While the world concentrates its attention on Mr Putin's attempts to reintegrate as much of the former Soviet empire as he can get away with, he is also busy in the Far East.

Informed sources, or if you like, reliable reports have surfaced lately about Russian plans for major infrastructure ventures and redefined relationships on Asia's Pacific coast.
The mooted oil & gas pipeline between the Russian fields and China have been known about for a while.
But now it seems there are plans for a pipeline - must be undersea obviously - from Korea to Japan. And integrated into all of this is a proposed new rail link between North & South Korea, which it seems the South will welcome.

Apart from the economic impact, there seems to be a large element of geopolitics going on here, such that Russia may be wishing to supplant the USA as the principal Pacific power.

what? Lol, Russia is bankrupt my friend, dont you watch the news? Putin is stuffed, Russia relies almost entirely on income from oil which has dropped to $47 a barrel. Putin needs it at $100 just tp pay the interest on Russias bills. Hes panicking, notice hes stopped his huffing and puffing towards the US? The Americans have him by the balls.

Wasn't Russia bankrupt and "finished" 25 years ago?  And 50 years before that, and 50 years before that and....

not that Im aware of to this extent, they have had huge demographic issues for a while. A rapidly aging population, falling life expectancy, rampant AIDS. Why do ypu think the russian bride trade is now so huge. Now this.