Sanctions against Russia: No fever medication in pharmacies
In Russia’s supermarkets are the consequences of the war against Ukraine and the previous ones sanctions of the West are now visible: at much higher prices than before the attack on the neighboring country. Because the Russians had counted on it, many started buying hamsters shortly after the beginning of the war. Sugar in particular became scarce, but so did diapers, sanitary towels and medicines. In mid-March, videos appeared on the Internet showing pensioners jostling for new sugar deliveries in supermarkets; Photos of empty sugar and diaper shelves were shared.
The specter of the “deficit” was raised – this term was used in Soviet times to describe the lack of products, and to this day it evokes grim memories among older Russians. But the government hastened to assert that there was no “deficit” and that there were still sufficient supplies in the camps. At the same time, it banned sugar exports until the end of August. And the anti-monopoly authority began investigations into sugar producers and retailers who are said to have deliberately withheld the goods. In fact, there are now no complaints about empty sugar and diaper shelves.
Lack of insulin and antidepressants
However, there is still a lack of important medicines: the popular fever syrup for children, Nurofen, is available in several pharmacies not to be had in a central Moscow residential area. The saleswomen do not know when it will be delivered again. Insulin, birth control pills, antidepressants and tranquilizers are no longer available everywhere, and even doctors are complaining about shortages. Shortly after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, people could be seen in the capital buying up stocks of heart pills because of the declining ruble and fears that prices would rise. Society was preparing for “social hibernation” during the “economic blockade,” psychologist Alexandr Asmolov told the Kommersant newspaper.
So far, none of the major western pharmaceutical companies has announced that it will be postponing its deliveries of medicines Russia set. But the supply chains are largely interrupted: several large container ship companies have suspended their transports to and from Russia, and air traffic has been paralyzed. The consumer goods manufacturer Procter & Gamble announced price increases in Russia by an average of 43 percent in mid-March, partly because of increased transport costs. Some products became scarce due to missing components, such as normal office paper, for which the bleach used to come from Finland. The Ministry of Trade announced recently that replacements have been found in India and China, and that prices will soon normalize.
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Analysts expect inflation of 20 percent
There will be even more shortages in the coming weeks when the stocks currently in stores are used up, says economist Ruben Enikolopov, who left Russia because of the war Price increases felt: The inflation rate was officially at a good 15 percent; Calculated for the year, analysts expect inflation of almost 20 percent, with a simultaneous decline in economic output of around 10 percent.
