Russia’s Economy Is Cracking: Jason Smart Speaks with Prof. Volodymyr Lugovskyy, Chair of Economics at Indiana University, on the Real Numbers Behind the Collapse

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Jason Smart speaks with Prof. Volodymyr Lugovskyy, Chair of Economics at Indiana University and a scholar published in the American Economic Review. Together they break down the hidden fractures inside Russia’s wartime economy: labor shortages, the accelerating brain drain, failing energy leverage, and the deeper statistical signals pointing toward collapse.Prof. Lugovskyy uses Game Theory to explain why sanctions are finally biting and why Russia’s current model cannot sustain a long war. This is the mathematical reality the Kremlin does not want exposed.Watch to understand why Russia’s system is approaching a breaking point, and what comes next.ABOUT THE GUEST: Prof. Volodymyr Lugovskyy is a Ukraine-born economist and the current Chair of the Economics Department at Indiana University. Holding a PhD from Purdue University, he is a globally recognized authority in International Economics and Game Theory. His research has been featured in top-tier academic journals, including the American Economic Review, European Economic Review, and the Journal of Financial Economics. Prof. Lugovskyy brings data, expertise, and a warning that Russia is playing with fire.