State Duma warns Putin of looming social explosion threshold
Russian President Vladimir Putin (photo: Getty Images)
Vladimir Putin has faced a rare public demand from the State Duma to present a plan for ending the war in Ukraine. During a public speech, a Communist Party lawmaker stated that Russia is on the brink of a social explosion, The Telegraph reports.
What Duma says
The statement was made by Vyacheslav Markhayev, a State Duma deputy from the Communist Party. In his speech, he listed corruption scandals, oligarchy, losses of "the most active and reproductively capable segment of the population," and Ukrainian drone strikes among the hardships affecting Russia.
"The time of illusions is over. The country is on the brink of a social explosion, and the blame for this will fall squarely on the entrenched ruling power," Markhayev said.
The lawmaker also warned of the consequences of inaction:
"If the situation persists, social unrest and chaos will become more likely. The West will inevitably exploit this to destroy the remnants of Russian statehood."
Markhayev joins a growing list of public figures breaking from the official line. Late last month, another Duma deputy from the same party, Renat Suleymanov, called for the "earliest possible end" to the war, saying the economy could not withstand its continuation.
In March, former staunch Kremlin supporter Ilya Remeslo turned against Putin, calling the Russian president "a war criminal and a thief" and urging for his prosecution.
Putin's approval rating declines
Russian state-run Russian Public Opinion Research Center will stop publishing its open trust rating for Putin this week, as it has fallen to its lowest level since the start of the full-scale war.
At the beginning of April, only 29.5% of Russians named the president as one of the politicians they trust. After that, the survey publication was mysteriously discontinued.
Economy under pressure
Russia's economic growth has slowed to near-stagnation, while inflation remains high. Ukrainian strikes on refineries and terminals have significantly cut into Moscow's budget, with crude oil refining falling to a 16-year low.
According to Janis Kluge, senior researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, military spending by Russia in early 2026 increased by more than 30% compared to the previous year, reaching 46% of total budget expenditures.
"The pace of military spending looks even more impressive — and, from the Kremlin's perspective, concerning — when compared with budget revenues. Military spending was equivalent to two-thirds of Russian budget revenues in January to March 2026," he said.
Nearly every second ruble spent from the federal budget went to military needs.
Problems at Central Bank
Independent Russian channels, citing sources, claim that Central Bank head Elvira Nabiullina issued an ultimatum to Putin: she will complete her term only if the Kremlin does not close borders or introduce martial law.
According to the Mozhem Obyasnit (We Can Explain – ed.) channel, Nabiullina reportedly plans to leave the Central Bank soon.
This week, she and her deputies also skipped a meeting with Putin and senior ministers on interest rates.
Despite growing domestic dissatisfaction, Putin has not changed course.
On June 12, he signed a decree increasing the official size of the Russian army by nearly 10,000 troops — the second such increase in four months.
Meanwhile, according to Politico, Ukraine is requesting an additional $20 billion from allies to consolidate its advantage on the battlefield.
"Everyone sees that Russia is burning, and we want it to burn even more, but we need financing to do it," an unnamed Ukrainian official told the outlet. According to him, the request will be presented at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on June 18.
Previously, in May 2026, State Duma deputy Renat Suleymanov of the Communist Party stated that the Russian economy could not withstand a prolonged war against Ukraine.
This was one of the first public instances in which a Russian lawmaker directly acknowledged limits to Russia's capacity.
Putin's approval rating, according to the pro-government opinion research center, has fallen to its lowest level since the start of the full-scale war.
Among the reasons cited are Telegram restrictions, mobile internet limitations, rising prices, and public fatigue with the war.
