DISINFO: The de-industrialised West cannot challenge the largerst industrial powers Russia and China
SUMMARY
The conflict in Ukraine has revealed a great weakness of the West towards Russia, which is the lack of industry. Such weapon producers as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon got rich from the conflict, but they were mostly depleting their stockpiles. In fact, it is much easier for the non-industrialised Western economies to talk than to actually produce new weapons, ammunition and equipment. Meanwhile, the West is shifting to “green energy” in order to counter the world’s two largest industrial powers - Russia and China.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the alleged collapse of the EU and US economies, this time because “de-industrialisation". Pro-Kremlin outlets often portray China and Russia as actors with superior economies in comparison to the “declining” West.
The EU and US continue to be the largest global economies having advanced industry, technological and scientific resources. The US and EU defence industry is the largest arms producer in the world.
Meanwhile, Russia cannot be perceived as the “largest industrial power in the World” as its share of global GDP is less than 1.78% (and it keeps reducing). The fundament of the Russian economy is commodities (oil, gas, coal, timber, grain) – during the recent three decades, Russia faced de-industrialisation. This, however, does not mean that the Russian economy is unable to produce weapons and equipment for its agression against Ukraine but it does so in an economic climate of dwindling technology investments and shrinking global connection of its economy. Russia has for decades been dependent on technology investments from Western companies and access to westen markets both of which has now reduced significantly, leaving the Russian economy heavily dependent on China.
See other messages promoting similar claims: Sanctions cause de-industrialisation of Europe, Germany is quietly turning into a state of beggars, and The West wanted to destroy the Russian economy but instead destroyed the economies of the EU and US.
This disinformation claim was broadcast on the date mentioned above. Due to the EU decisions to temporarily restrict the spread and dissemination of RT, Sputnik and other instruments used to manipulate information and promote disinformation about the invasion of Ukraine inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU.