Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is attempting to reassure the Russian population amid growing concerns about the country’s economy. During a meeting on economic issues, Putin announced that social payments and benefits in Russia would be indexed to the actual inflation rate of 9.5%. However, this indexation falls far short of keeping up with the rapid…

Russian media report on widespread layoffs at major state-owned enterprises in Russia. Following Gazprom, layoffs have now begun at Sberbank, the country’s largest financial institution. Reports indicate that four of Sberbank’s subsidiaries started downsizing in December under the pretext of “budgetary savings and orders from above.” IT specialists have been targeted, with plans to cut…

Following the fuel oil spill in the Black Sea, there has been a significant wave of cancellations for children’s vacation trips to resorts in Anapa, Russia. About a quarter of the bookings for children’s summer camps have already been canceled, and companies that purchased packages for their employees are now demanding refunds. People are increasingly…

Russia ends its third consecutive year with a budget deficit. By the end of 2024, the Russian Ministry of Finance reported a budget shortfall of nearly 3.5 trillion rubles (approximately 35 billion US dollars) – the largest deficit recorded during the full-scale war against Ukraine. To address this, the Russian Ministry of Finance plans to…

RT propagandists boast about receiving an award from Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin for their war propaganda videos. The authors of the videos were recognized for “defending Russia’s interests in the information warfare.” Some of these videos were created as “social advertising” aimed at destabilizing Ukrainian society. With these well-produced, Ukrainian-dubbed materials, the enemy promotes…

For almost three years of full-scale war against Ukraine, the Russian National Welfare Fund has shrunk by two-thirds. At the start of 2022, the fund held $133.5 billion of “free money.” Now, it’s down to just $37.5 billion—the lowest level since the fund was created in 2008. The Russian government used this fund to assure…

Alexei Zhuravlev, a member of the Russian State Duma, said that “the entire male population of Russia” must be prepared for mobilization for a major confrontation with the collective West.” Such statements are far from isolated. Russian propaganda continues to deliberately fuel hatred toward the West and democratic nations, while the authorities actively militarize society….

The leading Russian truck manufacturer, KAMAZ, has been pushed out of first place in the Russian market by the Chinese company Sitrak. ▫️ KAMAZ’s market share in Russia has dropped to 18%, while the combined market share of all Chinese manufacturers has risen to 60%. After the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, U.S….

A Chinese company is ready to purchase the bankrupt Russian Inskoye coal mine. ▫️ The fate of the Inskoye mine highlights the broader challenges facing Russia’s coal industry, brought on by the war against Ukraine and sanctions. With the loss of Western markets and declining domestic demand, the coal sector has struggled to fully pivot…

Russian hospitals and clinics will prioritize providing medical care and rehabilitation to participants in the war against Ukraine, according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. This indicates that the capacity of military hospitals in Russia is no longer sufficient to provide the necessary medical care to all war wounded occurpiers. Despite Russian propaganda continuing…

Russian media have reported that the management of Gazprom, a major Russian company, is considering downsizing its central office staff by nearly half in an effort to cut costs. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Gazprom consistently reported significant annual profits. However, sanctions imposed in 2022 have dramatically changed the situation. Over the past two…