(MOSCOW) – Russian newspapers on Thursday painted a picture of a nation grappling with two unrelenting crises: a war in Ukraine showing no sign of ending and an economy in visible decline.
Moscowski Komsomolets reported that Russians are again expecting price rises, with increasingly expensive groceries and petrol deepening public anxiety about inflation.
A new report by the Russian Audit Chamber on regional budgets reflects a general trend of deterioration in the economic situation across the country. Growing losses and falling profits at enterprises are reducing incomes in Russia’s most problematic regions. The overall surplus of regional budgets at the start of the year has been replaced by a deficit, despite reductions in spending on healthcare, transport and road facilities in many regions.
Housing construction is deep in the red, falling by 14 percent between January and August compared with the same period in 2025. Commercial civilian industry is cooling alongside demand.
Meanwhile, Russia continues its war on Ukraine. Izvestia reported that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia will not pause its so-called special military operation during any peace negotiations. Moscowski Komsomolets openly discussed leaving Ukrainians cold this winter, predicting that Russian ballistic missiles and Geran drones will lower temperatures in Ukrainian flats with each strike.
The Russian army newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda led with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin claiming that parliamentary election results showed Russians back the war on Ukraine. Addressing troops, he said: “I want you to know, comrades, this vote was for you. Citizens of Russia believe in our victory, the courage and heroism of the troops and commanders on the front line, their devotion to the motherland.”
It should be noted that the only anti-war party initially cleared to take part in the election, Yabloko, was removed from the ballot well before polling day by the Supreme Court. Russians therefore had no option to vote for a party calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Be First to Comment