By intervening in Syria, annexing Crimea, and sustaining military presence in Eastern Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to have overextended himself. With an annual growth rate of just 1.5%, Russia is now expending 5.3% of its GDP on its military budget, while losing another 3-4% to legal, civilian, and other costs.
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/cost-of-wars-for-russia-by-anders-aslund-2018-09
The one-hour show called “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin” comes as Putin suffers one of his largest dips in popularity for years.
https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/donbass-realii/29468655.html
https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/donbass-realii/29468775.html
https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2018/09/03_a_11944105.shtml
https://www.rbc.ru/newspaper/2018/09/03/5b8c1b079a79474630f4b260
https://www.gazeta.ru/business/2018/09/03/11942803.shtml
https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2018/09/03_a_11943577.shtml