Recently imposed US sanctions by Donald Trump's administration on Rosneft and Lukoil are being dismissed by some Russian representatives as ineffective and unlikely to impact the country's economy or energy sector. Vladimir Putin’s representative, Kirill Dmitriev, traveled to the US to publicly declare the futility of such measures, insisting that any resulting negative effects will be felt in the US rather than Russia.
At the same time, leading Russian economists admit that the real state of Russia’s economy is far from ideal. The number of enterprises on the verge of bankruptcy is rising, workweeks are being shortened, and salaries reduced. The head of Russia’s Central Bank confirmed deteriorating conditions for small and medium businesses, despite official claims of economic growth. In reality, key indicators point to deep stagnation.
Apart from economic pressure, Ukraine continues targeted strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, including oil refineries and power substations in Volgograd and Belgorod regions — resulting in electricity supply disruptions in some areas. In retaliation, Russian attacks focus on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, causing casualties among peaceful residents in Kherson and Kyiv.
The military situation remains tense, with acute demand for drones on various frontline sectors. Ukrainian unit crews regularly thank volunteers for provided equipment and urge continued support through donations.
In summary, while the Russian official narrative denies the effectiveness of new sanctions and military actions, analytics and field reports highlight their serious impact on Russia’s economic and energy stability. Growing internal issues, higher taxes and tariffs, and infrastructure loss point to mounting challenges for Russia and underline the ongoing need for international support for Ukraine.
