Putin denies economic stagnation after 4 years of war

Given the uneven course of the Russian economy during the first five months of 2026, Russian authorities, especially President Vladimir Putin, were keen to minimize the impacts of any possible stagnation at the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. When asked by a reporter about Russia’s stagnating economy, Putin avoided a detailed response and paraphrased American novelist Mark Twain, saying "rumors of my death [i.e., the Russian economy] have been greatly exaggerated." Although Put...