Russian senior economist Andrei Klepach fired after war critique
He warned war costs keep rising and could trigger a social crisis, as Russia's budget deficit hit 5,87 trillion rubles.
Andrei Klepach, a senior Russian economist, was dismissed from his post as chief economist at the state development bank after his harsh criticism of Russia's economy during the war in Ukraine drew public attention. In a speech in May that was later widely reported by Russian media, Klepach said Moscow was lagging behind China and the United States, and in some respects even Ukraine. He also warned Russia would not win a war that is draining labor and resources, while the costs keep rising and risk triggering a social crisis. The bank where he worked did not give an official reason for the dismissal. Several media reports said the move was directly linked to his blunt assessment of the country's economic and political direction. Pressure on Russia's economy has come from war spending, Western sanctions and Ukrainian attacks on the energy sector; in the first four months of 2026, Russia's budget deficit reached 5,87 trillion rubles.