Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
“A divided country becomes easy prey for external forces.”
Mounting economic hardship and growing public discontent could push Russia toward internal conflict, a senior Kremlin official has warned.
The stark message comes as inflation, war fatigue, and social divisions deepen across the country.
Alexander Kharichev, head of the Presidential Directorate for Monitoring and Analysing Social Processes, issued the warning in a state-run journal.
He said that civil war is one of five critical dangers facing Russia as the country grapples with the toll of nearly four years of war and a weakening economy.
Military over social spending
Rising prices have hit ordinary Russians hard, with food costs climbing well above the national inflation rate. Businesses are struggling to stay afloat, and layoffs and bankruptcies loom large.
Despite the pressure, the Kremlin continues to prioritize military spending over social welfare.
At the same time, Russia’s workforce has been decimated by more than a million war casualties, mostly men of working age, worsening the long-term demographic decline and ageing population.
Divisions within society
Kharichev warned of “fragmentation of society” and the “loss of Russia’s ability to fight for its survival.”
His analysis cited the growing erosion of public trust in government and widening rifts within Russian society.
“We’ve gone through this at least twice in our history — in the 17th and 20th centuries,” he wrote according to Express.
He added: “And who’s to say it can’t happen again? The causes can be anything, from ethnic or religious tensions to generational or property conflicts.”
He added that deepening divides could make Russia vulnerable to internal collapse or foreign interference if not addressed.
Echoes of past warnings
This is not the first time Kharichev has sounded the alarm. In an April essay titled Civilisation Russia, he cautioned about “the loss of internal unity” and the “splitting of society.”
“Historical examples — from the Time of Troubles to the revolutions of the 20th century — clearly show that when society becomes divided, statehood comes under threat,” he wrote.
“The contradictions may vary — social, political, moral, or spiritual — but the result is always the same: a divided country becomes easy prey for external forces.”
Growing war fatigue
His warning coincides with a reported shift in public mood.
ccording to an internal Kremlin survey cited by Russian media, a majority of citizens now say they are tired of the war in Ukraine and want it to end as soon as possible.
With inflation high, social programs shrinking, and the population declining, analysts suggest the Kremlin faces one of its toughest domestic challenges in decades.
Sources: Reuters, BBC, AP, Express
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation
