Since its illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has become the most sanctioned nation on Earth, and yet its economy has been remarkably resilient.
In 2024, if Russian official figures are to believed, its economy outgrew those of all the G7 nations - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US.
The Russian economy expanded by 4.3% last year, compared with 1.1% in the UK, and 2.8% in the US.
This growth in Russia was led by the Kremlin's record military spending.
The country's oil exports, by volume, have also remained relatively stable, as supplies once destined for Europe have been diverted to China and India.
