Vladimir Putin says Russia beat 'economic blitzkrieg,' warns of hardship

'Scum and traitors': Putin threatens anti-war Russians

President Vladimir Putin said Russia survived an “economic blitzkrieg” of international sanctions over its war on Ukraine, as he warned the country faces rising joblessness and inflation as it adjusts.

“The new realities will require deep structural changes in our economy. And, I won’t hide it, they won’t be easy,” Putin told the government in a videoconference Wednesday. “They will lead to a temporary increase in inflation and unemployment.”

He ordered officials to increase social benefits including pensions and to boost wages of state employees, acknowledging that “rising prices seriously affect people’s income.”