Russia went for easy made hardware, ideas and goods including foods, in the past, since at that point in time it was less demanding to purchase something off the Western rack, than restart a whole mechanical, industrial, social, agricultural and whatnot divisions, which is and are costly both in money and manpower. Costly in money, but more costly to society when you go the easy way in life. And or the western way, should we say?
It was all part of the Western attempted takeover after the Soviet Union collapsed…
Therefore, the aggregation of sanctions have constrained the Russians to retool themselves (within all aspects) by means of their possessed skills and know-how. The abilities have always been there, the Soviet infrastructure was still around, just a kick in the butt needed for a inherently (but motivate-able) lazy society…
And as the revitalization of Russian agrarian segment after a Medvedev jump-start, more and more critical segments are blooming again, all over Russia. Mostly due to the Soviet past, which was so much more advanced than the West will ever admit…
WtR