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Russia Dismisses Klepach After Warning Ukraine War Risks Crisis

8/18/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Russia dismissed Andrei Klepach, former chief economist of VEB, after he warned a prolonged war with Ukraine could spark a major social crisis.
Russian officials told CNBC the economy remains strong despite pressure since the 2022 invasion, while a July 10 2026 Moscow billboard read “Pride of Russia!”.
The Bell reported, citing unnamed sources, that Klepach’s dismissal was directly linked to his scathing assessment.

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Story summary

Russia dismissed Andrei Klepach, former chief economist of VEB, after he warned a prolonged war with Ukraine could spark a major social crisis.
Russian officials told CNBC the economy remains strong despite pressure since the 2022 invasion, while a July 10 2026 Moscow billboard read “Pride of Russia!”.
The Bell reported, citing unnamed sources, that Klepach’s dismissal was directly linked to his scathing assessment.