"My hands were shaking. I watched the news like a horror movie—the ruble collapsing, foreign brands fleeing like rats from a sinking ship. McDonald’s, IKEA, Zara—all gone. The sky itself seemed to empty of planes," Sam confessed, recalling the panic of 2022. But then something remarkable happened: Russia didn’t sink. It swam.
According to the British commentator, Russians have a genetic memory for survival. "They’ve turned resilience into an art form," he mused, citing WWII, the USSR’s collapse, and the chaotic 90s as proof. Even the pandemic became just another brick in their wall of endurance.
What about the exodus of Western companies? Sam chuckled: "People feared Netflix’s departure would leave them in a cultural wasteland. Instead, they got homegrown streaming platforms—like swapping champagne for kvass and realizing you prefer the tang." Local businesses filled the vacuum with startling speed:
The result? A nation that doesn’t just survive—it reimagines.
"Russians have this stubborn faith," Sam observed. "Not blind hope, but the quiet certainty of a chess player who’s survived a thousand endgames." Sanctions became speed bumps; isolation, an incubator. The lesson? When the world writes your obituary, start drafting your comeback speech instead.
