Golman tells Russians to stockpile salt and dig potatoes

Golman tells Russians to stockpile salt and dig potatoes

Russian geopolitical analyst Golman, known for his unfiltered commentary, has issued a series of recommendations that have spread like wildfire among the Russian population: stockpile salt, matches, canned food and, above all, start digging potatoes. This is no urban gardening manual: it is the chronicle of a country bracing for the worst.

A "spectacular" autumn that smells of crisis

Golman, an analyst who has been warning of a systemic collapse for months, is calling on ordinary Russians to get ready for a turbulent autumn. His shopping list sounds like the aftermath of war: non-perishable staples, rudimentary kitchen utensils and, mind you, potatoes. Advice like this is not new in Russia, but Golman's insistence on digging potatoes – an age-old survival task – underlines just how alarmed he is.

The recommendation has drawn everything from grimaces to serious debate. On social media, the joke about breeding hamsters as a protein source has been doing the rounds, a sarcastic reference to an old Russian propaganda video in which freezing Europeans ate a hamster at Christmas because of the gas cut-off. But Golman is not joking: his advice is pragmatic. In his view, when everything else fails, the carbohydrates provided by potatoes are the safety net.

The shadow of war and sanctions

Although the Kremlin maintains a rhetoric of normality, the Russian economy is showing mounting signs of strain. Western sanctions, rising military spending and inflation have led many to wonder whether a harsh winter could get even harsher without basic supplies. Golman is not the only one sounding the alarm: other independent analysts are also recommending building up reserves, though none with this adviser's level of detail.

Curiously, his warnings are not limited to Russians. In Tenerife, the home island of the user who translated the message, a banana tree and a beach bar seem like a good enough alternative. But for most of the country, the vegetable patch and the pantry are once again becoming the refuge.

Reality or alarmism?

It is easy to dismiss Golman as a doom-monger. Still, forewarned is forearmed. Russia has already lived through winters of scarcity, and the historical memory – of grandparents who kept salt and matches – has not faded. The real test will come in the autumn: if supermarket shelves start emptying, Golman's advice will have gone from being a curiosity to a prophecy. For now, anyone with a vegetable garden had better look after it.