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Kremlin Dismisses VEB Chief After War Sustainability Warning

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 10:23 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Kremlin dismisses Klepach

The Kremlin dismissed Andrei Klepach of VEB after his report warned Russia could not sustain a prolonged war.
President Vladimir Putin urged citizens to vote in the State Duma election scheduled for September 18–20.
Economist Sergei Guriev said Russia’s economy stopped growing, taxes rose, and the budget deficit fuels public unhappiness.
Oil price spike gave the Kremlin a temporary windfall, but analyst Katia Glod warned it cannot sustain the budget.

Summary

Ovechkin appears campaign

Alex Ovechkin appeared in a Russian campaign ad alongside Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Viacheslav Fetisov.
The Washington Capitals confirmed his participation and said it will not affect the NHL season.
Team spokesperson Sergey Kocharov said Ovechkin lives in Moscow during the offseason and will retire there.
Dominik Hasek condemned the ad, calling it support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

History

Historical Context

The 2014 annexation of Crimea triggered Western sanctions that cut Russian foreign investment and drove the ruble 20 % lower, slashing tourism by 50 % in 2015 and costing roughly $30 billion over the next decade. Facing a fiscal crunch, officials such as Andrei Klepach warn of unsustainable war spending, while President Vladimir Putin pushes Duma funding amid growing domestic propaganda.

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Kremlin dismisses Klepach

The Kremlin dismissed Andrei Klepach of VEB after his report warned Russia could not sustain a prolonged war.
President Vladimir Putin urged citizens to vote in the State Duma election scheduled for September 18–20.
Economist Sergei Guriev said Russia’s economy stopped growing, taxes rose, and the budget deficit fuels public unhappiness.
Oil price spike gave the Kremlin a temporary windfall, but analyst Katia Glod warned it cannot sustain the budget.

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