Kathrine Frich
Recent Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged key infrastructure across the country
Long-running wars test the endurance of even the wealthiest nations over time.
As pressure mounts on domestic resources, leaders must find increasingly creative ways to keep their campaigns funded.
A fresh look at economic figures suggests that everyday citizens often pay the highest price.
Hidden economic strain
According to Polish analyst Iwona Wiśniewska on the Didaskalia program, the Russian government continues to bankroll its military campaign by shifting financial burdens directly onto local businesses and ordinary workers.
State statistics claim inflation sits around six percent annually. However, Wiśniewska pointed out that citizens feel a far heavier burden, noting, “Russians say that inflation for them today is around 13-14%.”
By underreporting official price increases, authorities save millions on mandatory pension indexation and social benefit payouts. That gap leaves vulnerable households struggling while the state preserves its war chest.
Compelled self defense
Recent Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged key infrastructure across the country. Instead of offering military protection, a new Kremlin decree orders private firms to safeguard their own facilities against incoming aerial attacks.
Failure to secure these assets carries a severe penalty, as Wiśniewska explained. “The Kremlin says: we can’t protect you. Protect yourselves, or you will be punished,” she noted, adding that negligent owners face total nationalization.
Journalist Patrycjusz Wyżga called the decree a “Total disgrace to the state.” To survive, major corporations are now building private security forces equipped with heavy weaponry.
Power above all
Forming private armies creates fresh risks for central authorities. Wiśniewska warned that “If these weapons fall into the hands of disloyal individuals, they could pose a serious threat to Russian power.”
Wealthy elites are also feeling the squeeze as the conflict drags into late 2026. The state frequently seizes private enterprises and hands them to loyal supporters, leaving business leaders with diminishing profits and very little legal protection.
As Wiśniewska observed, “In Russia, it’s not so much the law that determines how people live, but the tsar.”
Ultimately, the leadership shows no interest in backing down or negotiating. Wiśniewska concluded that “They are willing to sacrifice Russian society, Russian business, and the entire Russian economy, just to maintain power.”
Sources: Didaskalia, OSW
