Sergei Obukhov, deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation:
— Our scientists, thank God, refute all apocalyptic forecasts. But the Western man in the street was completely intimidated by these horror stories. 89 percent of people in the world are afraid of losing their jobs, 74 percent of inflation and 76 percent of nuclear war and climate crisis. Meanwhile, ice in the Arctic has exceeded a 25-year maximum. So we have to live and live until the ice age!
16% is still not insignificant.
Also, as I said, you’re not only selling oil, gas and coal - you are using it to fuel your own industry. Remember that one time time in 1992-1993, after the USSR was dissolved, when coal miners stopped working because their salaries hadn’t been paid and they were starving? It tanked the remaining industry to a halt.