Thursday 25th of June 2026
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we just hit a shed for us to see the results....

Russian President Vladimir Putin fielded questions from the heads of international news agencies on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday. The agencies included Chinese, Belarusian, German, French, Spanish, and Iranian state news outlets, as well as representatives of Reuters and the Associated Press.

The mammoth Q&A session lasted just over two hours and touched on a variety of subjects, including Russian domestic and foreign policy, the Ukraine conflict, and potential routes to rapprochement with Europe.

Here are the main topics discussed.

 

The Russian economy

When asked whether Russia could withstand the economic strain caused by the conflict in Ukraine and Western sanctions, Putin replied by citing Mark Twain’s joke: “Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

Despite past public statements in the West claiming that Russia’s economy had been “torn to shreds,” it has grown more than three times faster than that of the EU over the past three years, he stressed.

Russia has been forced to make some “tough decisions” to battle inflation, such as raising interest rates, but the “measures are yielding results,”according to Putin. In the meantime, Russian industrial production and citizens’ real incomes have continued to grow, he said.

In terms of purchasing power parity, a measure of how much the same basket of goods costs in different countries, Russia has surpassed all European countries, he said.

 

The Ukraine conflict

The Russian army is advancing along the entire line of contact, while Kiev’s troops are facing a critical lack of manpower, Putin said.

“Monthly, they lose about 40,000 people,” the president said, adding that, as a result, civilians are being “caught on the street like dogs” and drafted into the army. Kiev also loses around 20,000 more people to desertion each month, he added.

“Ukraine has no air defense system, only isolated elements, and lacks the strike systems that Russia possesses. Ukraine, unlike Russia, lacks hypersonic and cruise missiles,” he added.

 

‘State secret’ about Oreshnik

Russia did not use its Oreshnik dual-capable intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile “in the full sense” in strikes on Ukrainian territory.

We have not had a single combat use of the Oreshnik in the full sense of the word on Ukrainian territory,”Putin said, noting that Russia had previously “tested similar systems at training grounds, but not the Oreshnik.”

Russia has confirmed three separate strikes on Ukraine using the missile, which is designed to carry both nuclear and conventional warheads: against a defense industry facility in Dnepr in late 2024, a warplane plant in Lviv in January, and an unspecified target, dubbed by critics a “shed,” in the town of Belaya Tserkov near Kiev in May.

“Last time, to be completely honest – I’ll reveal to you a big military state secret – we just hit where it was convenient for us to see the results,” Putin said, adding that Russian drones later flew in to this “shed” to observe dispersal and impact effects. “It’s important for us to make decisions in the future on the full-scale use of Oreshnik against designated targets, including in urban areas.”

 

Is peace any closer?

Moscow is “without doubt” ready for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, provided it is based on the compromises agreed with US President Donald Trump in Anchorage last year, Putin said.

The difficulty lies in forcing Kiev to accept the terms, he stressed, noting that Moscow’s control of Donbass and other territories that voted to join Russia and a peace deal “do not contradict each other.”

“I get the impression that the ruling circles are not actually interested in a real cessation of hostilities,” he said, stressing that negotiations should not be predicated on a ceasefire that would only allow Kiev to rearm and regroup.

 

Is Zelensky legitimate?

Putin declined to directly answer whether Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky could serve as Kiev’s legitimate representative for signing a peace treaty, calling it “a question for lawyers.”

“We can only sign with people who are, without a doubt, in the full sense of the word, legitimate to sign documents of this kind,” he stressed. Zelensky’s presidential term expired in May 2024, and even discussions of new elections in Ukraine have since stalled.

 

Kiev’s European backers

The EU could potentially play “a positive role” in settling the conflict, Putin said. “But not by supplying weapons. Rather, by trying to convince the Kiev authorities to agree to the compromises we discussed,” he said.

However, Western European nations have so far shown no willingness to even talk to Russia as equals, Putin said.

“If there is a desire among the European side to work with us, they must abandon their colonial approach and talk to Russia as an equal partner,” he said.

https://www.rt.com/russia/641022-putin-ukraine-oreshnik-press/

 

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         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

         RABID ATHEIST.

         WELCOME TO THIS INSANE WORLD….

reshaping....

Russia’s labor market remains strong, with unemployment holding at a historic low and workforce participation reaching a record high, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said during a session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Speaking on Friday at a panel titled ‘Labour Market 2.0: AI, Skills Transformation and New Professions’, Golikova said the share of Russians working had climbed to a record 61.5%, while the unemployment rate remains at just 2.2%.

The deputy PM warned, however, of significant structural challenges facing the sector despite the strong headline figures.

Golikova also noted that Russia ranks only 37th globally in labor productivity despite being among the world leaders in training skilled vocational workers. She added that the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic systems could raise labor productivity by 21% by 2032.

The deputy minister argued that AI should be seen as a means of improving efficiency rather than replacing people. She said equipping workers with the skills needed to use emerging technologies has become a major priority.

“AI is, first and foremost, a tool for increasing productivity. That is why developing a workforce with the necessary competencies is becoming a key priority, particularly for our higher education system,” she said.

Golikova said AI is reshaping the tasks people perform rather than eliminating entire professions. She added that labor demand could fall by around 10% if roughly 30% of the technology’s potential is realized. The shift could have the greatest impact on the retail, logistics, and warehousing sectors, the deputy PM said.

The 29th annual SPIEF, often referred to as the ‘Russian Davos’, is taking place from June 3 to 6, welcoming around 20,000 businesspeople, politicians, and public figures from more than 100 nations.

https://www.rt.com/business/641044-golikova-russia-record-employment-rate/

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

         RABID ATHEIST.

         WELCOME TO THIS INSANE WORLD….

gold....

 

GFN – MOSCOW: Russia may have mined as much as 485 metric tons of gold in 2025 and could produce up to 500 tons in 2026, according to estimates released by the country’s Natural Resources Ministry, a figure that has surprised analysts and, if confirmed, would place Russia ahead of China as the world’s largest gold producer.

The estimates were disclosed by Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Russia has largely stopped publishing detailed gold production statistics since Western sanctions and bullion market restrictions were imposed following the Ukraine conflict.

According to Kozlov, preliminary calculations suggest Russian gold output reached between 480 and 485 tonnes in 2025, with production expected to range between 480 and 500 tonnes this year. The ministry confirmed the figures refer specifically to mined gold rather than broader production measures.

The numbers have drawn skepticism from mining analysts because publicly available estimates have been significantly lower. The World Gold Council previously estimated Russia mined roughly 330 tonnes in 2024, while independent industry consultants placed output closer to 345 tonnes. A jump toward 500 tonnes would imply an increase of roughly 40% to 50% in only a few years.

Analysts note that few major new mines have entered production recently, making the scale of the reported increase difficult to reconcile with existing industry data. However, the figures highlight the growing strategic importance of gold to Russia as sanctions continue to reshape global commodity markets.

“Gold production will amount to 480-485 tons.”

“The forecast for this year is 480-500 tons of gold.”

If the estimates are accurate, Russia would surpass both its previous production records and China’s reported output of approximately 381 tonnes, reinforcing its position as a dominant force in the global gold market.

 

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2026-06-04/russias-missing-gold-tonnes-suddenly-appear-vbl

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

         RABID ATHEIST.

         WELCOME TO THIS INSANE WORLD….

 

 

looking back....

 

IN P&I, THERE IS AN ARTICLE ABOUT AI, WRITTEN BY ANNE-MARIE SLAUGHTER AND AVNI PATEL THOMPSON.

Why agreeable AI could weaken human connection

 

AI systems are useful problem-solvers, but their tendency to affirm users and avoid relational discomfort can undermine responsibility, repair and the human connections that give decisions meaning.

.....

.... As the economist Alex Imas argues, we may be heading toward a “post-commodity economy,” where a growing share of expenditure goes into “the relational sector.”

In that scenario, value will be found in the goods and services that feature a positive human connection. We will have not only a care sector but a “care-plus economy,” built around teaching, ministry, therapy, counselling, guiding, and coaching, and featuring a renewal of artisanal production. If that AI future is possible, it is well worth pursuing.

https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/06/why-agreeable-ai-could-weaken-human-connection/

 

INTERESTING COMMENTS... WHICH WE HAVE EXPLORED IN GUS'S BOOK [2015]... BUT I GOT INTRIGUED ABOUT THE AUTHORS, ESPECIALLY ANNE-MARIE SLAUGHTER...

 

[2008?] NO DATE SUPPLIED FOR THIS VIDEO. TRANSCRIPT BELOW....

Anne-Marie Slaughter on Russia

Anne-Marie Slaughter talks about the Russian bear.

 

Slaughter:    Russia is a tricky, trick country and it’s made all the harder because we think we know Russia ‘cause we think we, at least, the Cold War generation thinks we know the Soviet Union.  We have lots of stereotypes that we’re not even aware of and the new generation of policy makers has no experience with Russia.  Russia wasn’t even on their radar screen.  So, you have a real lacuna of experts who are thinking about the country Russia is today, not the country Russia was in 1980 or 1990 or 2000 and who are genuinely expert.  That means we need to proceed with real care.  It would be wonderful if President Obama could find the way simultaneously to give Russia some of the acknowledgement it so craves as a great power, but at the same time, draw some real red lines, ‘cause that’s got to be our policy.  We have to make very clear, very clear where those lines are, but we also have to listen to the Russians.  I mean, the Russians have actually been pretty frank about what they thought were red lines and they were very clear with respect to Georgia that they were going to look at Ossetia and South Ossetia and Abkhazia, those were enclaves that they were not going to let Georgia take over.  We have to pay attention when they say that.  We have to treat that as we would if China or the EU or any other major power told us these are our vital interest, we have to pay attention ‘cause we expect them to pay attention to us.  We also have to acknowledge where, in fact, the current Russian government has improved a lot of the Russian people and we have to avoid looking at the current implosion of the Russian economy and thinking, well, that’s great.  They’re going to go down again.  That’s trouble for us.  That’s major trouble, because in the end, the Russian government is not going to stand by and lose support. 

https://bigthink.com/videos/anne-marie-slaughter-on-russia/

 

THE CURRENT AND PAST RUSSIAN ECONOMY HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS AFTER 2000, AND TO RAPE OF RESOURCES BETWEEN 1991 AND 1999 — UNTIL PUTIN CAME ALONG TO STEADY THE SHIP...

MOST RUSSIAN PEOPLE KNOW THIS... ONE OF THE RED LINE WAS NO NATO IN UKRAINE... GUESS WHAT? THE WEST [AMERICA] EAGER TO DESTROY RUSSIA SINCE 1917, HAS "USED" A DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT [CLINTON] TO PUSH NATO INTO THE JAWS OF THE BEAR — AND A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT TO CARRY ON THE DAMAGE, PLUS PRESIDENT OBAMA TO TRY EVEN HARDER WITH THE SUBTLETY OF A RATTLE-SNAKE...

MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, AN EXPERIENCED GEOPOLITICIAN WITH A FORMIDABLE UNDERSTANDING OF THE WESTERN DECEIT MANAGED TO PREVENT RUSSIA'S FALLING INTO THE NUMEROUS TRAPS....

MI6'S BABY, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, IS STILL TRYING HARD TO CON PUTIN BY VARIOUS HYPOCRITICAL SUBTERFUGES, BUT PUTIN IS TOO SMART TO EVEN INDULGE IN A SPARING MATCH.

 

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PLEASE VISIT:

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

         RABID ATHEIST.

         WELCOME TO THIS INSANE WORLD….