Mikael

Im of course writing about kaliningrad oblast only. Im sure its different in Moscow, but i know nothing about that

Cheese is not banned as you say from unfriendly countries, you can buy it in the open. But not in the supermarket, not the clientele there

Most of the cheese is Russian or Belarussian cheese. Those are just rubber. Some of course better, but Russian cheese has always been bad.

Now there is some cheese from the west in special stores, just like at home. Nothing changed on the upper end of such products, if you can pay

Also, if you want to get to Russia by car, Kaliningrad is the only way now except Belarus. So most people drive there, park the car and fly to big Russia

Stay a few days for vacation in the oblast and every single one ends up by the coast

the tourist situation in Zelenogradsk / Svetlogorsk is completely crazy. First COVID border shutdown and now sanctions. Too many tourists in two small cities

Moscow and St Petersburg mainly. Beaches are very good in that area.

And if that was not bad enough… the tourists ate all their cheese, bread and milk

m.newkaliningrad.ru/short/2025/0...

Бензин есть, но снова подорожал: что происходит на АЗС Калининграда Мы побывали на разных заправках Калининграда и выяснили, изменились ли цены на топливо.

Here is some stats on price situation in Kaliningrad oblast

m.newkaliningrad.ru/long/2025/09...

I doubt even 20% of Taxis today are Russian made and average Ivan cant afford buying a new car.

im sure this is just another of the crazy ideas they have to show government strength and its all forgotten by lunch time

Wife overheard two guys talking last time we were in Kaliningrad. Their neighbour who was injured in battle and in a wheel chair was taken away and back to Ukraine. He tried to roll into the bushes and hide but the ”recruiters” found him.

We have gotten to a point where nobody cares nor listens to that man. Nobody expects him to do anything for Ukraine anyway

One good thing, there will be less probki in the cities if people cant afford to drive so much.

But knowing Russians, car is the last thing they will give up, except vodka pethaps… they will buy fuel for their last kopeeks if they have to

And when it comes, people will protest. But only when they get affected themselves.

So government try to cover this to the very end.

Of course people notice this but they trust the government. Everyone close their eyes and hope for the best

This is not the first crisis, there have been several since 2000, even more since 1990.

When the crash comes, it will be something people did not see coming.

Interest rates have been brutal for all times, never were normal level

8-10% was standard level before for real estate loans. Now its 16-20%

Real estate market is were they hurt, now when nobody can get loans at even high levels. Nobody buy a flat today if they dont have it in free liquidity.

Yes, im regularly on the ground in RU.

Some products have gotten more expensive, but nothing more extreme than how prices grew last couple of years in Sweden

yes, they are impacted but nothing that was not 4 years ago.

Extreme price hikes happen on regular basis in RU, so this is nothing unusual

But nothing people notice. Life is as usual.

So brutal perhaps, but nobody knows / care about it in the street

This ”driving fuel prices….” is not completely accurate. My experience of fuel prices in for example kaliningrad is that prices for fuel has been the exact same for atleast two years, perhaps even more. 95 is around 66-67 rub per liter

They will push back. There are limits in russia too.

But perhaps you have personal experience of russia that tells you otherwise

Studying russia at uni or online is not the same as living it in real life

And what you write about a year without youtube. Last time i was in russia, not long ago i had the pleasure of watching a z logging on to western internet by the use of VPN on the bus.. so im sure more than we know use western media, atleast those under 40

I do not agree. Russian young people are much more demanding than you think. As soon as problems touch themselves, they will react. Perhaps not strong enough to replace government, but enough for the government to fear it

Russians doesnt care until it affects themselves. Martial law will be too far and there will be protests. Government will need to back off.

That i doubt russians below 40 will accept. They are used to a comfortable lifestyle. And businesses will not accept food stamp style of purchases either

They perhaps can fool old people to accept it, but hardly young people used to Iphone lifestyle and free access to cars and fuel

It needs to be a huge crash ala -98 for anyone to notice.

Its going to come but its not going to be step by step but instead a total crash that no ordinary person saw coming

This time it will be worse since nobody is friendly towards Russia and will save them

Fact is that there is no difference in for ex Kaliningrad today compared to 22.

Sure, some prices are higher but its far from a collapse. Fuel as an example is same as last two years. Practically no change

Russians are used to these kind of things and so far dont react and live a normal life.

We have said that for the last two years at least.

Yet they manage to keep it together.

How it is now to everyday Ivan, its more or less like normal Russian life. Right now Its as good/screwed up like it always was and always will be

Question is, where is the limit when its not sustainable? They are screwing up the economy we all know, but how much can government swallow until it just goes Boom?

Russians are used to qeues. The entry points to Kaliningrad from Poland by car have in beginning of july as much as 40 hours wait to enter, same when everyone is leaving Russia in beginning of August. Then all repeats itself during christmas and NY. 40 hours, no toilets.

Congrats!

The fabric roof is about 1-2cm thick

First they would have to develop 1-2 cm tall drones. Until that it seems highly unlikely and Im sure you know that too