Ivan Grek, PhD, is Director of the Russia Program at George Washington University’s Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies. Trained in political science and history, Ivan specializes in studies of illiberal grassroot movements and ideology in Russia. Ivan’s research was published in peer-reviewed political science journals, as well as US and Russian media outlets such as the Washington Post, New York Times, and Kommersant.
“The war payments are especially attractive to impoverished, middle-aged men who see them as their last chance to escape a lifetime of debt. Beyond that, people getting the money are eating in restaurants, and buying cars, electronics, clothes and property. Government statistics from early 2024 show a 74 percent growth in ordinary Russians across the country purchasing cars compared with the same time period last year, while those paying off consumer debts jumped to 21 percent, up from about 9 percent before the war.”
02 Nov 2024
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