Russia restricts publication of economic data as sanctions take toll
In an effort to obscure the economic disaster's full scale, Russian authorities have stopped updating over 400 official statistical indicators since early this year.
This move aims to mask the demographic and economic upheaval sparked by war and sanctions. According to research from the project "If Being Precise", only 42% of the 8,832 indicators in the Unified Interdepartmental Information and Statistical System remain available. Others are outdated or no longer published, with updates ceased for 425 indicators, including critical data on birth rates, crime, fuel production, law enforcement, and demographics.
The data blackout has become systemic, escalating post-Ukraine conflict. Russia's customs have hidden import and export data, the Prosecutor General's Office has ceased reporting crime statistics, and Federal State Statistics Service Rosstat has blocked mortality information.
By 2025, demographic indicators like life expectancy, birth rates, and population numbers are inaccessible. Mortality statistics are no longer provided, even under formal requests. Experts assert this is a deliberate strategy rather than a technical mishap. Analyst Ivan Begtin points out that these omitted data could reveal the sanctions' impact and challenge Kremlin’s narrative.
Facing economic downturn and demographic collapse, Russian authorities strive to present an image of control and stability by concealing the war's real consequences. The breadth of information suppression appears as a sign of systemic decay, as the Kremlin opts to dim the lights over addressing issues.