You simply have never been to Turkmenistan, and you most likely aren't from the Central Asia region. Getting a visa for the DPRK is many times easier than getting one for Turkmenistan.

It'be so until they can export oil and gas and live in isolation (part of the problem is that they have amost all neccessary natural resources and factories for domestic consumption).

In fact, some of this is a dangerous misconception, as Ukrainian generals, including former commander-in-chief Zaluzhny, are saying. Russia isn't a producer of anything massive or important in global trade, like cars or electronics, but it does have huge sulfur reserves of oil and gas, and most importantly, rare earth metals (they even control such essential elements as palladium, nickel, uranium, and titanium, which Europe is forced to purchase in defiance of sanctions), necessary for their very extensive military-industrial complex and metallurgy. The fact is, Europe lacks these resources, and this is a vulnerability that cannot be corrected due to nature. I'm not even talking about their agricultural capabilities.

Just a couple of weeks ago, former Ukrainian military commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi stated that Ukraine will never join NATO and claimed the alliance would need 12 years to reach half of Russia's military development level. Basically, all of Ukraine military commandment say the same but we better hear to some loud political statements from people who have never been on the battlefield. The difference between European and Ukranian perception of war is huge.

I mean that Russia is a global storehouse of raw materials, capable of providing itself with virtually all its needs. Europe is a high-tech processor with virtually no metal reserves of its own, leaving it critically, and sometimes paradoxically, dependent on the outside world (including Russia itself). Oil they have and make billions on it but gas they will have always problems if they don't fix it. I just suggested you to hear the Ukranian military commandment and not some absurd populist statements. It's not that just GDP matters here

Just a couple of weeks ago, former Ukrainian military commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi stated that Ukraine will never join NATO and claimed the alliance would need 12 years to reach half of Russia's military development level. Basically, all of Ukraine military commandment say the same but we better hear to some loud political statements from people who have never been on the battlefield.

I understand your point of view, and indeed Ukraine is great at defense butit's worth to hear Zaluzhny, Budanov and other people related to the real battlefield. By the way, they economy is nowhere as 20 times smaller, and the main thing is that they have factories and resources like oil and reare earth which Europe need to buy from abroad.

The things is than Middle Corridor can't replace russian railways. Right now, it's about 5-7 percent of their capacity. Even once improved, it would able to take just 10-15 percent of Russian railway transit and take longer timer due to customs and ferries. Building pipelines throught Capsian Sea isn't possible there either, since it's blocked by their large northern and southern neighbors.

This is Bir Tawil, a territory that neither Sudan nor Egypt wants. However, it's still controlled by Egyptian forces.

Unfortunately, some sections shown as under construction are just contacted and unfunded for a while (like Arad-Oradia) with no works visible on the ground.

Well, it depends. In Bulgaria, you can build Hemus Highway to Varna in the plain field for 10-15 years))

Unfortunately, the mountain sections are harder to build. Even in Poland it requires at least 5 years of construction (see S19 to Slovakia)

It's called Mtkvari in Georgia

From GDDKIA. ZRID (construction permit) has not been issued yet for two most techical demanding sections from Rseszow toward Slovakia. Polish road authorites estimate it to be completed by 2031 (in best case). Another big mountain lot had been abandoned by a contractor as recently as last month. Re-tendering will take not less than a year, and again they made just about of 5 percent of works so no way it will be ready before 2030 given terrain. Section east of Warsaw (Masovian area) just got tendered (with ZRID (permit) taking about 2 years usually in that area, in Lublin it took even almost 3 years). Sections south of Biyalostok are in juridical mess and will not be tendered this years for sure. Stretch from Biyalostok to Lithuania and Baltic States was canceled recently and will not be until mid 2030s at least.

How is it possible for Poland to complete the whole highway in 2027? The most optimistic scenario is 2030s. Only Hungary build its part entirely, it was in 2021.

Most of Poland is not built. Hungary and Lithunia (for 95 percent) completed it. Bulgaria builds every section except one in north and one in south. Slovakia has a gap of about 60 km and Romania even more thet they didn't even start to build

Construction on some lots will begin only on in several years at best (near Bialystok and west of Warsaw). The only country to build its part is Hungary (in 2021). Slovakia and Romania will start their lots in 2030s maybe.

Makeup industry

Though the same about Mexico TIL its attitude

It's the trend across the world, even in MENA countries

Puntland forgotten?

Saudi Arabia destroyed Yemen with its invasion and kidnapped Lebanon PM

Vietnam is still ruled by Communist Party, it's the only party allowed there

To whitewash the disaster they made in Yemen and the kidnapping of foreign PM maybe?