Russia’s biggest state development corp fires Andrei Klepach, its chief economist, for saying in May that Moscow is losing its war of attrition with the West, and losing it ‘in some ways’ to Ukraine

The Russian state development corporation VEB.RF has fired its chief economist, Andrey Klepach.

The corporation dismissed him over “harsh personal assessments” of Russia’s economic and political development — views that did not match VEB.RF’s own position, an acquaintance of Klepach’s told the Russian business daily Vedomosti.

VEB.RF head Igor Shuvalov removed Klepach from his post after a phone call from higher up, according to one of The Bell’s sources.

The independent Russian outlet was the first to report the firing.