With the war in Ukraine only two years after the Russian invasion, many experts wonder how Russia manages to ensure that its economy not only avoids significant inflation or recession, but is able to grow even more than other European countries.

The move appears to benefit the Kremlin, although the economist warns that the economic situation in Moscow may collapse sooner than some experts predict and that it will be “on the verge of death”, La Razon reported, as quoted by Radio Romania.

During this time, the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom have imposed more than 15,000 restrictions and sanctions against Russia, as well as its leaders, oligarchs, society or the economy itself, and, of course, against Putin. Measures aimed at destroying institutions and sectors of the Russian economy, as well as preventing the Kremlin from financing a protracted war.

Despite Western sanctions, Russia is finding ways to save its economy. According to the International Monetary Fund, the Russian economy grew faster than the entire G7 last year and will do so again in 2024. Thus, the IMF highlighted Moscow’s economic power, raising its growth forecast from 1.1% to 2.6%.

Among other means of supply, Moscow chooses rapprochement with China and India, which has allowed it to avoid any economic attacks from Western countries. However, economists believe that this is only a “short-term perspective”. And Russia has a “war economy”, directing all its efforts to military spending.

“The Russian economy is in danger of dying because of thousands of cuts,” British economist Roger Bootle explains to The Telegraph. Last year, the inflation rate in Russia averaged 5.9%. And it is expected to grow to 7.5% this year.

“It appears that the damage to Russia’s manufacturing capacity due to the loss of Western technology and key supplies will increase over time,” Bootle continued, adding that a major vulnerability is “energy prices.”

“If it falls sharply, the budget deficit will rise sharply, and the current account surplus will fall, which will put pressure on the ruble and cause inflation to rise even more. If this happens, then the economic cog will turn even stronger,” he concluded.