CIA Director Warned Kremlin of Russia's Economic Collapse Risk During Moscow Visit

At the end of August, John Ratcliffe brought to the Kremlin an intelligence assessment: it is impossible to finance the campaign indefinitely, and in the long run, a scenario similar to the collapse of the USSR is possible. This is reported by FAZ. This was one of the arguments for returning to negotiations.

Growth has nearly stalled: the Central Bank expects GDP in 2026 to be around 1%. Inflation by the end of the year is projected at 6–7%, and the key interest rate at 14%. From January to August, revenues were about €270 billion, expenditures about €331 billion. Oil and gas revenues over eight months amounted to about €52 billion, down 16.7% compared to last year.

Former VEB chief economist Andrei Klepach also spoke about the risks: under current policies, the country cannot sustain a prolonged standoff with the West. On August 16, he was dismissed after twelve years in office.