Forbes: 94% of Russian businesses report declining conditions in 2026

Business conditions in Russia at the start of 2026 have deteriorated compared with 2025, according to a major survey conducted by the business association Opora Russia.

Some 94.7% of respondents reported a decline in their operating environment, with 76.5% describing the situation as significantly worse, Forbes reports.

The survey included 3,500 entrepreneurs from 86 regions, predominantly representing small, medium, and micro-enterprises, as well as sole traders and self-employed individuals. Most respondents run micro-businesses with annual revenues of 20–60 million roubles (around $240,000–$720,000 USD).

This year, 68.7% of participants reported falling revenues, following a 2025 in which 45% of businesses either made no profit or recorded losses.

A key factor behind the downturn has been recent amendments to the Tax Code, which have increased the fiscal burden on enterprises. The changes notably reduced the annual revenue threshold for simplified taxation schemes—from 60 million roubles to 20 million (from $720,000 to $240,000 USD)—affecting both the simplified system (USN) and the patent taxation system (PSN).

Alexander Kalinin, president of Opora Russia, noted that under the new conditions, businesses are being forced to cut staff and reduce production costs, warning that many companies may either close or pivot their operations.

Already, 5.5% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) report having effectively ceased operations. Only 23.7% are fully confident they can continue trading, while 18.2% believe their chances of survival are 30% or less.

Sergei Borisov, deputy chairman of the Public Council at the Federal Tax Service, predicted that one-third of SMEs could exit the market in the near future.

He highlighted that last year, this sector contributed 13.2 trillion roubles (approximately $158.4 billion USD) to the Russian budget—1.5 times more than the oil and gas industry.

By Aghakazim Guliyev