State Economist Andrei Klepach Dismissed After Public Critique

The controversy traces back to a May financial forum where Klepach, formerly the chief economist at the state development corporation VEB, warned that Russia is falling behind global powers like the United States and China. His assessment, which also drew unfavorable comparisons to Ukraine’s economic performance, appeared on the Nikitsky Club website and quickly drew scrutiny for its blunt tone.

Klepach’s departure underscores the narrowing space for critical discourse among high-ranking officials. He had specifically pointed to uncoordinated domestic policies and a precarious reliance on foreign economies as primary drivers of potential social instability. By openly linking these structural weaknesses to the mounting pressures of the conflict, Klepach broke ranks with the prevailing state consensus, leading to his swift exit from a position of significant influence.