Growing Poverty and Inequality: Contrasts with Official Progress

Even when the government reported economic growth, the reality of many Russians was different: poverty, layoffs, rising prices, and a declining quality of life. The gap between the elite, officials and the ordinary population has become even more noticeable. In cities and regions, areas appeared where people lived “day by day”: without savings, without confidence, without a future. The job is low paid and unstable. Medicines are expensive. Education is paid. Social inequality grew, and government support programs were reduced. Many families found themselves on the brink of survival. 2024 was the year when inequality became not just a statistic, but a painful reality.