We agree over China but I could not disagree more over Russia . They have no obvious financial weakness and because they are self reliant from natural resources, the present currency exchange situation is barely noticed --- a weaker rouble means easier entrance to new markets and increased competitiveness in existing ones. Recent figures show that sanctions have not prevented growth and there are more countries wanting their exports than those refusing them . Because everything is buoyant or better I suspect they allowed the Aeroflot situation to happen because it is just a simple capital cost write- off due to sanctions -- one of the very few difficult areas for Moscow . In miltary terms Russia is long way ahead , because they have been planning and preparing for at least a decade and because nobody has any possible answer to their Hyper Missiles . It could take the US up to a decade just to catch-up to the present Russian position . Finally, if it ever came to nuclear activity, Russia is much better placed in terms of recovery --- they have a geograhical natural advantage but they have been building shelters on a massive scale for more than a decade Shelters for many millions .Possibly tens of millions . I would be amazed if Russia wanted extra territoty -- Finland and the Baltic States -- other than for reasons of convenience . The Russian problem has nothing to do with expansion , it has everything to do with increasing population by at least 100 million -- the biggest land mass has only 140 million officially though many think that figure is exaggerated and is actually around 110 million . Believe me, the Bear is hugely strong and the Putins in Russia remember exactly whom the CIA worked with to rape them of their wealth in the nineties .In contrast , the US , IMF and EU are now broke , without military reserves and Nazi Kyiv is literally going under now for the third time .