Russia suffered a geopolitical setback following Maduro’s fall. More than that, there are lessons to be drawn from Venezuela shake-up: oil (and gas) cannot save an economy, and the regime can survive without its top man.
According to pro-Russian propaganda, the European economy is collapsing as a result of Russia's decision to close its airspace to commercial flights from countries supporting Ukraine.
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The Trump administration's distancing from the EU, which transpires in the new US national security strategy, could lead to a “rupture” within the Western family. This is a scenario in which the USA would stand to lose enormously, including in the context of the global competition with China. The EU, on the other hand, has the potential to emerge unscathed from such a crisis.
Why have neither the weight of sanctions nor the scale of losses on the battlefield pushed the Kremlin toward compromise.
Behind the façade of resilience lies a system increasingly driven by asset seizures, political loyalty, and the enrichment of a new elite.
Pro-Kremlin propaganda claims that Moldova’s EU accession would collapse the EU economy, conveniently ignoring the fact that Moldova’s economy amounts to just 0.1% of the EU’s.
Hundreds of Belarusian companies support Russia's war effort, supplying it with, among other things, shells, drones, chassis for military vehicles, and components imported from the West.
The budget sends a clear message – Russia is preparing to live, and fight, as a besieged fortress for years to come, even if doing so slowly drains the vitality of its economy and society.
Ukraine faces increasing dependence on Western support. Russia will likely face critical fiscal constraints within 12-24 months. Meanwhile, China, the United States, and some third countries are extracting gains from the conflict.
The networks, platforms, and services that once promised convenience and openness are now increasingly shaped by state control, geopolitical isolation, and the exodus of skilled talent.
Influencer Andrew Tate claims that money can "disappear" from the economy after going through several successive bank transactions, due to fees and commissions.
As the war in Ukraine drags into its third year, a critical question grows increasingly urgent: how will Russia reintegrate the ever increasing number of citizens who return from the front lines or who have become economically dependent on the war effort?
A crisis in potatoes, which are a staple food in Belarus, is showing the failure of the economic model imposed by dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko.
For many it is a coping mechanism, in some cases it reflects newfound war-related income, in others a switch away from big spending.
Behind the polished facade of Moscow and official statistics lies a federation increasingly fractured—socially, economically, and politically.
The EU is helping the Republic of Moldova pay off its external debts, instead of developing its economy, actually undermining it by blocking its products, according to narratives promoted by Kremlin-linked media.
Russia’s economy is not yet a wartime economy – but it is drifting dangerously close. Whether it crosses the threshold will depend not just on military needs, but on the political will to sacrifice economic interests for geopolitical ambitions. So far, Moscow has tried to avoid making that choice. But the clock is ticking.
Russians are hoping for an easing of sanctions and the return of big Western brands to the Russian market. Is this a real prospect – or simply a collective wish disguised as news?
In today’s Russia, ending the war in Ukraine may bring economic and social turmoil so profound that peace could pose greater risks to Kremlin than the conflict itself.
Official statistics show that Russia's economy is growing despite war and Western sanctions. In fact, economic problems are piling up and Russia risks recession.
As young Russians are sent to the front or fleeing the country, Russia’s economy needs migrants. But the latter are a target for extremists and populist politicians.
The war in Ukraine is increasing the gap between Russia’s wealthy elites and the majority of the population. There is also a drive to redistribute wealth and channel it towards those loyal to Putin’s regime.
Russia’s civil aviation is facing an unprecedented crisis, as both domestic production and foreign imports are being hampered by sanctions imposed by the West following Ukraine’s invasion.
Despite Western sanctions, Russia managed to keep its economy afloat by switching its trade flows to China and India. However, on the long run that makes the Russian economy more vulnerable.
Russia’s budget proposal for 2025-2027 confirms many analysts' bold predictions — it is, in essence, a budget for prolonged warfare.
Minsk's illusion of economic sovereignty appears to be eroding rapidly. Although the connection to Russia may seem beneficial in the short term, in the long term it will hamper Belarus' economic growth.
Russia needs recruits to cover its heavy losses on the Ukrainian front. To avoid an unpopular mobilization, Moscow has created an economy of death, in which Russians stake their lives for money.
Sanctions and public pressure generated by the invasion of Ukraine forced many Western companies to leave the Russian market. However, there are enough investors who chose to stay, drawn by its potential.
The first "shots" have already been fired: the EU is preparing taxes for the Chinese electric ve-hicles, and Beijing is investigating European subsidies for some products exported to China.
O flotă de petroliere „fantomă” a ajutat Rusia să evite sancțiunile occidentale și să-și vândă petrolul astfel încât acesta să ajungă pe piețele globale.
China seeks to achieve its economic and geostrategic ambitions by controlling the market for critical minerals and boosting its energy output.
How Russia is living under sanctions, how it circumvents them, and what lessons a market economy can draw from this experience?