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Mounting economic hardship and growing public discontent could push Russia toward internal conflict, a senior Kremlin official has warned.

The stark message comes as inflation, war fatigue, and social divisions deepen across the country.

Alexander Kharichev, head of the Presidential Directorate for Monitoring and Analysing Social Processes, issued the warning in a state-run journal.

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Military over social spending

Rising prices have hit ordinary Russians hard, with food costs climbing well above the national inflation rate. Businesses are struggling to stay afloat, and layoffs and bankruptcies loom large.

Despite the pressure, the Kremlin continues to prioritize military spending over social welfare.

At the same time, Russia’s workforce has been decimated by more than a million war casualties, mostly men of working age, worsening the long-term demographic decline and ageing population.

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Kharichev warned of “fragmentation of society” and the “loss of Russia’s ability to fight for its survival.”

His analysis cited the growing erosion of public trust in government and widening rifts within Russian society.

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