In the middle of Moscow one can wish that Ukraine would win the war.

For the equivalent of 1.35 euros, you can put a hundred-ruble note in a machine in the “Filion” shopping and entertainment center in the west of the Russian capital and formulate your wish.

The automaton then feeds a dozen fish in an aquarium.

According to the offer, they should fulfill the wish.

The fish don't seem overfed.

Orange, black, silver fight for the crumbs.

Frederick Smith

Political correspondent for Russia and the CIS in Moscow.

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Centers like "Filion" have long stood for the Russian consumer dream: shopping like in the West, cinema, sports under one roof.

Western pop music continues to play in the aisles.

But they are almost empty.

"Opening soon" is written on tarpaulins covering the showcases.

It doesn't look like that.

Many western chains left Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.

For example, Decathlon, Adidas and Levi's disappeared from “Filion”.

Gray and empty are the panels on the facade of the chunky building, on which the logos of many brands that are no longer there are emblazoned.

In the center even the branch of the hardware store chain OBI is closed, although its Russian branch went to a domestic investor for a symbolic amount.

In the basement of "Filion" the French supermarket chain Auchan, which is loyal to Russia, is busy.

Otherwise there are hardly any customers in the shopping center.

More hire purchases, less consumption

At the knife and airgun stand, where you can practice shooting and buy patches of the war symbols “Z” and “V”, an employee in a “Russia” t-shirt is bored.

Vkusno - i totschka (delicious and point), the Russian successor to McDonald's, is still the most crowded.

The Americans were able to get their golden double bows out of Russia.

They only had three franchisees.

There are hundreds at KFC next door.

The renaming to an old brand, Rostic's, doesn't work, the chickens continue to be roasted under the old logo.

Demand has also collapsed.

Economists point to a decline in private consumption of almost 10 percent in the past year.

Many more cafes, bars and restaurants are closing than opening new ones, the newspaper Kommersant reported.

Purchases on installments increased tenfold in 2022.

The newspaper's radio station, Kommersant FM, is constantly talking about economic concerns.

Words like vagueness, decline, survival are often used.

Cars without airbags or ABS

Vladimir Putin gives the optimists.

The President recently described the situation in the Russian economy as "stable".

He praised inflation being lower than expected and unemployment low.

Inflation was officially 11.9 percent for the past year.

After Russia's attack at the end of February, higher values ​​were recorded in the meantime.

But individual products are still much more expensive than they used to be.

Or missing.

The market for cars and spare parts looks particularly sparse.

Western manufacturers have withdrawn;

Chinese are gradually following;

domestic build cars without airbags or ABS and with outdated engines.

In 2022, 58.8 percent fewer cars were sold than in the previous year.

There are special rules for insurers who no longer have to pay for repairs with original parts.

Nevertheless, the policies are much more expensive than they used to be.