Russia risks an 'explosive' banking crisis, a European state intelligence report has warned, as the European Union readies a raft of new sanctions.The two-page report also revealed that half a million Russians went bankrupt last year. It comes as ordinary Russians are bearing the brunt of Putin's faltering war effort, with repeated Ukrainian strikes on oil facilities and logistics hubs disrupting fuel supplies, causing long queues at petrol stations and sparking fights between frustrated drivers.Videos of confrontations at petrol stations are emerging from Russia almost daily as fuel shortages worsen. One newly surfaced clip appears to show two elderly men exchanging punches and kicks during an apparent argument over a queue for fuel.Another video shows a group of men shouting at one another over petrol, with one heard threatening: 'When the day is over, I'll beat you up.'A third video captures a woman and two men wrestling over a petrol pump, yanking it from each other's hands. The woman begins kicking at one of the men while an onlooker shouts 'don't damage my car!' One newly surfaced clip appears to show two elderly men exchanging punches and kicks during an apparent argument over a queue for fuel Another video shows a group of men shouting at one another over petrol, with one heard threatening: 'When the day is over, I'll beat you up' A third video captures a woman and two men wrestling over a petrol pump, yanking it from each other's handsWhile Russia's banks have mostly weathered the sanctions imposed since Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the June report says deteriorating loans and growing household indebtedness create an 'explosive' risk, just as the EU prepares a 21st package of sanctions it hopes to finalise in July, targeting banks and cryptocurrency networks.The Russian central bank declined to comment on the assessment, although it has recently played down the risks of a major banking crisis.With the cost of a four-year war with Ukraine draining state coffers, Russia has increasingly leant on banks to support companies and borrowers. The report says this has lumbered banks with risks, as the economy teeters.The Economy Ministry cut its gross domestic product​ growth forecast to 0.4 per cent in 2026 from 1.3 per cent previously and to 1.4 per cent in 2027 from 2.8 per cent.The intelligence report, titled 'Note on the probability of a banking crisis in Russia in 2026', said banks have been pushed to give subsidised loans to defence companies, homebuyers and others. It noted that state-backed credit programmes, loan restructurings and government support masked the banks' vulnerability.'The situation creates the illusion of a dynamic economy that, in reality, conceals an explosive situation which an economic shock, such as an ambitious package of sanctions against banks ... could trigger,' said the report.Lending to defence firms, regional state-backed projects and homeowners has increased the amount of loans that may never be repaid, the authors said.The report estimates that 10 per cent of corporate loans are doubtful, a sharp increase from 2024, while some major banks reported retail non-performing loan ratios as high as 15 per cent in 2025.It also says that more than 500,000 Russians declared bankruptcy in 2025, up almost a third from the previous year, while state programmes encouraged more than 13 million Russians to take out at least three loans simultaneously.Russian central bank Deputy Governor Filipp Gabunia said last month that 'vulnerabilities in the financial sector are not critical,' stressing that banks' capital cushion was at the highest level in three years, while corporate bad loans had, at 4 per cent, not changed during the last year and a half.'Russia's economy is stagnating but the dominance of the state and defence spending means there is no immediate financial crisis to hand,' said Chris Weafer, a Russia expert at consultancy Macro Advisory.'Asia ignores sanctions. So the idea that a fresh round will tip Russia into crisis is wishful thinking,' he said, adding that defence spending was keeping unemployment low and wages high.The European Union has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in an attempt to choke bank profits and international money movements, oil and gas sales and the defence sector.Russia has struggled but proven largely resilient, while Europe has often had difficulty enforcing sanctions, with no central authority to do so. Compounding Europe's difficulties, the United States, under President Donald Trump, has loosened some sanctions, earlier granting temporary permission to sell Russian oil, although that waiver expired in mid-June.European diplomats are now discussing targeting banks ‌and cryptocurrency networks as well as drone production, oil traders and refiners.This would add scores of individuals and entities to the sanctions list, including nearly 90 banks, bringing the number of blackballed lenders to more than 100 — over half of the country's internationally connected banks.Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said Russia would press ahead with its battlefield aim of fully capturing four Ukrainian regions, despite the sanctions, rejecting what he ‌said was a new proposal by Ukraine to rein in hostilities.Putin also said Russia was expecting a resumption of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the war, once the 'hot phase' of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran was resolved. There are signs of increasing pressure. Russia's second-largest lender VTB plans to boost reserves, its first deputy CEO told Reuters on Friday, to shield itself against higher fuel prices and possible loan losses.The amount of cash being held outside banks has grown by more than 17 per cent year-on-year to over 19 trillion roubles ($243 billion) so far this year, according to central bank data.That has put pressure on banks which rely on deposits to fund lending. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said Russia would press ahead with its battlefield aim of fully capturing four Ukrainian regions, despite the sanctions Repeated Ukrainian strikes on oil facilities and logistics hubs are disrupting fuel supplies'All major banks are already under sanctions ... and when they were introduced in 2022, there was stress,' Taras Skvortsov, chief financial officer of Russia's largest bank, Sberbank, told Reuters.'By 2026, everyone has become so used to it. Many clients of the sanctioned banks do not even know about sanctions.'Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is set to arrive at a two-day Nato summit in Turkey on Tuesday, where he will demand allies step up their defence spending. At an industry forum on Tuesday ahead of the main summit, leaders are set to unveil new arms deals worth tens of billions to show Trump they're delivering on their words. Beyond taking greater responsibility for their own defence, European countries have also taken over the support of Ukraine almost entirely as Trump has wound back US aid.President Volodymyr Zelensky - who will attend the leaders dinner on Tuesday - will score a commitment from his European backers at NATO to keep at least 70 billion euros ($80 billion) of military aid flowing to Kyiv each year in both 2026 and 2027.Zelensky - who is set to hold talks with Trump at the Ankara summit - urged the alliance to take 'strong decisions' on boosting Ukraine's air defences after a devastating Russian blitz killed nearly 30 people.The Ukrainian leader will look to convince Trump - who held a phone call with Russia's Vladimir Putin ahead of the gathering - that Kyiv is turning the tide in the war and that he should pressure Moscow back into serious peace negotiations.European leaders are aiming at least to avoid a bust-up with the mercurial US leader that could deal a further blow to NATO's credibility after Trump repeatedly cast doubt on the US commitment to protecting its allies.Diplomats are banking on Trump's good relationship with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and an unstinting charm offensive by NATO chief Rutte, to keep his mood in check.But with Trump having had fallings out with a string of other leaders - most recently Italy's Giorgia Meloni - there are plenty irritants that could ignite his anger.