War

BudmanTX

Well-Known Member
They are dumping a ton of leftover Soviet era stuff on them, leftovers from former Warsaw pact members, it will work for it's intended purpose and the Ukrainians have many people familiar with them. However, they did not mention the NATO AA systems that were going into Ukraine too, just these to give the press something to chew on. Uncle Sam has already jumped in with both feet, he very much likes what he sees, tragedy aside, it is a major strategic and historical event. The Chinese curse was never more true than for the Ukrainians, "May you live in in interesting times".
naw it didn't, but i'm pretty sure something is in there.... ;)
 

DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
What happens if Russia defaults on its debt?
Russia’s economy is in dire straits and on Wednesday it faces its first payment on US dollar bonds since it invaded Ukraine last month.

Moscow is due to pay $117m in interest on two dollar-denominated sovereign bonds or risk defaulting on its debt.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has sparked international condemnation in major financial capitals.

The United States, European Union, and Allies imposed severe sanctions on Moscow. The penalties froze more than half of the central bank’s $300bn in assets and sent the rouble spiralling 35 percent against the US dollar. Hundreds of Western firms have also since pulled business out of the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow would make the payments, but in roubles as long as the sanctions don’t allow dollar settlements. Paying in local currency rather than dollars could set off a significant wave of defaults — unthinkable just weeks ago.

Russia and Russian companies owe about $150bn in foreign-currency debt.

Russia’s default on its external debt would be its first since the Bolsheviks failed to recognize the Tsar’s debt following the 1917 revolution.

What happens if Russia refuses to pay? Will this result in a larger wave of defaults? What effect will this have on the rest of the world’s economy?

On Wednesday, Russia is due to pay $117m in interest on its dollar bonds. The coupon is the first of several. Another $615m is due later in the month.

It is granted a 30-day grace period on these particular bonds. If Moscow does not make a payment, credit rating agencies will likely consider it to be in default and bondholders will begin to negotiate. But those negotiations do not appear to be promising given Russia’s economic chokehold and growing isolation.

Since the West announced its sanctions, the rouble has lost about a third of its value. Some of the bonds that Russia has issued have a clause that allows payment in roubles, but the interest payments that are due Wednesday are not eligible. Russia must pay in dollars and given the diminished value of its currency, that’s a tall order.

What happens if Russia makes the payment in roubles?

The government can try to override a contract. It’s a way of saying “we’re paying you in roubles” rather than just not paying at all.

What happens if Russia doesn’t pay at all?

A debt default could drive Russia’s few remaining foreign investors out of the country, further isolating it. If the government defaults, companies may follow.
Is this something you’ve seen before?

In terms of emerging markets, it’s comparable to what happened in Argentina in 2020, according to Gerard DiPippo, a senior economics fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“The big difference here is it’s a shock that investors were not expecting say two or three months ago, whereas, in Argentina, you could see the problems building,” he added.

Who holds the bonds?

Russia’s bonds are mostly held by institutional investors — pension funds, hedge funds, and corporations.
So what options do they have?

Bonds can still be traded on secondary markets and they are currently trading at about 20 cents on the dollar.

“The question is whether they will get their money back and whether they will be repaid in the end. The bond price reflects those expectations,” DiPippo told Al Jazeera.
Do you believe the US and its Allies considered that sanctions will make it hard for the Russians to pay their debt?

“I would assume they were aware of the implications of effectively freezing the Russian central bank’s ability to access dollars and euros and other major currencies,” DiDippo said.
What effect will debt default have on Russians?

Russians are primarily affected by the depreciation of the rouble and their plummeting purchasing power. If Russia will not pay its debt, foreign investors will become even more hesitant to do business with the country. The rouble will suffer.
Are Americans exposed to risk from Russia’s government and companies defaulting on their debt?

The exposure of pensions to emerging market debt is usually pretty small, and any reasonable fund manager, especially if one managing pensions will not be heavily invested in any one emerging market, DiPippo told Al Jazeera.
How does Russia’s debt look?

The Russian government is actually not that indebted.

Part of their “fortress Russia” strategy was to build up Moscow’s balance sheet, primarily with foreign exchange reserves and some gold, and then maintain low debt levels. Russia’s domestic debt was about 13 percent of its gross domestic product last year. The external debt is something like $150bn and only $45bn of that is actually owned by the Russian government. Most of it is owned by Russian companies and Russian banks, DiPippo told Al Jazeera.
There is plenty of seized money to compensate for losses and reparations, they've been stealing and hiding hundreds of billions abroad over a couple of decades. There is plenty of money to compensate everybody and to rebuild Ukraine and compensate the people substantially. If Vlad had 200 billion stashed in the west, he could even pay for the war he started by himself, a first in modern history!
 
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DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
naw it didn't, but i'm pretty sure something is in there.... ;)
This is about America giving arms directly, but they have been authorizing NATO countries to give the Ukrainians stuff from European stocks, while they discuss things at home. Things are actually happening much quicker than we are being lead to believe, they aren't lying, it is military necessity, there is a lot of secrecy going on, this is war. The retired generals we see on TV are part of the team too and won't discuss things the Ukrainians are doing or what they think they might be doing. They will talk about the Russian's problems and the rules of honor and war when it comes to civilians, but not much on what our side is up to except in the most general of terms.
 

DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
These are the older model, the newer 600 model is even more capable. They can be used as weapons of assassination and can recognize faces! Imagine what they could do to Russian command and control! Looks like Uncle Sam is sending them some.
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Switchblade 300, the US Military Kamikaze Drone Covertly Used for Years
 

DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
If they had enough switch blade drones they could stop most of the rocket artillery attacks on the cities by destroying the launchers many miles away. They could even take out some of the artillery units or destroy their ammo trucks rendering them useless. Switch blade drones alone could stop much of the slaughter of innocents by the Russians and do it cheaper and better than airstrikes. With improved battery technology their range and loiter times can be doubled or more in the future and even unjammable starlink satellite control is possible.
 

DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
Belarus is next and Vlad wants to try and keep it, looks like he might wanna deal to divide the west. Once advanced weapons systems are in the country they will stay there and Vlad won't dictate to Ukraine, those days are finished. Sweden is armed to the teeth with advanced weapons.
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Kremlin Embrace of Neutral-Ukraine Plan Sparks Hope on Talks
  • Sides discussing Swedish or Austrian-style option, Peskov said
  • Ukrainian official downplays progress, saying attacks continue
 

DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
To the 1-6 committee I hope.
From what I've seen, some of these clowns are unreliable and facing criminal indictment. Gaetz could jump on a plane with a phone full of data and files, to trade for asylum, most of them are fucking traitors anyway and some like Gaetz are fucked unless they run.
 
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