Russia's wartime economy is flush with resources and is weathering Western sanctions, European economist says

• Russia's economy is actually doing pretty well, according to European economist Michel Santi.
• Moscow has been able to purchase Western resources through middlemen, he said.
• The only problem that plagues Russia is its severe worker shortage, Santi added. 

Officials in the West have touted the effectiveness of sanctions, but for the most part, Moscow is actually doing fine as its war in Ukraine continues to drag on. 

That's according to Michael Santi, a European economist and a former banker who believes Russia is actually coping better with trade restrictions than many experts have said is the case.