"Gucci" for Pennies - A Russian woman insists: I only buy fakes now

China is stepping into the vacancy left by Western companies, forging increasingly closer ties with Russia. Recently, Russian products sourced from China have become a favorite subject of boasting among propagandists.

In retaliation to Russia's unlawful military invasion of Ukraine, Western countries embarked on a mission to isolate the Kremlin on the international stage. They implemented multiple sanction packages designed to constrain Western businesses from profiting in the Russian Federation. This situation left Vladimir Putin with no option but to strengthen relations with China.

At a recent event in Beijing, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov predicted that the trade turnover between Russia and China would exceed $200 billion by year-end - a milestone initially aimed for 2024. By 2030, this figure is anticipated to reach $300 billion.

Russian propaganda discourages purchasing European items and promotes the shift towards Chinese substitutes as well. Margarita Simonyan, the chief of Kremlin-controlled RT, appeared on Vladimir Solovyov's program lauding counterfeit products.

I bagged three pairs of "Gucci" shoes for a mere 2000 rubles (around 27 dollars). They're fabulous. Presumably, they were made somewhere in China. Now, I primarily only buy fakes. It's like buying a ticket from the conductor and then walking - she explains.

We recently secured an absolutely fantastic Chinese car. It's extraordinary how it was significantly cheaper than those usually bought from Germany - the Russian woman explains.

On a notable note, exports from China to the Russian Federation over the past 10 months have risen by 52.2% to approximately $90 billion. Imports of goods from Russia to China grew by 12.4% to $106.4 billion. The Xi regime primarily imports crude oil, natural gas, coal, copper and copper ores, wood fuel, and seafood.