Putin calls on FSB to help Russian firms bypass sanctions
Vladimir Putin has reached out to officials of the Federal Security Service with a request. The Russian leader is urging the FSB to deploy its spies to assist Russian companies in dodging Western sanctions and to "expand their striking power" into new markets across the globe.
Many pieces of information provided by Russian media or government representatives are elements of propaganda. These reports are part of the informational war waged by the Russian Federation.
The war in Ukraine. The most important information in our live coverage
In response to the Kremlin's decision to invade Ukraine in 2022, the West introduced a series of sanctions against Russia, aiming to cripple the Russian economy and compel Putin to alter his strategy.
Despite the sanctions, Putin insists that the Russian economy is flourishing amidst the conflict and claims that its production of artillery shells far surpasses that of the West. He stated that the Russian economy expanded by 3.6 percent last year.
During the annual FSB meeting at Lubyanka in central Moscow, Putin emphasized that FSB spies should work alongside other agencies "to bolster the security of banking and financial systems."
He called on the FSB to "support our companies that continue to grow despite the challenges they face, exploring new markets but meeting with openly hostile actions from the West."
"Yes, they create temporary problems for us," Putin acknowledged, noting his discussions with the government on how the sanctions have impacted significant investments. "But of course, everything will come to fruition regardless," the Russian leader affirmed.
Russia unlikely to meet its budget revenue target
The British Ministry of Defence reported in early February that Russia is unlikely to meet its budget revenue target for 2024. It mentioned that the Russian government would likely need to explore alternative means to fund its planned expenses.
Contrary to Putin's claims, the Russian economy is struggling significantly. It has contracted by more than 2 percent. The deficit in the state budget is estimated at over 46 billion GBP. There's been a record capital flight, a drop in real wages and pensions, reduced consumption, and double-digit inflation (which analysts estimate to be around 28 percent).
Although this situation is far from ideal for Vladimir Putin, experts believe that the outcomes predicted a year ago were far more dire, with the Russian economy expected to experience a spectacular crash.
Source: Reuters
