Putin humiliated as Russians swap holidays for farms in economic low | World | News

Vladimir Putin’s crumbling economy and ongoing war in Ukraine have left ordinary Russians facing a summer holiday nightmare. Faced with crippling western sanctions, a soaring cost of living and constant Ukrainian drone attacks, a summer getaway has suddenly become an unattainable luxury for millions.

Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Western Europe was just a direct flight away for city dwellers. Today, Western airlines and booking giants like Airbnb have fled, leaving travellers facing nightmare logistics, soaring airfares and strict visa bans. Lyubov Chuchmayeva, from Russian tour operator PAKS, admitted: “Today, a trip to Russians’ beloved Rome, Madrid or Paris is a full-fledged case for the logistics department.”

Even domestic travel has turned into a life-or-death gamble. Traditional Black Sea hotspots like annexed Crimea have seen bookings plunge by 30% after relentless Ukrainian strikes crippled fuel supplies and left beaches deserted. Local travel firms reported combined losses of 1.5 billion rubles (£14.7million) in June alone, prompting the Kremlin to bail out the region’s tourism sector with 4.3 billion rubles (£42.1million) from reserve funds. High-end Crimean resorts have even been forced to hold night-time parties in underground bunkers during air raid sirens.

Meanwhile, hotel bookings across the country have plummeted by 12% in recent weeks, with cancellation rates soaring by up to a third (33%).

For those living outside Moscow, the reality is even starker. With average monthly public sector wages lingering around just 40,000 rubles (£390), even a basic budget getaway to Turkey – costing upwards of 120,000 rubles (£1,170) – is completely out of reach.

The number of tourists visiting Lake Baikal in eastern Siberia – the world’s deepest freshwater lake and one of Russia’s most popular destinations – has also fallen by a third due to rising prices.

For millions in rural Russia, traditional summer breaks have been completely abandoned in favour of basic survival.

“It’s unrealistic for rural residents to actually go on vacation,” one village schoolteacher revealed. x

“Summer vacation season is a busy time for haymaking, gardening, and harvesting. We raise ducks, geese and broilers, milk the cows and stock up on butter.”