What’s something admirable about 21st Century Russia?

That they pulled themselves out of the nosedive of the 1990s when they were economically dismembered by the West under Boris Yeltsin. (See photo) And now, with the aid of Western sanctions, they are purging their political system of the powerful, Western-linked, billionaire oligarchs, something the West has been unable to do in their own politics.

Something else admirable? That Russia have challenged the worldwide supremacy of the dollar and helped break the petrodollar monopoly in the oil market that has held sway for decades. Oh, one more thing. Let’s thank Russia for propping up the European economy for years and keeping Europe’s homes warm and cozy with cheap, readily available oil and gas.