"Locker isn’t bottomless": expert on Putin’s economic resources for war

He shared the information on Espreso TV.

"Reports say Putin is running out of Soviet-era weapons this year. Meanwhile, the Russian economy is shifting out of its 'Potemkin village' mode, like two years ago, the period when they were spending heavily. They pulled everything from their financial 'locker' to fund the war. But now, it’s no longer working. Inflation is rising, and more importantly, the money is running out," Fursa noted.

According to him, this "locker" isn't bottomless. Russia built up these reserves over 30 years, but they’re already depleting. That means the war can't continue at the same pace. Another six months, maybe, and then the money will run dry — not because of manpower, but because of finances.

"If we look at the economic indicators, 2024 ended with declines across all sectors of the Russian economy, even those unrelated to the war. Now, in January and February, transport is down 20-30%, and in some cases 40%. These are massive numbers that signal a crisis. If the flow of goods is dropping this sharply, economic growth isn’t even a discussion. Russia’s numbers are going negative," Fursa commented.

• Earlier, Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service reported that due to the war, Russia has lost between 1.5 and 1.7 million working-age citizens.