Grudging admission in the fervidly anti-Putin partly foreign owned Moscow Times.
There is actually a lot more to say about this subject. For example Russia's Yandex has now bought up Uber's Russia franchise.
Russia is the only country I know of which has a comprehensive range of tech platforms which both duplicate and successfully compete with US platforms. Japan has some platforms but not the whole range of platforms that Russia does. China of course does have a comprehensive range of platforms, but they do not have to compete with US platforms within China because of the effect of China's Great Firewall. The Russians by contrast are methodically and successfully building up their platforms whilst still allowing Russian consumers in Russia itself to access US platforms.
Of course Russian tech companies (as Moscow Times says) are getting massive help from the Kremlin, which includes a great deal of arms twisting, but still, it is interesting that they are proving so successful on their home market, and shows that they must be delivering a good and even superior product.
The Russian effort is also backed by hardware, and this side the Moscow Times article does not discuss at all. Partly that is because the Russians are very cagey talking about this aspect. However one senses that this has increased on a big scale, with the Russian military and Russian government institutions apparently using Russian made hardware which uses exclusively Russian chips.
Much to say about that with Rostec - the giant state own conglomerate, which some are increasingly comparing to Samsung, and which runs Russia's MIC - playing the central role, but that is for another day.
Of course it all began when the US began its sanctions war, and started to use its tech companies as instruments of policy, but that too is for another day.
EU, Russian travel ban regime change. Ukraine stops oil supply to EU, Hungary intervenes. Update 2
Topic 652
Russia - Turkey trade deal causes collective west panic
The Duran: Episode 1352
The Duran: Episode 961
France's Marine Le Pen Acquitted in Case Over Violating Hate Speech Laws
https://sputniknews.com/europe/202105041082797685-frances-marine-le-pen-acquitted-in-case-over-violating-hate-speech-laws/
Follow Robert Barnes at:
https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/
I have had to go to Athens to sort out some family business, though I will be there for only a few days.
Unfortunately this means that I will not be able to do my Locals Live Stream this Wednesday.
This will be the second such Live Stream I have not been able to do over the last 3 weeks. My big apologies for this to the Community, but I will be back in London next week, and the Live Streams will resume as normal next Wednesday.
However there is one big plus to my trip to Athens. I will be meeting and working together in person with Alex Christoforou - something we have not been able to do for years - since 2019!
In the meantime, thanks to everyone for their continuing support, and my grateful thanks and greetings to the member of our Community I met by chance on the flight to Athens.