Ukrainian Intelligence: Russians Will Celebrate New Year In Austerity Mode

Because of rising prices.

In Russia, preparations for the New Year holidays are taking place against the background of a noticeable decline in consumer activity. Due to rising prices, Russians are forced to save more and more on holiday expenses.

The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine reported that "A general trend towards austerity is being recorded: Russians are increasingly refusing to spend too much and limiting themselves to a minimum set of goods and services. The average budget for the celebration of 2026 is about 14 thousand rubles, which is almost half the amount that was planned for the meeting of 2025", - stated in the message.

The intelligence notes that such dynamics is associated with rising inflation, rising prices of food, housing and utilities and clothing.

Changes have affected the traditional New Year's table: Russians are increasingly refusing delicacies, trying to avoid large expenditures. The holiday menu, according to SVRU, increasingly consists of simple and previously available products.

In addition, interest in cheaper vacation formats is growing in Russia. Instead of traveling abroad, Russians prefer to rent country houses inside the country, often joining large companies to share the costs.

The holiday services market is also experiencing a decrease in demand. Event organizers, hosts and restaurants report a decrease in the number of orders and the absence of expensive requests. At the same time, the average check for the organization of holidays increased, while the demand for such services decreased by about the same percentage, which indicates a cautious consumer behavior.

With the general economy, negative social trends are also recorded. According to statistics, the death rate in Russia during the New Year holidays increases by an average of 24%, reaching a peak on New Year's Eve and Christmas Day.

"On January 1 alone, about two thousand people die across the country. The main causes remain alcohol abuse, overeating, and a sharp rise in the number of accidents - injuries, traffic accidents and domestic conflicts. A separate problem remains a surge in suicides, especially among people spending long holiday weekends alone and depressed," the SVRU said.

You can support the website Charter97.org

MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:

Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims

You can contact us by the e-mail [email protected]