Unmasking Russia | Olga Lautman
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on May 18, 2026, that Ukrainian intelligence obtained internal Russian documents exposing significant economic strain across Russia's oil sector, banking system, federal budget, and industrial base. The documents detail efforts to bypass sanctions, attract foreign investment, and involve outside companies in sustaining Russia’s wartime economy. One Russian oil company alone shut down approximately 400 oil wells, contributing to a projected 10% decline in Russian oil refining this year and an anticipated fourth consecutive year of overall oil production decline in 2026, reaching a 17-year low. Major energy companies like Rosneft, Gazprom Neft, and Lukoil report substantial profit reductions or losses. Eleven Russian financial institutions are preparing for liquidation, with eight others requiring external support, and the federal budget deficit approached $80 billion within five months. The defense industrial sector, exemplified by Angstrem's near-collapse under $2.5 billion debt, also faces severe strain. Russia is actively using foreign companies, including those connected to the United States, to evade sanctions, facilitate stolen grain exports from occupied Crimea, and funnel investment into Arctic oil and gas projects.
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