American geopolitical analyst George Friedman debunked the myth of Russian economic might, pointing to its extremely weak position in the global hierarchy. According to his data, Russia ranks only ninth among world economies, and in GDP per capita - a mere 45th-50th place, which is critically low for a country claiming great power status.
George Friedman said this in an interview with the Geopolitical Futures podcast.
"We need to remember that Russia is the ninth economy in the world. That's quite low for a great power. Secondly, in GDP per capita it hovers somewhere around 45th-50th place. So economically it's far down the list," the expert emphasized. He noted that the war inflicted colossal damage on an already weak economy.
According to Friedman, the scale of economic losses is enormous: "They lost four years of economic development. They spent a huge portion of Russia's wealth on this. And he did not achieve his goal." The analyst pointed out that the war diverted enormous resources and claimed many lives, while Russia is forced to conscript even 50-year-olds to secure the rear, since all young people must be at the front.
The loss of the Indian oil market could become a critical blow. Friedman recalled that the Financial Times recently reported Russia's oil revenues falling by approximately one-fifth, while the gap between Brent prices and Russian Urals reached $24. "Right before recording, news came that the US and India are reaching a tariff agreement, and India is going to stop importing Russian oil, which would be a serious blow," the expert noted.
Friedman emphasized that Russia's ability to sustain the war exists, "but at the cost of enormous civilian sacrifices." Moreover, over the past two years the Russian army "hasn't advanced a single step. They barely held what they have - and that's all."
The analyst compared economic pressure on Russia to the situation in the United States during the Vietnam War, when the country experienced massive inflation, many deaths, and numerous social upheavals. "Wars you lose - especially those you started without necessity - cost great money, time, and reputation," Friedman concluded.
