Russia continues to insist publicly that its economy is strong, but the reported firing of a prominent economist has raised questions about how much dissenting analysis is being tolerated in Moscow. According to CNBC, Andrei Klepach was removed from his role after delivering an assessment at odds with the official narrative.

Klepach was reportedly dismissed after presenting a report that warned Russia could not win a prolonged war of attrition with Ukraine. The reporting frames the dismissal as directly linked to the conclusions of that assessment.

The episode highlights a gap between the government’s public messaging about economic resilience and internal warnings about the strain of a drawn-out conflict. CNBC’s account presents the firing as an example of that tension coming to the surface.

A war of attrition refers to a prolonged conflict in which each side seeks to wear down the other’s resources and capacity to continue fighting over time. Klepach’s reported warning suggested Russia’s economy may not be able to withstand such a sustained effort.

The available reporting does not detail the specific figures in Klepach’s assessment, the exact date of his removal, or any official response from the Russian government regarding the reason for the dismissal.

As the war with Ukraine continues, the contrast between official claims of economic strength and the reported concerns of a senior economist points to ongoing debate over the long-term sustainability of Russia’s war effort.