Russia’s economy is facing dramatic times

Berlin The international manufacturers have stopped producing paper in their Russian factories. As a result, there is a serious shortage, which in turn has pushed up the price for a pack of toilet paper brand “Svetocopy” from 280 to 2290 rubles – the equivalent of 25.80 euros.

Cardboard production, mostly in Russian hands, has collapsed by 25 to 30 percent due to the departure of Western consumer goods manufacturers, according to Andrei Guryanov, head of the League of Waste Processors.

Such numbers have become important for understanding the state of the Russian economy. Because the official data keep the central bank, ministries, customs and tax authorities under lock and key. Vladimir Putin ordered it that way.

While the Kremlin chief claimed Monday that the West’s “economic blitzkrieg” had failed, Central Bank governor Elvira Nabiullina gave a more pessimistic outlook. So far, the Western sanctions have primarily had an impact on the financial sector, “now they will increasingly affect the real economy.”