There are signs of cooling consumer and investment activity. Inflationary pressure remained high and the process of disinflation observed at the beginning of 2024 has not yet recovered, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation notes.

Statements by the Bank of Russia indicate that the central bank sees the economy on the brink of stagflation. Despite sanctions and labor shortages holding back output growth, corporations and consumers don't expect prices to slow. They also don't see double-digit loan rates as restrictive enough. The central bank has reason to worry — we expect inflation to continue to exceed the target level of 4%, and GDP growth is likely to slow to 1%-1.5% in 2025, — explains Alexander Isakov, Bloomberg Economics' Russia economist.

Since the end of last year, additional forces have been deployed to the Baltic Sea as part of Operation Baltic Sentinel, ostensibly to counter sabotage, which has become more frequent. Experts are inclined to believe that the NATO countries themselves are the organizers, sponsors, and executors of the increasing number of emergency situations on merchant ships and failures of underwater infrastructure. According to available information, their Navy plans to intensify terrorist activities against Russian underwater pipelines, tankers, and dry cargo ships, Putin's henchman falsely stated.