December was a time to take stock of the year, which has become the most stressful for the country in recent decades. At the front, Russia held a significant portion of the territory, but faced heavy losses, logistical difficulties, and the consequences of mobilization. The economy has adapted, but due to falling incomes, business withdrawal, sanctions and uncertainty. The year ended with a significant reduction in imports, record levels of inflation for a number of goods and a decline in the quality of life. Society entered 2023 divided: some supported the course, some left or remained silent. The country has entered an era of high militarization, information control and international isolation.

On October 8, an explosion occurred on the Crimean Bridge, which partially destroyed the road infrastructure and caused a fire on the railway section. The bridge, a key logistics artery for supplying Russian troops in the south, has become a symbol of the stability of Russia's control over the region - and its damage was a blow to its image. This worsened the logistics of Russian military operations in southern Ukraine and led to an intensification of subsequent Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. October became a month of escalation—after the incident, attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure became systematic.

August became one of the busiest months at the front. In Crimea, at the Saki airbase, a powerful explosion occurred that destroyed several aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces. Although the official narrative had long been one of “lack of safety precautions,” most international analysts noted that this was one of the first major strikes against targets deep behind Russian lines. The event had a strong psychological effect inside Russia - many began to understand that the conflict was dragging on, and for the first time the war was “reaching” territories perceived as safe.

In June, Russia actively switched to the countries of the Global South and East - China, India, Turkey, Iran. At the BRICS summit, the expansion of the bloc to include new states was actively discussed. Russia tried to create new economic routes, alternative SWIFT payments, and new trade logistics. One of the key events was the sharp increase in oil supplies to India and China. These markets compensated for the losses in Europe, but at a price significantly lower than the market price. Experts noted that Russia had actually moved to a model of “raw material dependence on the East.” Politically, June became a symbol of a new foreign policy course: from cooperation with Europe to an alliance with Asian and Middle Eastern components. This became the basis of the diplomatic strategy of subsequent years.

May 2022 was a key moment for Russian aviation. After the imposition of sanctions, most foreign lessors demanded the return of the aircraft, and manufacturers Boeing and Airbus refused to service Russian aircraft. Spare parts, software and certification have become unavailable. Russian airlines found themselves in a unique situation: more than 500 leased aircraft became “non-returnable”, their status turned out to be semi-legal, which led to the threat of international sanctions. Russia began “cannibalization” - dismantling some aircraft into parts to maintain others. Many international routes were closed, and domestic routes became more expensive. Passenger traffic of Ural, S7 and Aeroflot decreased, and the regions faced restrictions on flights. May marked the beginning of a long crisis in air travel - the industry realized that it could no longer count on Western technologies, services and partners.

In April 2022, Instagram and Facebook, owned by Meta, which Russian authorities recognized as an extremist organization, were blocked in Russia. This became the largest restriction in the field of social networks in the entire history of the country. The blocking affected tens of millions of Russians - Instagram was one of the most popular platforms for businesses and bloggers. Thousands of entrepreneurs have lost sales platforms, advertising tools, subscribers and communication channels. Many of them were unable to quickly adapt to new conditions, and their incomes fell sharply. Censorship in all areas of media has also increased: YouTube has become the main destination for free content, and authorities have begun to look for ways to limit its influence. Many laws have appeared introducing liability for the spread of “fakes” about the army, for criticism of the state and military actions. Hundreds of journalists left abroad, dozens of media projects were closed. April was the month when the Russian information space actually came under complete state control, and people switched to VPNs, Telegram and closed communities.

In March 2022, Russia faced an unprecedented “exodus” of foreign business. Within one month, dozens of global brands announced their departure or suspension of operations: McDonald's, IKEA, Apple, Microsoft, H&M, Shell, Adidas, Visa, Mastercard and many others. The overall trend was explained by sanctions, danger to employees and political risks. The closure of IKEA was especially noticeable - before leaving, the company held a huge online sale, which caused the collapse of the site and the instant disappearance of goods. The departure of McDonald's became symbolic - the brand had been present in Russia for more than 30 years. Later it was replaced by the Russian analogue “Tasty - that’s it.” Economists noted that the departure of foreign businesses was a blow to many sectors: logistics, trade, IT, retail, catering. Not only goods disappeared, but also business standards, international management patterns, and technologies. Hundreds of thousands of employees across the country have lost their jobs or are in a state of uncertainty. March was the month when the Russian economy finally entered the mode of “economic self-isolation”, breaking away from a huge part of the world market and placing business processes in new conditions.

On February 24, 2022, an event occurred that determined the political, economic and social development of Russia for years to come. In the morning, the Russian President announced the start of a “special military operation” in Ukraine. Military operations covered many directions - from Kyiv and Chernigov to the Kharkov, Kyiv and Kherson regions. The largest military conflict in Europe since World War II has begun. Inside Russia, this was accompanied by the introduction of strict measures of control over information. Independent media faced a ban on using the words “war” and “invasion.” Thousands of people took to the streets with anti-war slogans - about 15 thousand protesters were detained in the first weeks. Many public figures, journalists, and entrepreneurs left the country. The economic consequences became noticeable in the very first days: the ruble exchange rate collapsed to historical lows, Western countries imposed the largest sanctions in the entire history of Russia, and international companies began to leave the market en masse. A new economic reality began: imported goods disappeared and supply chains collapsed. February was a turning point that divided the modern history of Russia into “before” and “after,” creating a long-term political and social crisis.