The first article analyzes the economic development of Russia since the financial crisis in 2008/2009. Due to a prolonged economic stagnation and several economic crises, Russia’s gross domestic product per capita in early 2021 is the same as it was in 2008. Since 2012, the country has had – on average – a growth rate of 0%. This economic stagnation is above all a result of the increasing influence and control of the security services on Russia’s economy and innovation sector.
The second article develops a concept for the future development of the Russian economy. Russia continues to be a country with great potential, with rich natural resources and a well-educated population compared to countries with similar income levels. Given the right political conditions, these resources could be used to tackle the transformation from an economy based on the export of oil and gas to a knowledge-based economy.
The Russian Analytical Digest is published by a partner network that includes the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zürich, the Research Centre for East European Studies (FSO) at the University of Bremen, the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at the George Washington University, the Center for Eastern European Studies (CEES) at the University of Zurich, and the German Association for East European Studies (DGO). Both articles can be downloaded via the following links:
