Economists have said Russia's economy is in rapid decline, evidenced by the plunge in the ruble and soaring inflation.
Russia's only problem appears to be its worker shortage, Santi says.
AdvertisementEconomists are divided over whether Western sanctions have successfully crimped Russia's economy, or if Moscow has managed to sidestep most of the consequences.
Russia, for its part, has put up a show of defiance against Western sanctions, with Putin repeatedly emphasizing the resilience of the economy.
In January, the Kremlin's budget deficit was five times smaller than it was last year, Russia's finance ministry said on Wednesday.
Persons:
—, Michael Santi, Santi, Putin
Organizations:
Service, Business, Gallup, Bloomberg, Carnegie Endowment
Locations:
Moscow, Ukraine, European, Russia, Switzerland, Armenia, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Europe