Russia intensified its public confrontation with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, with alarming threats hinting at the possibility of World War III following a heated exchange on social media.

The conflict ignited after Trump cautioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “playing with fire” by deploying 50,000 troops to Ukraine’s Sumy region—a move Kyiv warns could trigger a fresh northern military offensive.

Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and now a senior security official, fired back by stating that World War III would be the “only REALLY BAD thing” Russia could face, adding a pointed remark: “I hope Trump understands this!”

Trump’s initial warning came via Truth Social on Tuesday, where he wrote, “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, many really bad things would have already happened in Russia—and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire.”

Medvedev responded in English on X, dismissing Trump’s caution and reflecting the threat back at him. This provoked swift criticism from Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy, who branded Medvedev’s comments as reckless, stating, “Stoking fears of WW III is an unfortunate, reckless comment… and unfitting of a world power.”

---

Russian Economy Shows Signs of Cooling Amid Slowing Wage Growth

As the conflict drags on, the economic stability that has helped sustain Putin’s domestic support appears to be weakening. A Financial Times analysis of Russian job postings reveals that the rapid wage increases that lifted living standards since early 2022 are now losing momentum.

Between September and December 2024, salaries for new positions rose by 4.2%, but growth slowed to just 2.2% in the first quarter of 2025.

At the same time, real income growth—which accounts for other sources such as rent or savings—fell to 7.1% in early 2025, down from an 8.3% average the previous year, according to data from Rosstat, Russia’s federal statistics agency.

Economist Konstantin Nasonov, formerly with the Skolkovo business school, commented, “Russia’s economy is feeling the strain, with multiple challenges stacking up… Yet paradoxically, people have more money than before. These trends can coexist.”

The FT report employed a methodology developed by Indeed to track online job market trends. Pawel Adrjan, an economist at Indeed, explained, “Companies often react to economic pressures by altering conditions for new hires first rather than existing employees. This approach provides early insight into wider labor market shifts.”

For years, Moscow depended heavily on oil and gas exports to build up state reserves. When Russia launched its large-scale invasion, these funds fueled a surge in defense salaries, military pay, subsidized loans for war-related industries, and extensive mortgage support programs.

This flood of cash caused incomes to soar in 2023 and early 2024 despite inflation hitting 30% over three years. Public polls by Levada and the Bank of Finland revealed that many Russians considered 2023 their best financial year in over a decade.

However, recent surveys suggest that this economic confidence may be fading. A study by Chronicles, an independent research organization, found that 40% of Russians saw no change in their financial situation, 20% reported improvements, while another 40% felt worse off. Alexei Minyailo, co-founder of Chronicles, noted, “As financial hardships increase, support for the war tends to decline.”