Russia's economic leadership is under pressure due to internal disagreements about the country's ability to sustain its economic war with the West.

Russia’s state development corporation VEB.RF fired its chief economist, Andrei Klepach, after quotes from a speech in which he said Russia cannot win the economic “war of attrition” circulated in the media. https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/08/17/the-bell-russian-state-development-corporation-fires-chief-economist-andrei-klepach-over-remarks-on-russia-s-defeat-in-economic-war-of-attrition

Chief economist at key russian state development bank reportedly fired after warning of economic defeat to West. "I believe russia will not fall apart, but I am almost certain that we will arrive at a social crisis," Andrei Klepach, the chief economist of VEB.RF, was quoted as saying. https://kyivindependent.com/russian-state-bank-chief-economist-reportedly-fired-after-warning-of-defeat-in-economic-war-with-west/