Putin to confront economy at 'Russian Davos,' under threat of Ukrainian drones
Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during a meeting with representatives of international news agencies on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Thursday, June 4, 2026. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russia's Vladimir Putin will address a flagship investment forum in Saint Petersburg on June 5, as the war in Ukraine drags the economy into stagnation and days after brazen Ukrainian drone strikes rocked his home city.
Russia's offensive has led to rising prices, tax hikes, two-decade-high borrowing costs, business shutdowns and labour shortages, putting the economy in its trickiest spot since the start of the war in 2022.
Meanwhile, intensifying Ukrainian attacks on Russia's vital energy infrastructure — oil depots, refineries, exporting hubs — are threatening to dent Moscow's most important income stream.
