We are excited to announce the release of the inaugural episode of our new podcast series, KSE Talks. In this series, we delve into the latest major events in the field of the economy, sanctions, and the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, together with expert analysis. You can now listen to the first episode on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Don’t miss out on the insightful discussions! You can listen to the first episode of KSE Talks on popular streaming platforms using the following links:

Amazon Music: https://t.ly/dthg 

Apple Podcasts: https://t.ly/XQ_q 

Spotify: https://t.ly/S33i 

The first episode of KSE Talks features Agathe Demarais, Director of Global Forecasting at the Economist Intelligence Unit and author of “Backfire” on US sanctions, and Elina Ribakova, Director of International Programs at the Kyiv School of Economics.

Main theme of KSE Talks #1: “What’s really going on with sanctions against Russia?” Key takeaways:

• Sanctions work. The current sanctions effectively weaken the Russian economy, particularly the energy sector, exacerbating Moscow’s existing economic challenges.

• The prospects for the Russian economy are diminishing. The growth in the defense sector has limited the annual decline in Russia’s GDP to 2.1%. However, the Kremlin is facing decreasing energy revenues, an exceeding federal budget deficit, and dwindling reserves.

• The Kremlin cannot completely circumvent sanctions. Despite attempts to evade sanctions through “gray imports” and redirecting exports to Asian markets, these measures have limited long-term • significance.

• Russian official data may be unreliable. The reliability of official Russian statistics is questionable due to data classification, delayed release of unfavourable statistics, and number manipulation.

• Sanctions should be enforced. The implementation and strengthening of sanctions are crucial for countering Moscow’s aggressive actions in the future and reducing the Kremlin’s ability to wage war.

Follow KSE Institute on Twitter to stay up-to-date with new episodes of KSE Talks: https://twitter.com/KSE_Institute