'The Sound of Economics' podcast continues with an instalment of the Deep Focus series, with Bruegel fellow Marek Dabrowski talking to Sean Gibson about the findings of his research paper on Russia's growth problems (co-written with Antoine Mathieu Collin).

The Russian economy has weathered several crises in recent decades, most recently between 2014-16\. Though this latest dip was relatively not so deep, growth has returned much more slowly this time around than in previous years.

Some problems are age-old, while others are a product of recent political movements and developments. In this episode the conversation specifies some of Russia's institutional shortcomings and structural economic weaknesses, accounting for the country's efforts at macroeconomic management and the evolving demographic difficulties particularly concerning Russia's working-age population. 

The discussion also reflects on the particular economic impacts of Russia's involvement in Ukraine, and looks ahead to the most vital and realistic possible remedial measures that could yet be taken.

If you are interested in more of Bruegel's work on this topic, we recommend Marek Dabrowski's blog post on how Russia's foreign policy obstructs its attempts at economic modernisation. Also consider the same author's recent publication, 'Can emerging markets be a source of global troubles again?'