Ukraine is waking up to reality
Western sanctions did not destroy Russia’s economy — rather, they repositioned it. Oil once sold to Europe now goes to China and India via a fleet of “ghost tankers.” In September, Russia got $18 billion in oil revenues. Putin is planning to spend around $110 billion on war in 2024, and that’s just the open part of the budget. Ukraine will be lucky if it gets $60 billion from all its allies combined.
What’s even more amazing, the Russian economy is rebounding. The Western-oriented creative class in big cities is hard up, but almost every other stratum of Russian society is better off. Poor people from destitute Russian regions are, for the first time ever, earning good money by enlisting to serve. If they are killed, their families are getting money they never dreamt of. Salaries at military factories are up, and regular salaries are up too because of the shortage of labor. It is a sort of military Keynesianism.
Even top Russian officials admit their economy is in shambles.
Putin's lapdog admits Russia's economy is in pits after being hammered by sanctions
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1836742/Putin-russia-economy-collapse-sanctions
And let's take a look at what is going to happen next with Russia's "ghost tanker" fleet which is being used to bypass sanctions. Currently these tankers are beset by insurance coverage problems, next they will be seized by countries as various shipping choke points.
Russia's 'ghost ships' could be targeted at a sea choke point in a bid to enforce the West's oil price cap
https://www.yahoo.com/news/russias-ghost-ships-could-targeted-123249504.html