By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW, April 22 (Reuters) - The veteran leader of Russia's Communist Party has warned parliament that the country's faltering economy risks stoking a 1917-style revolution and that
Russian Communist Leader Warns Parliament of Revolution Risk Over Economy
Communist Party Concerns Over Russia's Economic Stability
By Andrew Osborn
Warning Issued to Parliament
MOSCOW, April 22 (Reuters) - The veteran leader of Russia's Communist Party has warned parliament that the country's faltering economy risks stoking a 1917-style revolution and that the government needs to take urgent measures to correct its course.
Gennady Zyuganov, 81, issued his warning to a plenary session of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, ahead of a parliamentary election due in September, according to a recording of his speech posted on the Duma's official website.
Support for Putin Amid Criticism
"We’re doing everything we can to support (President Vladimir) Putin and his strategy and policies, but you (the government) are not listening," he said, in comments made on Tuesday. They drew some applause and were carefully listened to by Vyacheslav Volodin, the Duma speaker and a close Putin ally.
Zyuganov said a recent government meeting convened by Putin had been the gloomiest in a long time.
Call for Urgent Economic Measures
"If you (the government) do not urgently adopt financial, economic and other measures, by autumn a repeat of what happened in 1917 awaits us. We don't have the right to repeat that. Let's take some decisions."
Current Political and Social Climate
Despite his warning, there is currently no sign of serious social unrest in Russia, amid tight wartime censorship, protest bans, long jail sentences for dissidents and the growth in influence of the Federal Security Service, the main successor agency to the Soviet-era KGB.
Avoids Criticism of Putin
AVOIDS CRITICISM OF PUTIN
Although Zyuganov's party, the second largest in parliament, is the main successor to the Soviet Communist Party, it has long backed Putin and his core policies, offering carefully-calibrated criticism of the ruling United Russia party from within the tightly controlled political system.
Strategy Behind Zyuganov's Comments
His comments, which also referenced recent viral criticism of the authorities by a celebrity blogger, looked designed to win votes from Russians feeling the economic pinch, distance Putin from the economic problems, and show that the political system is aware there are issues that need addressing.
Zyuganov was careful not to blame Putin personally, appearing to take aim instead at the government, the central bank, and the ruling party, whose ratings are under pressure according to state opinion polls.
Historical Context and Economic Outlook
Lessons from the 1917 Revolution
The 1917 revolution swept away Russia's monarchy and a provisional government, bringing the Bolsheviks to power and paving the way for the creation of the Soviet Union, which collapsed in 1991.
Putin's Response and Economic Performance
Putin, in power as either president or prime minister since the end of 1999, has repeatedly promised stability and spoken of the destructive nature of revolutions.
He scolded his own top officials last week after the economy contracted by 1.8% in the first two months of the year and asked them to come up with new measures to boost growth.
Recent Economic Trends
Russia's $3.1 trillion economy, which contracted in 2022 but grew in 2023, 2024 and 2025, has outperformed most expectations and avoided a crash despite Western sanctions imposed over Moscow's war in Ukraine.
But the strain of the war and double-digit interest rates slowed growth to 1% last year.
The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has lifted oil prices, however, a move likely to boost the Russian economy if sustained. The International Monetary Fund has raised its forecast for Russia's economic growth this year to 1.1%, from 0.8%.
(Reporting by Andrew OsbornEditing by Gareth Jones)
