February 17, 2026
Death zone or drama zone?
Russia's economy has entered the death zone
Is Russia’s economy eating itself—or is this 2014 all over again
TLDR: The article claims Russia’s war economy won’t collapse but is stuck in a self‑eating “death zone.” Commenters split: some cite years of failed collapse predictions and mock the magazine, while others argue cheap energy sales to China keep Moscow afloat—turning a grim forecast into a meme-fueled brawl over what’s real and what’s wishful.
The Economist says Russia’s economy won’t crash but won’t recover either—stuck in a high-altitude “death zone” where it’s consuming itself to keep the war machine running. And the comments? Pure fireworks. One user dropped an archive link just “for the metaphors,” and the thread immediately turned into a roast of doom predictions versus cold-eyed realism.
The loudest skeptic? A Ukrainian commenter who flat-out says they don’t buy it, arguing Russia can keep selling cut‑price gas to China “until the very end.” On the other side, a crowd piled in with receipts, flashing a 2014 highlight reel of “Russia collapse” headlines and yelling déjà vu—we’ve heard this soundtrack since Crimea. Cue the meme brigade: “Economist Indicator,” one quips, meaning whatever The Economist prints, bet the opposite. The “death zone” line became instant gym-bro bait, with jokes about an economy doing late‑stage cardio by metabolizing its own muscle.
Then came the slap fights. One commenter scolded a drive‑by take—“You’d know if you’d read it”—before tossing a spicy “fear it might be superior?” jab. Others pushed back that the piece actually admits Russia isn’t collapsing; it’s stuck in a war‑fueled treadmill that’s hard to step off. Translation for non‑economists: no sudden crash, but no real healing either. The drama isn’t just about numbers—it’s about whether this is a slow bleed, a zombie jog, or just another Western doom headline getting ratioed.
Key Points
- •The analysis states Russia’s economy has been fundamentally reshaped by the ongoing war against Ukraine.
- •It argues the economy will not collapse but also will not recover under current conditions.
- •The situation is likened to a mountaineering “death zone,” implying self-consuming deterioration over time.
- •Reversing these changes would be difficult, potentially requiring another crisis.
- •The war entering its fifth year frames the duration and persistence of these structural shifts.