The Kremlin is driving Russians into debt on a massive scale — SZR
In Russia, the number of people turning to pawnshops due to a lack of funds and credit problems is rising rapidly.
This is reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
In 2026, demand for pawnshop services is growing by 7–10% every month.
The reasons include falling household incomes, high interest rates, and damaged credit histories.
In 2025, the number of pawnshop customers grew by 15%, and the sector’s profits—by nearly 50%.
The pawnshop market in Russia is expected to reach 1 trillion rubles.
Up to 2–2.5 million loans are issued annually, with the average loan amount increasing.
Russians are increasingly using cars, jewelry, and expensive watches as collateral.
A record amount of cash withdrawals has also been recorded—in January 2026 alone, Russians withdrew 1.6 trillion rubles from their accounts.
As a reminder, Russia has issued an ultimatum to Ukraine: Kyiv has two months to withdraw from Donbas, or there will be “other conditions for peace.”
Additionally, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that if Russia ceases its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Ukraine will respond in kind.
