“The sanctions are having an effect, but they are not of key importance”.

After more than a 1,000 days of war, there is something almost impressive about the way Vladimir Putin continues to try to gaslight ordinary Russians.

Yet no amount of propaganda can prevent his countrymen and women from seeing the devastating effects of the West’s economic war on the Kremlin with their own eyes.

The Russian rouble has plunged to levels not seen since the early weeks of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, further eroding purchasing power at a time when the country is already contending with runaway inflation.