The Kremlin hides the true inflation figures - foreign intelligence.

In Russia, the annual inflation is officially announced at 10.3%. However, data from the Foreign Intelligence Service indicates that the 'inflation for the poor' (the consumer price index for essential goods) actually stands at 17%, which is 1.7 times higher than official figures. This undermines the credibility of official statistics regarding the situation in Russia.

The Central Bank of Russia has maintained the key rate at 21%, indicating a tight monetary policy. This leads to a reduction in investment activity, slows down GDP growth, and increases the financial burden on businesses. Due to high inflation, the regulator continues to support strict monetary conditions in order to reduce inflation to the target level of 4% by 2026. Foreign intelligence predicts that the average key rate in 2025 will be between 19.5% and 21.5%.

It is noted that further strengthening of the ruble is unlikely due to an unstable external economic balance and geopolitical uncertainty. The conditions of high inflation force the continuation of the current Kremlin policy, leading to a decline in real incomes for the population and increased social tensions in the country.