Why is it that the Russian state, having taken control of the Internet, cannot do anything about either massive data leaks or Internet scammers? Because in Russia there is not a full-fledged digital Gulag, like in the DPRK or even in China, but a real “Russian cyberpunk”.

Two people inspect a damaged residential building after the Russian attack on Kyiv in the early morning of January 10, 2026. Photo by FREDERIC DIDES / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP The year 2026 began with a sharp escalation on all fronts - from the diplomatic halls of Paris to the oil routes of the Black Sea.

Vladimir Milov The Russian economy is entering 2026 without a “Plan B”, but with a well-known set-up: money is running out, taxes are rising, there is almost no investment, and the authorities continue to use financial doping so that the military model of the economy continues to work. Economist and publicist Vladimir Milov explains why this already looks like a recession, who will get it first, and why the financial authorities’ talk about a “painless VAT” sounds like a bad joke.