Putin war economy

Oil slump, debt crisis shake Kremlin ahead of Trump summit

Falling oil revenues, the largest budget deficit in more than three decades, painfully high inflation and interest rates, and a looming debt crisis are stalling Russia’s war economy, creating a tense backdrop for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin ahead of the Alaska summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 14.

14 August 2025, 01:47 PM

Janis Kluge: Western pressure alone won’t cripple Russia’s war machine

As Western nations escalate sanctions against Russia, questions persist about their real impact on the Kremlin’s war economy. To unpack the latest U.S. and EU measures—and whether they can truly hinder Vladimir Putin’s ability to wage war—NV special correspondent Nataliia Rop spoke with Dr. Janis Kluge, deputy head of the Eastern Europe and Eurasia Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP Berlin) and a leading expert on the Russian economy and sanctions policy.

8 August 2025, 04:30 PM

Putin publicly admits economic troubles, says defense spending will be cut

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has acknowledged the country’s deepening economic problems and said defense spending would be reduced amid a downturn and warnings of a possible recession, The Telegraph reported on June 27.

29 June 2025, 11:36 AM

Russia’s budget breaks as Trump’s trade war casts a long shadow

Falling oil prices are squeezing the already slowing economy of aggressor state Russia and threatening to cut its military budget, The Wall Street Journal reported on April 20, analyzing the indirect impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war despite no tariffs targeting Moscow.

20 April 2025, 05:40 PM

Russia’s economy faces deeper struggles despite Putin’s claims - ISW

The Russian government is running an information campaign to create a false perception of economic stability, despite mounting macroeconomic problems exacerbated by war-related expenses, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on Jan. 22.

23 January 2025, 07:58 AM

Moscow residents turn to petty crime amid grocery price hikes – video

Moscow residents are resorting to armed robbery to obtain butter amid a sharp rise in prices, making the product unaffordable for many Russians, according to a post on the Telegram channel ChTD on Oct. 29.

29 October 2024, 06:15 PM

John Kirby on why BRICS poses no real threat to the U.S. and its allies

The U.S. doesn’t view BRICS as a threat to Western alliances, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said , The Economist Times reported on Oct. 22.

23 October 2024, 10:40 AM

Putin war economy