Background

NEWS

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More Grain, Less Money: moscow Is Caught in the Trap of Its Own Harvest

Domestic grain stocks have already reached 25 million tons – a direct consequence of previous “record-breaking” seasons and weak exports. The global market is oversaturated. Egypt and Turkey – traditional buyers – are cutting back on purchases.
5/15/2026
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russian Capital Is Fleeing Abroad En Masse

russian entrepreneurs are rapidly losing confidence in the domestic economy and are looking for any loopholes to save their assets. The federal tax service (fts) of the rf has recorded an abnormal increase in the number of fictitious loans to foreign companies, which are being issued en masse by russian enterprises with negative equity. The number of such transactions has jumped by 70%.
5/15/2026
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We Are Preparing Steps that Can Intensify Our Joint Counteraction; Sanctions Must Be More Painful for Russia – Address by the President

Today, at the Staff meeting, together with our military, the Ministers of Defense and Energy, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, and representatives of the special services, we also analyzed the response to this two-day attack. First, the level of our air defense and, accordingly, the interception rate is quite high. For drones, it is 93 percent.
5/14/2026
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Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

Oil production in russia in April amounted to only 8.83 million barrels per day – by 130,000 fewer than in March and by 460,000 fewer than in April 2025. russia has not been producing this little since May–July 2020.
5/14/2026
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russian Recession Is Dragging belarus to the Bottom

Since belarus is firmly tied to the russian market, it is experiencing the crisis alongside its neighbor – and has no choice but to follow suit. The ambitious five-year plan for 15% growth now seems like a fantasy. Instead, the country faces the threat of stagflation: the economy is shrinking, while prices are rising.
5/14/2026
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russians May Lose a Lot of Money on Bonds

The trend toward rising defaults in the rf is intensifying: in the first quarter of 2026 alone, 11 bankruptcies were recorded among companies that had issued bonds. By comparison, there were just as many defaults in all of 2024, while in 2025, the number had already reached 24.
5/14/2026
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Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

By the end of 2029, russians’ total spending on utilities will increase by 35.7%.
5/13/2026
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russia’s Budget Deficit Has Already Exceeded Its Liquid Reserves

In the first four months of 2026, the rf’s budget deficit reached $78.4 billion – that is 2.5% of GDP and nearly double the figure for the same period last year. For comparison: moscow had projected a deficit of $50.5 billion for all of 2026. By April, the annual target had already been exceeded by a wide margin.
5/13/2026
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New Mobilization Will Finish off russia’s Economy

While after the mobilization in 2022, some of the emigrants returned to the rf, this time highly qualified specialists may leave the country for good, dealing an even heavier blow to the economy.
5/13/2026
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Ukraine’s Positions Right Now on the Frontline, in Our Long-Range Sanctions, and in Our Joint Results with Partners Are the Strongest They Have Been in Years – Address by the President

We are steadily advancing the issue of anti-ballistic capabilities production in Europe – we are forming an anti-ballistic coalition. This is something worth doing, and right now we are closer to a result than ever before. Thirteen countries and the Office of the NATO Secretary General were represented at today’s meeting on anti-ballistic solutions.
5/12/2026
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Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

russian employers have begun laying off workers more frequently amid a deteriorating economic situation. In 2025, 25% of companies carried out layoffs, compared to 10% in 2023. At this, employers are increasingly trying to persuade employees to resign “voluntarily” or through mutual agreement without offering substantial compensation.
5/12/2026
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russia Is Concealing a New Outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Authorities in the kuzbass have secretly culled about 4,000 dairy cows at the “vaganovo” JSC dairy complex. The official explanation: nodular dermatitis, a condition that is treatable with antibiotics and does not typically require mass culling. But farmers think otherwise.
5/12/2026
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High Oil Prices Won’t Help russia

Against the background of an economic slowdown and a 0.5% drop in GDP in the first quarter, the pro-kremlin “center for macroeconomic analysis and short-term forecasting” issued a memo calling for a revision of the central bank’s mandate: to obligate the regulator to focus not only on inflation but also on the state of the economy as a whole.
5/12/2026
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We Are Doing Our Best So That We Can Produce Enough Anti-Ballistic Missiles Here in Ukraine or Jointly with Partners – Address by the President

We have already reached political arrangements with some countries – contracts with manufacturers will follow, and our military expertise is already yielding results. We will soon sign political agreements with some other countries. We have also begun preparations for such an agreement – the Drone Deal – with Canada. This is a very significant expansion of our security cooperation.
5/11/2026
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Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos believes that the first negotiation cluster for Ukraine in the EU accession process could be opened during Cyprus’s EU presidency (until June 30), with the remaining five to follow in July 2026. The European Commissioner has also supported modernizing the accession system itself, particularly the possibility of candidate countries’ gradual integration into the EU system.
5/11/2026
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In russia, Level of Poverty Is Being Underreported, While Millions Live Paycheck to Paycheck

Officially, the level of poverty is estimated at approximately 6.5% of the population; however, this figure is based on an underestimated subsistence minimum – about 17,000 rubles. At the same time, russians themselves consider the poverty line to be three times higher – about 50,000 rubles per person. This indicates the kremlin’s traditional and significant downplaying of the scale of the problem.
5/11/2026
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russia’s Regional Agony: The War Has Devoured What Sanctions Failed to Destroy

The regional picture varies, but every region has its own reasons for the decline. The volga-vyatka macroregion (home to tatarstan’s “alabuga” and dozens of military plants) is recording the highest inflation rate in the country – 8.2%. The defense industry is driving up wages, and with them – prices for everyone else.
5/11/2026
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The Recruiting State: russia Ties Migrants to the War Through Money

Formally, the government explains the changes as necessary to cover the costs of migration services and increase budget revenues. At the same time, in reality, such a system of benefits and exemptions creates financial incentives for some migrants to consider signing contracts with russian military structures.
5/11/2026
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If the Russians Decide to Return to Full-Scale Warfare, Our Sanctions for This Will Be Immediate and Tangible – Address by the President

Our contacts with the American side regarding guarantees are also ongoing – guarantees for the implementation of the arrangements reached recently and announced by the President of the United States. The prisoner exchange – 1,000 for 1,000 – is being prepared and must take place.
5/10/2026
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moscow Has Handed over the Insurance Market to Beijing

The central bank of the rf has sent a letter to major insurance companies recommending that they reinsure the risks associated with liquefied natural gas shipments to China through Chinese insurance entities.
5/10/2026