Potanin Warns Russia's Economy Has Not Yet Hit Bottom

Influential Russian oligarch Vladimir Potanin, a close Putin confidant, publicly warns that Russia's economy has not yet bottomed out, signaling further deterioration ahead. The statement, from a regime insider, suggests official optimism may be overstated and could reflect growing elite concern about the sustainability of the current economic trajectory. This matters because Potanin's access and position give his assessment unusual weight, potentially influencing market expectations and policy signals.