NEWSWEEK: A Russian billionaire warns that Putin is running out of money

The American magazine "Newsweek" published that the richest businessman in Russia warned that his country's financial problems may become more serious in 2024, which requires the help of friendly countries, adding that Russia will not have money next year.

The magazine added in

that businessman Oleg Deripaska told an economic forum in Siberia that his country would need foreign investment, and that state capitalism was not an option, warning of "serious pressure" due to sanctions.

Deripaska said Russia should continue to develop a market economy to attract foreign investors.

The magazine quoted the Russian non-governmental agency Interfax as saying that Deripaska is aware of the difficulties related to foreign investment.

An expert in the Russian economy: Russian military expenditures have exceeded 110 billion US dollars and are continuing to rise (Shutterstock)

The report quoted Iolia Mandel, spokeswoman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, mocking Deripaska's remarks, tweeting, "Billionaire Oleg Deripaska said that Russia may find its coffers empty next year and needs investments from 'friendly' countries to break the restrictions of sanctions imposed on the economy, what audacity. !”.

The Kremlin campaign is multifaceted

The report also quoted Boris Grozovsky, a Russian economist at the Wilson Center for Studies in Washington, as saying that Russian military expenditures have exceeded $110 billion and are continuing to rise.

Mikhail Alexeyev, a professor of political science at San Diego State University, told NEWSWEEK that Deripaska is close to Putin, and his comments could be part of the Kremlin's multi-pronged campaign to promote "willing thinking" in Europe and the United States that economic problems could undermine the Kremlin's war effort, and thus Ukraine does not need much military support or perhaps none at all.

Newsweek quoted Forbes magazine as saying that Oleg Deripaska, the 55-year-old aluminum industry magnate, is the richest person in Russia and the ninth richest person in the world in 2008 before the financial crisis, and his net worth as of June 2022 is estimated at $3.2 billion. Billions of dollars.