Part 3/9:
Despite claims from Russian economic authorities that inflation was only around 9%, skepticism abounds. The central bank's interest rate of 21% raises doubts about the veracity of this figure. Prominent economists have suggested that real inflation could be much higher, upwards of 15% to 17%. Such discrepancies indicate an economy grappling with significant challenges—an economy that appears stable on the surface but is in fact teetering on the brink of collapse, suffering under the pressure of mismanaged policies and unsustainable practices.