Russia, a country on the knees due to Western sanctions. But is it really like that? Judging by the images coming out of Moscow, you’d think life seems to be going on quietly, and most importantly, you don’t see those disturbing images from the Soviet era, when grocery stores had empty shelves and long lines formed to buy a piece of bread. . We know that Western sanctions have hit the big oligarchs friendly with Putin, but it is not known to what extent, which sounds more like revenge of sorts than real economic damage.
In order to understand exactly what has been happening in Russia since the start of hostilities with Ukraine, we spoke to one of our sources, who asked us to remain anonymous, apparently for security reasons towards his family. His ex-wife is Russian and lives in Moscow with their two children. “Basically nothing has changed since the beginning of the war, supermarkets and grocery stores are always well stocked. There are some problems for those who have a foreign car whose spare parts can no longer be found, but many companies, including Italians, have resumed trade with Russia thanks to the triangulation system. In addition, there are still open western companies in Moscow”.
When was the last time you were in Moscow with your family?
In August. I was thinking of returning now in October, but I am very worried about how the situation at the borders is developing.
In fact, there is talk of a closure to prevent those who can be recruited from fleeing. The US embassy has advised its citizens in Russia to leave immediately as they risk being stranded there.
Exactly. Before the war broke out, at the end of January, I tried to get a one-two pass, but now I say to myself: Thank God not.
What changes with the double passport compared to the visa?
Every time I go I have to have a visa, which is renewed every three years and is also quite expensive, but with this I can come and go as often as I want, even once a week. The only annoyance is that you are not allowed to stay in Russia for more than three months every six months. The Russian passport avoids all these complications, it would only have served me to never have to do a visa again and, as a Russian citizen, to be able to go and stay as long as I wanted. But now I thank heaven I didn’t take dual citizenship with the risk of military mobilization.
How is the gearbox problem currently? Does that turn out to be a problem for someone who has to financially support two children?
Almost immediately, from the first half of March, all Visa, MasterCard and foreign ATMs were blocked, preventing me from withdrawing money from my Italian bank’s ATM or paying with my credit card. You can only use a credit card from the Russian MIR circuit, a payment circuit established and administered by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. But the exchange from euros to rubles works, and dollars also change. They change them for you, but they seem to be doing you a favor: for example, if you have a banknote, even if it’s only slightly damaged, they won’t accept it. Until January, one euro was worth 80 rubles, now it’s worth about 55 rubles. With the money I send, our children lose us.
We’ve seen big Western chains like McDonald’s or Starbuck and big fashion brands shut down. But what condition are supermarkets and grocery stores in?
They are absolutely provided. Sure, in March they still had European products in stock, then the stocks were gone. When I go to Moscow, I always bring my family parmesan and oil, things they can’t find there anymore.
But are you hungry?
Definitely no. Prices have gone up, but so have we in Italy. Moscow has always been an expensive city. My in-laws live 50 kilometers from Moscow and life there is not expensive, prices are much lower. As for European companies, some are still open and others are not, it is not honestly understood by what logic.
For example?
Speaking of French companies: Decathlon has closed, but Leroy Merlin, the largest French gardening group, is still open. Ikea, on the other hand, which was very strong in Russia, has closed its stores and laid off employees, but continues to pay the rents for the premises, which are very expensive in Moscow, because if they had renounced the leases, they would never get them back.
This tells us that European companies are hoping they can reopen to work again soon and that the Russian market is being kept hot so to speak, why don’t you want to lose it?
Yes, there are difficulties with auto spare parts. My brother in law who has a German car had to go to the service now and needed to change the filters but couldn’t find them.
So can’t we speak of a Russia on her knees as told here?
I’ve heard from Italian economists estimating a fall in Russian GDP of at least 10% by the end of the year, I don’t know what data to base on because Russia doesn’t provide economic data.
In reality, in a globalized world, everyone is affected, both those who suffer sanctions and those who impose them.
However, companies have gotten smart. I know a wine cellar owner who has many customers in Russia. Initially he encountered many difficulties in exporting, now he has organized himself with triangulations by countries that still have trade relations with Russia and his trade has quietly resumed. The Russians do the same. They buy cars abroad, bring them to Kazakhstan and then take them back home without any problems.
Did you notice a switch from the Russians to the Italians? After all, for them today we are an enemy country …
Absolutely no, no change. Arrived at customs, everything is as usual, except that it is one of the few countries that still requires a tampon upon entry. But life around Moscow is like it used to be, you don’t notice big differences.
You’ve been going to Russia for years. What do people you know say about a man like Putin?
From what I’ve seen, support for Putin is very high and real. Maybe they’ll make some adjustments to the election dates. I’ve quarreled with people who call me pro-Putinian, but the fact is that Putin has rid Russia economically of the devastating crisis that existed before he came to power. It has given a country in ruins a boost and brought it back to prominence internationally as well. You are factual and people appreciate it. Then we remember that Russians are very patriotic and nationalistic. Now partial mobilization has brought a turning point, and certainly Putin is losing some of the support he always enjoyed.
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled. What category must one fall into to be called to arms?
There is no specific category. Thanks to acquaintances, my brother-in-law avoided military service, but he never received a final discharge from the army. I told him to come to Italy with me but now they don’t give visas anymore.
Is people’s perception of this war changing?
Certainly up until a few weeks ago the concept of it being a special operation was gone, but duration and now mobilization are changing the cards on the table. What I hardly understand is why the Russian army didn’t win this war immediately. Apart from sending weapons, the Ukrainian army is an inferior army.
But the motivations with which Russians and Ukrainians fight are different, don’t you think?
It’s true. There are people who say that historically the Russian army is strong when defending itself, like during WWII, but not in offensive wars. Just think of what happened in Afghanistan.
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