I actually like it. Smartphones in India are usually a little cheaper than elsewhere, since they assume they can make up the lost revenue with ads. And at least on Xiaomi devices, you can stop all OS-side ads by removing just one app.

I think it’s a lot simpler than that. Venezuela has oil.

I don’t think the government will risk significant increases in fuel prices on the eve of the Bihar elections. On the other hand, it is quite possible that they agree to stop buying Russian oil from Russia as a compromise - it could be bounced off a third country so we can technically agree to the US demands.

Because the real power of the US isn’t the ICC exemption or the UN SC veto, but their six thousand nukes and the biggest navy in the world.

Exactly.

They are trying to get greater control over the US economy / resources / society. Such an oligarchy is inefficient, so the US will get outcompeted by China. But that is a price they are willing to pay, as long as they benefit personally.

Put another way, the cake will become smaller, but they’ll get a bigger slice of it.

What is best for the public is not necessarily what is best for the ruling class.

No no, we need Velociraptors riding alligators and armed with laser cannons.

But those labour, machinery and materials could be used for more productive uses. I agree that you need some nukes to protect your country, but both Russia and the US already have enough nukes to send humanity back to the stone age. Why build even more?

He first graphic here proves you wrong

Look at the six categories in the graph. Only the dark red represents processed petroleum.

Why would anyone sell cheap crude then buy back expensive gas??

Right, why would any country export cheap raw materials and buy back expensive finished products? That could never happen, right? Surely the majority of the world’s countries aren’t doing it?

Why have refiners if youre exportibg crude?

Bunch of reasons: (1) for domestic use, (2) they can sell it for more, and (3) Russia had a great industrial sector back when it was part of the USSR, and some of that still survives.

But you are right that attacks on Russian refineries will reduce the processing that is happening within Russia. They will have to buy more products from China, etc. Hopefully this convinces their government to invest in industry, but based on what I’ve seen so far I’m not holding my breath on this.

No, the distinction is important. Russia mostly extracts petroleum and gas, and exports them. The processing happens in China or India. Then, the processed components, including petrol (gasoline), are resold by China and India.

Now I’m sure Russia would rather their refineries not be attacked, and these disruptions could very well cause local shortages or price fluctuations. But for the wider economy or overall supply chains, this won’t matter much.

‘Gasoline’ means petrol, not gas.

You must also remember that they’re running out of ice. The new shipments from Thailand are being delayed by jaguar attacks.

Invading Ukraine has created economic and military challenges for Russia. If only Putin supported the invasion, and everyone else in Russia opposed it, Putin wouldn’t be the President of Russia now. So, we must try to understand who in Russia supports this action. The military / security services are an obvious answer - they would see the risk of a NATO expansion up to the Russian border as a danger that must be avoided at all costs.