why this guy can't be FSB). The FGS, or Federal Guard Service, is involved in providing protection for politicians and controlling the nuclear briefcase.

he was in communications. basically spent all day answering phonecalls

"Oi! Taliban! We don't like the way you're treating your people. If you don't sort your shit out, mate, we're gonna cut the aid money we send to help your people. That oughta show you right good it will!"

I'd imagine the majority of the people wanting out will be female... but to get out they will need a male relative to accompany them.

We'll invade them and put them in their place!

oh wait...

Cue meme of guy sweating over which button to push

Gotta get that free karma

The CCP must be drooling at the chance to get their hands on Russia's resources. They'd become self sufficient overnight.

Get rid of all the permanent veto powers.

and a lot of western money