Part 11/14:
Russian citizens face soaring prices for bread, medicine, and everyday necessities. Wage growth has stagnated, and real incomes have declined. Pensioners survive on around $140 a month, with little prospect for relief, as inflation erodes savings and government “support” programs are insufficient.
Furthermore, sanctions frozen hard currency accounts and immobilized assets. Many middle-class professionals, including engineers, teachers, and IT workers, are fleeing the country—over a million since the war’s onset—seeking better opportunities elsewhere and escaping the growing economic stagnation.