It a very long term though. Just imagine what happens once west starts doing business with Iran again.. more oil supply on the market. Russians would have to wait at least a decade.

The angara is now a brand new rocket in search for a mission.

Please. What is the “proper” standard for a military? I have been following the military conflicts that Russia had been involved in, and there was an incredible progress if you compare Chechen war 1, then second Chechen war, South Ossetia, and now Syria.

Turkey will just switch to Azerbaijani gas

British promissed many things they didn’t deliver. E.g. didn’t they promise Arabs a Caliphate that included much of Saudi Arabia and even Palestine, all while at the same time planning to setup their colonies there?

I believe there is also a natural gas pipeline from Azerbaijan into Turkey that completely bypasses Russia. So Turkey could switch to Azeri natural gas overnight if they need to.

and many of Russia’s arms purchases are made by countries that would never get into a fight with the US

That’s one of the dumbest statement on the Su-34 on the forums. The Su-34 is a member of the broader Su-30 family which was based on the Su-27. The Su-27 itself was being developed in the 1970s, with some goals for the program already set in early times. Moreover, there is zero proof that Su-34 resembles the F-15 in…

You’re making very broad claim here, which makes it almost certainly false. Russian military industrial complex produces nearly a full range of military equipment, and it’s probably incorrect to make a claim that all of it is either good or bad. In some specific areas, Russians have been making a good progress, poor…

Williams is 3rd in WCC second year now and Force India is in a solid 5th place, so I wouldn’t call that terrible performance, and I wonder if Williams could have won a race or two if Alonso had a chance to drive their car. I don’t think those positions reflect that aero is the king. Overall chassis technology matters…

The Mercedes dominance right now is far worse than the domination by some other teams. For example, take the Red Bull era from 2010-2014 period. In 2010 and 2012, there were Red Bulls and Ferraris fighting for the driver title all the way to the final race, so those were actually very good years. In 2011 Red Bull…

My theory is that Hamilton has already been in the party or celebration mode since winning the WDC title at the USA GP or perhaps he decided to gift something to Rosberg by not fighting Rosberg too hard. Previously, when Rosberg beat Hamilton, you could hear the big disappointment in Hamilton’s voice at the final laps…

McLaren had plenty of money too. Don’t forget their tobacco sponsors from the 80s. Moreover, McLaren’s engine suppliers in the 80s were also very good spenders (Porsche and Honda). The difference between now and then is that McLaren’s policy has always been to allow its drivers to battle each other, thus creating some…

I disagree. During the heydays of McLaren, there was usually very good competition. Even though McLaren dominated the racing in the 80s for many years, there was always very good interteam or intrateam rivalry going on. For years, Prost and Senna battled with each other on equal terms creating one of the best…

It’s not the same with Syria. Russia has never been a Mediterranean power, and never will be. Was it worth to intervene in Syria in order to save Russian Navy’s gas station in the med? I don’t believe it. Putin is pursuing is relatively abstract goals. The information that’s fed to Russians on state channels is that…

Red Bull is the most arrogant team in F1 history. I honestly don’t give a flying duck about what engine they use the next season. No other team in the entire history of F1 has made such a show of its engine selection. I am going to predict that after all Renault badmouthing and the threats to quit F1 they will have to…

The “official explanation” is wrong. The moving van was obviously carrying a huge magnet in it, and this is why the two vans jumped in the air at the intersection.

There is a toll road from Austin to San Antonio where 90mph is legal. It’s usually nearly empty, while the public I-35 parallel to it is always jammed. It seems like most motorists prefer a stressful but free bumper to bumper ride at 75mph on I-35 to a leisurely cruise at 90mph on an empty toll road.

Abu Dhabi has already cemented its reputation over the years as the most boring race of the season. The race track facilities and the course itself look fake, kind of like a Disneyland for adults, sort of like the Las Vegas of the east. So I really don’t know why I should be excited about the race considering that…

Is your intellect primitive enough that you accuse everyone who does not agree with your opinion of being a putinbot?