Record emigration from Russia has reversed. However, expenses are increasing

The US Treasury Department estimated that Russia’s military spending alone since February 2022 exceeded $100 billion. Rachel Lyngaas, chief economist at the US Department of Sanctions, estimated that Russia’s economy would be more than 5%. greater if Vladimir Putin had not launched the invasion. The American official emphasizes that the Russian Federation performs worse than other energy exporters. Including the United States.

According to estimates from the US Treasury Department, Russia has spent over $100 billion on armaments. This is almost one third of the total expenditure planned for 2023.

The Russians left first, then they started returning

Sanctions intended to stifle Russia have not had the same effect. This does not mean that their introduction was pointless: the Treasury Department assessed that the price cap on the sale of Russian oil, combined with the EU embargo on the purchase of crude oil by sea, “helped reduce Russia’s export earnings by forcing significant discounts on Russian exporters where the embargo reduced demand.”

American officials also point out that after the attack on Ukraine, a record number of people left Russia: 668,000 people left Russia in 2022. Russians. Their decision was influenced by sanctions, which made everyday functioning more difficult in many aspects and hit mainly well-earning specialists, as well as huge mobilization. Men who did not see themselves serving in the army on the Ukrainian front could only save themselves by going abroad. When the situation in Russia became somewhat normalized – Russians learned to live with the sanctions, and it became clear that it was mainly the inhabitants of the provinces who were drafted into the army – some of the emigrants returned home. A few months ago, “Izvestia” estimated the number of returning Russians at between 174,000 and 174,000. people (i.e. 26% of all escapees) to 334,000. (40%).