Russia on verge of recession, says minister

St Petersburg — Russia's economy is on the verge of sliding into recession, economy minister Maxim Reshetnikov said at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday.

Russia this month cut interest rates for the first time since 2022, easing borrowing costs to 20% from 21%. But for months, businesses have complained of high rates stifling investment and economic growth has started to ease.

“According to the figures, there is a cooling, but all our figures are in the rear-view mirror,” Reshetnikov said.

“According to the current feelings of businesses and business indicators, we are already, it seems to me, on the verge of going into recession. On the verge.”

At the same session, Central Bank governor Elvira Nabiullina said the slowdown in GDP growth was “a way out of overheating”.

Alexander Vedyakhin, first deputy CEO of Russia’s largest lender Sberbank said in an interview with Reuters this week that tight monetary policy was creating overcooling risks and said much lower interest rates of 12%-14% would be acceptable to restart investment lending.

“There is a danger of the economy overcooling and that we will not be able to get out of this dip, and that further growth may be subdued,” Vedyakhin said.

Reuters