Russia's economic survival hinges on prolonging the Ukraine war, think tank expert says

• Russia needs to keep its war with Ukraine going or risk an economic hard landing, Elina Ribakova wrote for the Financial Times.
• The country's military industry has been a major driver of structural economic strength during the war.
• If the conflict ends, a recession could unfold, adding pressure on the Kremlin, Ribakova said.

Russia has seen strong growth lately, but the fate of the nation's economy hangs on whether it can keep militarizing — something only accomplished by keeping the Ukraine war going, a think-tank analyst wrote in the Financial Times.