Russian President Vladimir Putin “has no funds to continue the war,” Russian economist Vladimir Milov, adviser to imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny, told the Italian daily “La Stampa.” Now, Milov says, “when Putin has gained momentum, he would not stop.”
In an interview published today, the economist said it would be better if the sanctions against Moscow were imposed before the invasion of Ukraine. In any case, he added, “this will have a devastating effect on Russia.”
The situation has “overtaken” Putin, judged Milov, saying that the Russian president and his people “did not expect such a response from the West.”
“They have failed to understand that Russia has fallen into a worse economic crisis than in 1991. Let us give him two or three weeks to understand the reality. He has no funds to continue the war,” said Milov.
According to the economist, Putin must “find a way to withdraw the troops and present it as a victory.” “It’s not going to be easy, because in 20 years he’s never admitted he’s failed,” said Milov.
Putin is “not crazy and he has a survival instinct.” The West should “do what it is doing now,” added the Russian economist.