IMF assesses that Russia's economy has lost its leading position in the post-Soviet space. What does Moscow say?

The Russian Economy Ministry said the IMF's assessment was a negative forecast for the country's economic development. (Source: The Moscow Times)

The above position is exactly the same as the ranking of 10 years ago.

However, for the first time, Russia lost its leading position in the post-Soviet space (excluding the Baltic countries). Kazakhstan has surpassed it with $14,770 per capita.

For its part, the Russian Economy Ministry said the IMF's assessment was a negative forecast for the country's economic development and did not correspond to reality.

In recent years, purchasing power parity (PPP) has become a popular criterion among officials to compare the Russian economy with other countries.

With this calculation, the USD exchange rate and its fluctuations are not taken into account, which allows developing countries to move higher in the rankings.

Russia ranks fourth in the world in terms of GDP calculated by PPP, but comparing this indicator across different countries is not entirely accurate due to the specific nature of the calculation.

For Kazakhstan, improving its ranking is more than just symbolic.

International recognition of Kazakhstan's economic successes could increase the country's attractiveness, including by expanding investment.

The top 10 countries in the IMF's 2025 rankings remain the same as in 2015, with only a few positions changing.

Specifically, Luxembourg maintained its leading position, with a GDP per capita of 140,940 USD (2015: 106,710 USD). Ireland rose from sixth place to second place (108,920 USD). Meanwhile, Switzerland (104,900 USD) fell from second to third place.