Humiliated Putin Dealt Black Friday Disaster

Key Points:

• Russian clothing brand Posh Style and other companies are suspending deliveries and pausing production due to Ukrainian drone attacks destroying warehouses and disrupting manufacturing, impacting Russia’s economy during the Black Friday sales period.
• The attacks have caused shortages and financial strain, leading many stores to lack the funds or products to offer discounts, which may reduce consumer spending in Russia’s already weakened economy.
• Capital flight from Russia is intensifying, with fears that Putin may seize bank funds to finance the war in Ukraine, potentially doubling the amount of money withdrawn compared to the initial wave after the 2022 invasion.
• Ukrainian drone strikes are increasingly targeting Russian commerce and energy infrastructure deep inside Russia, exemplified by the August attack on a Wildberries facility that killed six people and destroyed billions in merchandise.
• Amid these challenges, Putin has proposed a three-way summit with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, aiming to negotiate an end to the war without Ukrainian President Zelensky, with Trump reportedly agreeing to allow Russian diesel exports to ease the global oil crisis.