What a wonderful anecdote!

This is indeed a fab-ulous book! A must-read.

Clouding Over: The Impact of Sanctions on the Russian Cloud on The Devil's Dance thanegustafson.substack.com/p/clouding-ove…

thanegustafson.substack.com/p/putins-gas-s… Step by step, Putin has killed off Russia's gas export market in Europe, a business that had thrived for over half a century. Why did he do it? And could it ever be revived?

Anyone who is following the Russia sanctions post-invasion should read Richard Connolly's terrific book, Russia's Response to Sanctions, on the earlier rounds in 2014-2017. His discussion of the financial sanctions is an education in itself.

Russian Nuclear Power--Unsanctioned--is Prospering Worldwide, by Thane Gustafson open.substack.com/pub/thanegusta…

thanegustafson.substack.com/p/russian-euro… See my latest post in The Devil's Dance: Why Russian fertilizers are blocked in European ports, even though they are not sanctioned.

thanegustafson.substack.com/p/dont-bank-on…

See my latest post on Substack: "Peace and the World--All on One Convenient Russian Debit Card" How the US and the EU are working together to combat sanctions evasion by Russian and Turkey.

thanegustafson.substack.com/p/birds-in-a-g… You're invited to look at my latest Substack post, "Birds in a Gilded Cage: the Fate of the Foreign Banks in Russia" Did you know they are making a fortune--but they can't send the profits outside the country? Read on...

#Russia: You're invited to have a look at my latest Substack: "Tanks or Trains? Russia is Bearing Down on Both" ([email protected]) Make tanks or trains? It is a dilemma for Russian industry, as it converts on the run from civilian to military production.

IN MEMORIAM: On the Destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine’s Donbas, by Thane Gustafson open.substack.com/pub/thanegusta…

Tempered or Distempered? The Saga of Russian Steel, 1990-2024: From Reform and Expansion to Isolation. Thane Gustafson open.substack.com/pub/thanegusta…

Don't miss the terrific podcast by Steven Harris in the Wilson Center's Russia File, on Russian civil aviation. Among many fun facts: What do you call the regional airlines that came out of the break-up of Aeroflot in 1992? Why, "Baby-flots," of course. #Russia

Be sure to read Tatiana Rybakova's excellent article on the widening attack on private property rights in Russia, including private housing. russiapost.info/economy/proper…

It's fascinating how many Chinese e-commerce merchants are selling to Russia via Ozon (seller.ozon.com) and Wildberries. See a great article in the FT by William Langley on December 16. The only problem is getting paid. The solution? Set up a local store in Russia...

Don't miss Stanley Reed's great story in the New York Times on whether Western energy companies will return to Russia: "Russia Is Wooing Western Energy Companies, but Will They Return?" February 27 2025

We built a database of the Russian shadow fleet. The US in January sanctioned many ships. Activity in those vessels is down 85% (blue). Some shadow fleet ships are sanctioned jointly by the US, EU and UK (green). Activity for those is down 93%. Sanctions work! With Ben Harris

Following up on Tatiana Rybakova's excellent article (posted earlier), see the FT on the ongoing wave of nationalizations: