60% of Russians Say Economy Is Worsening as 2026 Growth Forecast Falls to 0.4%
Updated
Updated · Gallup · Jun 30
60% of Russians Say Economy Is Worsening as 2026 Growth Forecast Falls to 0.4%
2 articles · Updated · Gallup · Jun 30
Summary
60% of Russians surveyed from March to May said local economic conditions are getting worse, while 56% said their living standards are deteriorating—the bleakest readings in two decades.
Russia’s wartime economy is losing momentum as labor shortages deepen and ministers warn of overheating; the government has already cut its 2026 growth forecast to 0.4% from 1.3%.
35% said now is a good time to find a job and 58% a bad time, a sharp reversal from the post-invasion period when job-market optimism averaged 51% despite low unemployment.
Confidence in key institutions also fell by record annual amounts, with trust in the military down 13 points to 66%, government down 14 to 53%, elections down 16 to 40%, and media freedom down 25 to 34%.
The slide suggests discontent is spreading beyond household finances, raising the political cost of a prolonged war that increasingly depends on sustained military spending.