An emissary of Vladimir Putin has sounded an alarm about the risks that exist for the economy if it focuses entirely on the needs of the military-industrial complex.
The statements made by Boris Titov represent a rare signal of concern from the Kremlin circles about the pressure that the Russian economy is feeling in the context of the war in Ukraine.
Titov, a wealthy businessman, led an influential business environment organization and ran for the presidency of Russia in 2018, and in 2024 he was appointed as Vladimir Putin’s special representative to international organizations for achieving sustainable development goals, according to Reuters.
“Military and civilian economies have always existed in symbiosis everywhere. Many technical inventions that are useful to everyone have originated from the military-industrial complex. The key lies in maintaining the balance,” Titov declared for RBC.
An economy in “berserk” mode
Russian authorities have increased taxes, initiated a redistribution of assets, welcomed contributions from companies to finance the war, and recently threatened business owners who do not take sufficient measures to protect their businesses from Ukrainian drones.
War promoters and some government officials often invoke the way the Soviet economy was reorganized during the period of dictator Joseph Stalin, in the Second World War, referring to the slogan “Everything for the front, everything for victory”.
This approach is facing cautious, yet growing resistance from various sectors.
“This is not an economy at all, it’s a kind of ‘berserk mode’ that can only exist for a very limited period and whose necessity should be analyzed with great care,” said Titov, on the eve of an important economic forum in which Putin will participate this week in the Far East of Russia.
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