Economist Igor Lipsits Forecasts a Bleak Future for Russia: Poverty, Ruin, and Population Decline.

15.03.2026 790

15.03.2026 790

Economist Igor Lipsits Forecasts a Bleak Future for Russia: Poverty, Ruin, and Population Decline

The State of Russia's Economy

According to UATV: Russian economist Igor Lipsits has described the country's economic situation as catastrophic, driven by the consequences of the war in Ukraine, falling oil and gas export revenues, and severe problems in the agricultural sector. He predicts further impoverishment and a shrinking population. Lipsits notes that the ongoing war continues to have a profoundly negative impact on Russia's economy. His analysis provides a stark counterpoint to the official narrative of resilience.

Igor Lipsits was born in Moscow in 1950 and graduated from the Plekhanov Institute of National Economy. He is a co-founder of the Higher School of Economics and authored Russia's first high school textbook on market economics. According to him,

“The situation is becoming dramatic for the Russian Federation.”

Agricultural Sector in Crisis

Lipsits also argues that Russia is

“killing itself: to become lighter, it is cutting off its own leg or arm.”

He points out that the destruction of Russian agriculture began with sanctions in 2014, leading to critical issues in the farming sector. He emphasizes that

“the tragedy is that Russia has reached a dead end from which there is practically no way out.”

Demographic projections for Russia suggest its population could fall to between 66 and 90 million people by the year 2100. Lipsits stresses that while

“the Kremlin has held on for four years of war and believes things will be fine going forward,”

reality indicates otherwise.

The Kremlin maintains a facade of normalcy, but economic realities contradict this. According to Lipsits's assessment,

“today this is even more impossible. Russia's corrupt system will instantly destroy any attempts at distribution.”

The economist forecasts that Russia faces a future of

“poverty and ruin”

if the current course does not change.

These statements from Igor Lipsits underscore the profound economic challenges Russia faces amid war and international sanctions. The collapse of energy export income and agricultural difficulties could have severe consequences not only for the economy but also for social stability within the country. The forecasts of a dramatic population decline raise further concerns about potential shifts in Russia's societal structure in the coming decades.