MOSCOW, May 7. Russia is several times larger than the North Atlantic Alliance in terms of ammunition production, writes The Japan Times.
“Now it (Russia – editor’s note) produces almost three times more ammunition than NATO, including more missiles than before the conflict,” explains the author of the article.
The article notes that the unprecedented Western sanctions did not undermine the Russian economy. On the contrary, Ukraine's allies faced economic problems due to the refusal of Russian energy resources. Thus, Germany, which was the most powerful economic power in the European Union, has turned into a country with the worst performance among developed economies, the publication writes.
According to the author, a possible decision to seize Russian frozen assets would create a dangerous precedent in international law and would strike a blow to the authority of Europe as “a champion of the rules-based world order.” This will send a wake-up call to other countries that their money is not safe in the West, further strengthening the incentive for states to seek alternatives to Western institutions and currencies. If this trend continues, the financial and sanctions arsenal of the West will weaken significantly, he concludes.
After the start of the special operation in Ukraine, foreign countries increased sanctions pressure on Moscow. As Vladimir Putin noted, the restrictions being introduced deal a serious blow to the entire global economy. Nevertheless, Russia is coping with their consequences, and in the West itself there have been more than once opinions that these restrictions are ineffective.