Russian economist Andrei Klepach, head of research at VEB.RF, a Russian state development bank, is fired after making publicly reported critical comments about Russia’s wartime economy. Multiple outlets report his dismissal followed a scathing speech to fellow economists in May, which was later described in Russian media.
The reports say Klepach warned that Russia will not win a prolonged economic war connected to its conflict with Ukraine and argued Russia is falling behind major economies such as China and the United States. One outlet also frames the firing in connection with expectations of additional European Union sanctions, characterizing his comments as warnings about Moscow’s long-term economic prospects under a sanctions and attrition environment.
Across the coverage, the central point is the same: Klepach’s criticism—voiced internally and then reported externally—leads to his dismissal from his role at the state-linked institution. The differing emphasis lies in how each outlet links his remarks to specific geopolitical and sanctions dynamics, while both describe the speech as sharply critical of Russia’s ability to sustain the wartime economic contest.
