What did V. Putin lie about and where did he betray himself during the “direct line” with the nation?

During the live line, which lasted more than 4 hours, V. Putin spoke about matters important to the nation.

A magical economic boom

Every year, he boasts about the country’s improved performance. This time, he stated that one of the main indicators of the country’s economy – the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – has increased.

GDP – the monetary value of the final product (all finished goods and services) that a country produces within a specific period (usually a year) within its territory.

According to V. Putin, the country’s GDP should increase by 3.5 percent by the end of the year.

However, the speech leaves out the fact that the GDP growth was largely determined by the arms industry.

Satellite imagery by RFE/RL’s Schemes Ukrainian Research Unit analysis shows that Russia is actively increasing its weapons production capacity and building new factories.

When announcing state statistical service “Rosstat”Russia’s GDP growth was 5.5 percent in the third quarter, compared with a 3.5 percent decline in the same period last year.

The Russian economy is said to be on track to recover this year after 2022. 2.1 percent of reduced GDP when the West imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Photo by A. Anušauskas/A Russian tank beaten by Ukrainians at the exhibition in Kaunas

In January-September, GDP grew by 3 percent. stated by Rosstat. In the first quarter of this year, GDP decreased by 1.8 percent, while in the second quarter it grew by 4.9 percent.

About the fact that the GDP growth was determined by the war in Ukraine, and most of the products that raise the economic indicators are simply “shot into the air”, announces even the pro-Kremlin business and economic news portal Komersant.

The publication says that in a new analytical note on the dynamics of the Russian economy (it became the object of constant monitoring after the war in Ukraine), experts of the Central Bank of Finland, based on official Rosstat data, note that a significant contribution of the military-industrial complex and related industries to accelerating the growth of the Russian economy is observed .

The authors warn that the published data do not allow an accurate assessment of the share of military production in industries, but note that there are processing sub-sectors in the economy that are “most likely related” to the military industrial complex and exhibit the fastest growth – computers, electronics, optics, batteries, as well as “other “production of metalworking and transport equipment in 2023. in the third quarter compared to the peaceful 2021 in the third quarter, grew from one and a half to two times, and their dynamics differed sharply from industries that do not allow us to think that they contain military production.

Vida Press photo/Alexander Lukashenka and Vladimir Putin

Unemployment has been falling, but why?

During the live broadcast, V. Putin boasted that he had succeeded in further reducing the unemployment rate in Russia.

According to him, the historical minimum of unemployment reached 3 percent, and according to the latest data, it has decreased even more – to 2.9 percent.

However, it is also hidden here that the large-scale military invasion of Ukraine contributed to this.

In a declassified US intelligence report is appreciatedthat the war in Ukraine cost Russia 315 thousand of dead and wounded soldiers, or almost 90 percent. personnel at the beginning of the conflict.

Re:Russia Analysis and Policy Network examined data from countries that received large numbers of Russian emigrants.

It was determined that from 2022 February. 817 thousand left Russia. up to 922 thousand people. The largest receiving countries were Kazakhstan and Serbia – 150 thousand each. emigrants. However, Russians also fled to other countries, including 30-40 thousand. of those who left for America.

December 15 Andrijus Jusovas, representative of the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Agency (GUR), stated that about 450,000 troops are stationed in Ukraine. Russian soldiers.

Naturally, all these people no longer participate in the Russian labor market, where unemployment is decreasing at such a record level.

123RF.com photo/Russian rubles

Unexpectedly gave up?

During the live broadcast, V. Putin stated that 300,000 people were called up to fight during the mobilization. persons, another 41 thousand earned rest due to age or health conditions was spent.

They were also invited to voluntarily sign contracts and travel to fight in Ukraine for a reward. According to V.Putin, 486 thousand of them appeared.

V. Putin added that there are currently 617 thousand people in the war zone. Russian

These numbers analyzed Leonidas Volkovas, representative of the Anti-Corruption Foundation.

According to him, V. Putin unexpectedly revealed how many Russians actually died in the war.

Putin’s arithmetic is as follows.

Now “in the SVO zone” – 617 thousand, as he just said.
300 thousand were mobilized last year. This year 486 thousand came as “volunteers” (this includes orders from state offices, raids on migrants, and prisoners…). And there were more, according to various estimates…

— Leonid Volkov (@leonidvolkov) December 14, 2023

“Now, as he just said, there are 617 thousand in the special military operation zone.

300 thousand were mobilized last year. “volunteers” (these include orders to employees of state institutions and raids on migrants, and Intellectual (prisoners ed. post.).

Another 486 thousand volunteers signed up this year, while at the beginning of the invasion there were, according to different estimates, from 190 to 300 thousand.

Here we have not yet counted the convicts and other soldiers of private military companies who were recruited in 2022. – but let’s assume that they were all recruited as “volunteers” as well; moreover, convicts were allowed to return home after 6 months, while others were not.

Let’s calculate at least: 190+300+486=976 thousand. sent to slaughter. And now there are 617 thousand in the war zone. 359 thousand people disappeared somewhere.

The other day, American military intelligence estimated that the losses of the Russian armed forces since the beginning of the war are 315 thousand. dead and wounded.

Well, obviously their data is a bit late. But it turns out that V. Putin completely confirmed these numbers today. He spread, as they say, untrue information about a special military operation in his public speech,” L. Volkov wrote on the social network “X” (formerly “Twitter”).

“False information” in Russia is any more accurate information about the dead or wounded in the war, Russian defeats, or even calling a “special military operation” a war. This is punishable by up to 15 years in prison in this country.

Žygimantos Gedvilas/BNS photo/Leonids Volkovas

15min verdict: missing context. The facts are presented in a biased manner, concealing the reasons, presenting the situation in a better light than it really is.

The publication was prepared in 15 minutes in partnership with Metawhich aims to stop the spread of misleading news on the social network. More about the program and its rules – here.