Custer County, Nebraska | While there is a lot that could be written about the whole affair (and most likely belong in the boiler room), I hope more are paying attention to the financial aspects of it as well. Russia has already made threats to the dollar, and from my perspective and readings, our sanctions might be helping them. Western banks are proving to be unsafe for Russian accounts. Whether it is bank bail-ins like Cyprus or the levying of sanctions by foreign nations, those account holders can see the writing on the wall.... get your money out or it will be frozen. Now the question is where will that money return to? I can't help but believe Putin is smiling. If that money returns to Russia there could be powerful financial aspects with it as well. Perhaps increased revenue in taxes, maybe local economic development with the returning funds, perhaps just old fashioned grift and extortion that will prove to be a lesser loss. Russia isn't typically capital friendly with corruption writ large, but anticipating or influencing the actions of one government is much easier than a consortium of governments whom are targeting the finances of Russian corporations and citizens. |