1/ Whatever Russian officials thinks they're achieving by hosting far-right influencer @Candace Owens in St Petersburg, it's lost on Russia's warbloggers, who say they're dying of cringe. "They probably even licked the ass of that Yankee scum," one says appreciatively.

2/ 'Belarusian Silovik' observes sarcastically: "American journalist Candace Owens, who attended the SPIEF, posted a photo on X with Russian journalists who surrounded her. Of course, she's a REAL AMERICAN."

3/ 'Pozdnyakov 3.0' wonders what on earth the Russian media is thinking: "American journalist Candace Owens posted a photo on her Twitter account where all the Russian media outlets vied with each other because she's an American, OH MY GOD, FROM AMERICA ITSELF.

4/ "Our idiots continue to embarrass themselves in front of their own people". Alexander Anuchkin writes: "The cringeometer needle fell and lies there, the device itself burned out."

5/ 'UAV developer' wonders: "As I understand it, the SPIEF was created to disgrace Russia in front of the entire world, and not just for domestic consumers? I won't even comment on the quotes, it's a pervasive, all-pervasive tactic."

6/ Meanwhile, Dmitry Konanykhin advises the Russian media: "The best thing state censorship can do now is immediately stop broadcasting elitist opinions 'from the SPIEF field'."

7/ By now, the warblogger community seems to be getting tired of the glossy but insubstantial hype around the SPIEF. 'mgslv' comments: "‘Shown at the SPIEF’, ‘presented at the SPIEF’, ‘announced at the SPIEF’ – fair enough."

8/ "But could they perhaps present a plan at the SPIEF to get us out of the mess we’re all rapidly heading into as a country? If they actually do present one, I’m ready to buy a delegate package, a suit, a tie, and pop along to the presentation."

9/ 'lieb-hussar' lets the SPIEF have it with both barrels: "The filthy SPIEF is a gathering of all sorts of whores (with and without dicks), for some of whom whoring is a profession, and for others, a character trait and a way of life..."

10/ Many contrast the glitz at the SPIEF with the grinding reality and bloodshed of the ongoing war. 'Comrade Artyom' declares: "Those at the top won't wake up. For them, escorts, parties, and other gastrointestinal pleasures are the most important things in life."

11/ "What do they care if the enemy is killing their slaves? The women won't give birth yet; they'll import others from Central Asia."

12/ Roman Saponkov observes that "a large cluster of drone debris fell on St. Petersburg, creating a light haze near the oil terminal in the south of the city."

13/ "Those arriving for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) were genuinely surprised as they looked out the window of their business jets: "It's like a war is going on!"

14/ 'Combat Reserve' likewise contrasts the frivolities of the SPIEF with the reality of the war:

15/ "The SPIEF is a necessary and significant regular event that attracts a huge amount of funding. Of course, they could spend it on drones, pay developers of electronic warfare systems, and small air defence systems. But we're not like that. We live differently in Russia.

16/ "We have a different prerogative in life: to throw dust in people's eyes, to rake in the dust, and try to SEEM, NOT BE." Dmitry Konanykhin is also wondering about the sense of priorities on display at the SPIEF:

17/ "Special forces wrote to me asking for help with five helmets. The country's finest warriors are forced to beg to defend their homeland.

18/ "And I watch the endlessly vulgar vanity fair of the SPIEF and wonder if all is well with the honor of those fashionable men in blue suits who, accompanied by expensive prostitutes, will fill social media with photos of their successes and the signing of strategic agreements?

19/ "And eat dinners that cost as much as a special forces helmet and party at parties that cost as much as a breach in the Mala Tokmachka defences. These are extraordinary times." /end

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