European intelligence agencies have warned of the risk of a banking crisis in Russia — Reuters

European intelligence agencies have prepared a confidential report warning of a high probability of a large-scale banking crisis in Russia as early as 2026. The main reasons cited are the Kremlin’s enormous expenditures on the war against Ukraine and the accumulation of non-performing loans.

According to the document, Russian banks were forced to actively lend to the defense industry, government projects, and subsidized programs, which led to a sharp increase in financial risks. The report notes that about 10% of corporate loans are already nonperforming, and more than 500,000 Russians declared themselves bankrupt in 2025.

Meanwhile, the European Union is preparing a new package of sanctions that could be directed specifically against the Russian banking sector, cryptocurrency networks, and companies linked to the military-industrial complex.

Source: Reuters.

The Council of the European Union has imposed sanctions on six Russian citizens believed to be involved in the development of chemical weapons, specifically the toxic substance epibatidine.