5 August 2026

Russia is actively cannibalizing its own business sector. Between 12,000 and 15,000 companies have shut down in Russia each month for economic reasons since the start of 2026, roughly three times the monthly total in previous years. As the state drains resources to fund the war, Sberbank analysts warn that Russian enterprises have entered their first full-scale “demographic crisis”.

In this Wednesday Economic Review, we look past the official propaganda to uncover the real state of the Russian economy in August 2026. From Elvira Nabiullina’s shocking admission about collapsing GDP growth to the return of toxic “Euro-3” gasoline, the internal system is shifting rapidly—and the structural cracks are impossible to hide.

I’m Konstantin Samoilov, a Russian in exile and creator of Inside Russia community. I lived inside this system, and now I analyze it from the outside. I talk to people inside the country every day, follow the numbers and the mood, study Russia under microscope and share my findings with the world. No hype — just facts. If you want serious, brutal, and honest anti-propaganda analysis of how Russia really works, hit Subscribe.
Sources: open public data and reporting (Russia Today, MinFin, CBR, Rosstat, business press). This video is commentary and analysis for information/education only and follows YouTube community guidelines.