Is it a Bank Run? (UPDATED)

 

It certainly looks like there is a high demand for currency withdrawal, but maybe I'm just band wagoning. You could certainly see where the ruble could be in danger of being further devalued. They had been keeping heir interest rate steady--but will they continue to? And what about the rumor (only a rumor, I'm sure) that Russian depositors will see their savings converted to government bonds?

All I know is what I see on Twitter, and it would be very irresponsible for rumors that Russia's economy is about to pancake to widely and loosely spread. I think it would, however, be quite a story if a country that used propaganda about tightening energy supplies and rising costs in an attempt to weaken the resolve of their European neighbors who back Ukraine found itself in a vise between money-supply and buggered credit--

Meaning that Russians would have trouble paying to feed and heat themselves this winter as well.

UPDATE: You know, we can make jokes about Russia, like how so many oligarchs are falling out of windows that the new national anthem should be "It's Raining Men", but it isn't really funny when Dmitry Medvedev gets on Elon Musk's Twitter site to troll us with risible 2023 "predictions":

While making predictions for the forthcoming year, Medvedev further stated that Civil war will break out in the US, California as a result of which Texas will become an independent state.

He also added that Elon Musk will win the presidential election in a number of states, after the new Civil War end. Currently, Musk has been facing some criticism for major policy changes on the social media platform.

Taking to Twitter, the Russian official tweeted, "Civil war will break out in the US, California. and Texas becoming independent states as a result. Texas and Mexico will form allied states. Elon Musk will win the presidential election in a number of states which, after the new Civil War's end, will have been given to the GOP. All the largest stock markets and financial activity will leave the US and Europe and move to Asia."

It's fun to read about a prediction of US civil war and states seceding. It's a fun thing that Russian trolls promoted during the 2016 campaign.  That Russia has been using social media for influence campaigns against the west shouldn't be new.  But it strikes me as fascinating that steps taken by Twitter in 2020 to tamp down on disinfo are now being undermined by Musk and his pet "journos" as being some kind of overreach on the company's part in the "Twitter files". 

The Republicans who want to ignore what Trump calls "Russia, Russia, Russia" don't seem to be putting together that Ukraine, this war, and undermining the West's ability to stop Russian expansion is something they have been supporting and benefitting from.  Why else has Russia been trying to stuff money into the GOP anyway they can? 

The ones who actively have become Russian mouthpieces themselves (Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz) don't even seem to be ignoring it--they are onboard. How "America First" is that? 

I see support for Ukraine and opposition to Russia as being not just about European national security, but that of the US as well. 

And yes, I am rooting for a Russian collapse.