Russian Tube Preamp, No Return, Here I go again

There are NO delay on custom check on export from Russia, never. It takes a few minutes, just scan of the parcel, nothing else.
Import duties are important, not export. So when US custom inspect imported parcel there can be a delay, but only for 3-7 days.

Before covid delivery from Russia took only 7-14 days worldwide with the cheapest registered mail. After covid same service will take 2-3 month and it’s all over the world with all international postal service. 
EMS (Express Mail Service) from Russia before covid was so quick, normally 3-5 days worldwide, now up to 1 month. 

Good point about cheap parts. It is a given nowadays, however, that most electronic parts in gear from all countries have majority origin in China sadly, yet some are better than others and implementation is key.

No one in Japan will use Chinese parts in their tube amps design. I got Japanese amp myself (Yamamoto A-08s). 
But I’ve seen clones of everything in Russia, they steal design of phono stages, amps, whatever. It’s a Russian tradition since the Soviet days, original designers never get their royalties. Same happened with foreign musicians who’s records bootleged in USSR by local pressing plant and sold in million copies. 

In support of what Chak says about expedited shipping, I have purchased various capacitors from Russian vendors on eBay.  The shipping time is very short, sometimes as little as 4-5 days.  Much faster than buying from Canada, most of the time.  I stopped using one Canadian parts supplier because customs was so slow.

My experience on many shipments has been 1 to 7 days outbound from Russia and 1 to 5 days inbound usa, in addition to actual mail time. These steps are spelled out in ems tracking.

Japan is no doubt the high mark of modern audio manufacturing. Lets take speakers as an example: where are the Fostex parts made? The Berylium in TAD? The basket for literally all cone speakers?

Now about capacitors and resistors. Maybe a few topline examples are assembled in Japan (or UK etc.) Even then the raw materials?

I am not saying I like it. It is just how things changed over the last 20 years.