Consumer demand remains weak and he expects the pressure from sanctions on the Russian economy to intensify, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, televised from a meeting with government officials.
“In general, the situation here is stable,” said Putin. “At the same time, it is important to understand that the pressure of sanctions against Russia will increase even more.”
The West has hit Moscow with unprecedented sanctions after Russia sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine on February 24, in what it calls a “special military operation”.
But the Russian economy has challenged some estimates by Western analysts that it is facing a 15% hit in gross domestic product (GDP) this year.
While the Russian Ministry of Economy now expects a 2.9% contraction in 2022, Western leaders predict that the impact of the sanctions will be permanent and will hold the Russian economy back for years.
source: Noticias
