Sberbank head German Gref gives unusually frank assessment; Zaporizhzhia situation has ‘significantly worsened’, says Syrskyi. What we know on day 1,358
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that the head of Russia’s Sberbank, German Gref, spoke of Russia’s economic problems in a meeting with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. His bank was experiencing only “very modest” growth due to “challenging macroeconomic conditions” including a shrinkage of its consumer loan portfolio, while 2025 growth was worse thank the bank expected. “Gref’s statements are notable,” the ISW assessed, “as Russian officials have largely refrained from admitting to any weakness in Russia’s economy and as the Kremlin has undertaken an information campaign to portray the Russian economy as stable and strong.”
Ukraine’s top military commander, Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, said on Tuesday that the army’s situation had “significantly worsened” in parts of the Zaporizhzhia region amid fierce fighting with Russian forces. “In the Oleksandrivka and Huliapole directions … using its numerical superiority in personnel and materiel, the enemy advanced in fierce fighting and captured three settlements,” Syrskyi posted. The ISW, in its most recent assessment at time of writing, reported on advances in the area – both unconfirmed gains proclaimed by Russian sources, and others confirmed by geolocation of video footage.
