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Last Day of IKEA in Moscow

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21–30 of 323 posts

Re: Last Day of IKEA in Moscow

#21
post #5

They say every crisis is an opportunity. This could be a great opportunity for Russian owned brands to establish themselves and thrive later when the crisis is hopefully resolved.

Unfortunately (and I mean it) there is barely any precedent for a regime like this turning around and the economy improving. In terms of economy, it's probably going to be downhill from here, companies will enter survival mode and innovation will be minimized. I really hope I'm wrong though :(

examples: Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, ...

Re: Last Day of IKEA in Moscow

#22

I admire that Russians seems to be able to accept their fate and hope for a better future. I'm afraid this same scenario in a large American city would be pandemonium.

They have not accepted their fate, at all. They just have no easy way to cheat that fate without getting arrested or imprisoned.

Re: Last Day of IKEA in Moscow

#23
post #4

Wondering out loud: Maybe a lot of these international brands exiting is more useful than some of the other sanctions. It hits the more wealthy, who lose a sense of status and feel left out of the world. That can't be good for Putin who is seeking glory.

The exit of the brands are directly due to the sanctions.

I'm sure the PR hit they'd take from continuing to do business is a factor, but I don't think this many large int'l companies would have reacted this quickly to just PR hits.

All international companies really, really, really, really like to get paid for the goods and services they provide. After sanctions that becomes difficult to impossible to do in Russia.

I think their thought process is:

Best case scenario they get paid in rubles which have gone down in value and are likely to go down further or at the very least be very volatile.

Worst case scenario they get $0 USD for their goods and services as they can't get the money out... and they are slapped with further sanctions.

Re: Last Day of IKEA in Moscow

#24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't like getting into politics, but I believe the current situation is temporary, either will end up with a major political change in Russia or with a new cold war. Whichever the case for the local economy its like hitting the reset button.

Putin is 69 in a country where average age at death is 73. So the most likely scenario is that the status quo remains until he passes away. At which point there would be an opportunity for a clean reset in relations.

I was born in aoviet union and live in baltics. Believe me - there is whole kgb system. Once putin is dead - there will be someone similar.

Re: Last Day of IKEA in Moscow

#25
post #20

What I'm curious about all the sanctions is what if Russia changes? Say Putin quits or is killed and the replacement withdraws from Ukraine. Are we back on again?

The sanctions will likely ease. Back to normal? The reason Europe reacted is not so much in defense of the Ukrainian democracy (though there is also that), but because Russia became a direct threat to European states (Baltic states, Poland, Czech Republic, etc), and therefore had to be stopped in Ukraine. It may take a while before Russia is not deemed a threat anymore.

Re: Last Day of IKEA in Moscow

#26
post #20

What I'm curious about all the sanctions is what if Russia changes? Say Putin quits or is killed and the replacement withdraws from Ukraine. Are we back on again?

Yes, well depending on the new regime. But that seems extremely unlikely? Let's say Putin announces victory and that he is stepping back. Would anyone trust he is not pulling the strings anymore?

Re: Last Day of IKEA in Moscow

#28
post #5

They say every crisis is an opportunity. This could be a great opportunity for Russian owned brands to establish themselves and thrive later when the crisis is hopefully resolved.

Anta is doing exactly this. With major labels refusing to use Xinjiang cotton, Anta has said they have no problem with it and are building an empire based on forced labor.

Re: Last Day of IKEA in Moscow

#29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/russia-h... By the way, the elimination of Western influence at all levels has been the goal for at least 15 years. It happend much earlier higher up. We're back in 1961. “We cannot negotiate with people who say what's mine is mine and what's yours is negotiable." And frankly said, if the performance of the Russian furniture industry is similar to that of the Russia…

> And frankly said, if the performance of the Russian furniture industry is similar to that of the Russian military, I wouldn' buy a doorstop from them. Russian military doorstops are a dime a dozen right now in Ukraine.

Oh, my God, that 40 miles convoy. A crawling duck, but sadly no Warthogs in sight. It's a shame.

Re: Last Day of IKEA in Moscow

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't like getting into politics, but I believe the current situation is temporary, either will end up with a major political change in Russia or with a new cold war. Whichever the case for the local economy its like hitting the reset button.

Putin is 69 in a country where average age at death is 73. So the most likely scenario is that the status quo remains until he passes away. At which point there would be an opportunity for a clean reset in relations.

Gorbachev is 91 and still alive.
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