VTB Bank President Andrei Kostin, commenting on the state of the Russian economy, told an anecdote about an 80-year-old man who came to the doctor complaining of tinnitus. BFM radio station published a video of Kostin’s speech at the Russian Banking Association conference.
Kostin pointed out that Russian banks have been subject to Western sanctions since 2014, but despite this they are developing successfully.
“We have raised capital, we are lending to the economy, and everything is working. And in reality, of course, we also cannot ignore military spending,” Kostin said.
In his opinion, taking these factors into account, “we should be happy with how our economy is developing.”
“Otherwise, sorry, there is such a story. The patient comes to the doctor and says: ‘Doctor, I have a complaint.’ You see, when I’m having sex, I hear a whistling sound in my ears.” “How old are you?” “80” [отвечает пенсионер]. “Do you expect applause?” Costin joked.