[GK3]

Another series of interesting articles on the economic impact of the war on Russia.  I have no idea as to the validity of the conclusions but hope those more educated can comment.
1.https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/russias-war-chest-is-drying-up-how-sanctions-and-oil-prices-bite-into-the-national-wealth-fund-9599
2. https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/the-war...d-ff1658bd
3. https://www.newsweek.com/putin-russia-ec...ef-2092918

Interesting. Their National Wealth Fund has been depleted by 74% since the start of the war.

This is a "good news, bad news" situation. Sanctions have bitten deeply into the Russian government's finances, and even more importantly into their cash reserves. When the National Wealth Fund is exhausted they will have to borrow even more money to keep fighting, and lots of that money needs to "work" for foreign purchases. The bad news is that at the current rate that doesn't happen for 2.65 years. Seems improbable it will actually matter to the war in Ukraine.

Completely agree that the 2.65 years may be a bridge too far for Ukraine. 

There is also an immense amount of information out there now regarding Ukraine, Taiwan, China, Russia, NATO and the military budgets of the various potential participants. Lacking any access to classified info now days, what is true and what isn't is hard to identify

FWLIW, here are some of the articles I found interesting and thought provoking. The reader has to make up his or her own mind on the subject.

1. Best described as maybe "What is Happening in the Pentagon": https://breakingdefense.com/tag/defense-budget-2026/
2. An almost certainly biased article, which does not make it wrong, but a heads up. : https://kyivindependent.com/german-lawma...s-06-2025/.
3. https://www.gmfus.org/news/germanys-defe...ally-right

The Russian War Chest has not yet dried up, but it is drying up.  At the same time it appears NATO is strengthening its forces. Does Russia want to go to war when its ability to economically support its operations are drying up? If NATO countries continue their current path towards larger, strong forces, Russia is left with lesser forces and with only Nuclear Weapons as a back up. How a conflict in the Taiwan Straits would affect all of this is unknown.

[GK3]

Another series of interesting articles on the economic impact of the war on Russia.  I have no idea as to the validity of the conclusions but hope those more educated can comment.
1.https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/russias-war-chest-is-drying-up-how-sanctions-and-oil-prices-bite-into-the-national-wealth-fund-9599
2. https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/the-war...d-ff1658bd
3. https://www.newsweek.com/putin-russia-ec...ef-2092918

Interesting. Their National Wealth Fund has been depleted by 74% since the start of the war.

This is a "good news, bad news" situation. Sanctions have bitten deeply into the Russian government's finances, and even more importantly into their cash reserves. When the National Wealth Fund is exhausted they will have to borrow even more money to keep fighting, and lots of that money needs to "work" for foreign purchases. The bad news is that at the current rate that doesn't happen for 2.65 years. Seems improbable it will actually matter to the war in Ukraine.

Completely agree that the 2.65 years may be a bridge too far for Ukraine. 

There is also an immense amount of information out there now regarding Ukraine, Taiwan, China, Russia, NATO and the military budgets of the various potential participants. Lacking any access to classified info now days, what is true and what isn't is hard to identify

FWLIW, here are some of the articles I found interesting and thought provoking. The reader has to make up his or her own mind on the subject.

1. Best described as maybe "What is Happening in the Pentagon": https://breakingdefense.com/tag/defense-budget-2026/
2. An almost certainly biased article, which does not make it wrong, but a heads up. : https://kyivindependent.com/german-lawma...s-06-2025/.
3. https://www.gmfus.org/news/germanys-defe...ally-right

The Russian War Chest has not yet dried up, but it is drying up.  At the same time it appears NATO is strengthening its forces. Does Russia want to go to war when its ability to economically support its operations are drying up? If NATO countries continue their current path towards larger, strong forces, Russia is left with lesser forces and with only Nuclear Weapons as a back up. How a conflict in the Taiwan Straits would affect all of this is unknown.