Digital Gosplan: Putin’s Aide Announces the Return of Planned Economy

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Maxim Oreshkin, Presidential Aide on Economic Issues and former Minister of Economic Development, has delivered a keynote statement on the transformation of the Russian economic model. In his view, total digitalization and management automation mark the “reincarnation” of the planned economy in its most modern and efficient form.

Key Theses of the Statement:

  • Technological Foundation: The modern “Gosplan” is based not on bureaucracy, but on algorithms. All transaction data is digitized, allowing for the automation of institutions and relationships.
  • The End of the Classic Market: Oreshkin believes that in key sectors, market pricing is becoming a thing of the past.
  • The Taxi Example: As evidence, he cited taxi services: “The system says you will travel for 428 rubles—that is a planned price; the market no longer exists.”

Analytical Summary: Algorithmic Dirigisme as a Mobilization Tool

Oreshkin’s statement in 2026 captures a shift in the state paradigm: the transition from market chaos to rigid management via IT tools.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Digital Control as a Substitute for Competition: Using aggregator algorithms as an example of a “planned economy” legitimizes the state’s right to dictate “correct” digital prices. This is the replacement of market demand with state administration under the guise of high technology.
  2. Centralization of Data: Oreshkin emphasizes that “all data is in digital form.” The Kremlin’s strategy is aimed at creating mega-databases that will allow for the management of resource distribution by bypassing market mechanisms.
  3. Ideological U-Turn: The official rehabilitation of the term “planned economy” is a signal to business. Free initiative is finally giving way to directives embedded in software code.

The Bottom Line: Building a “cyber-socialism” model in Russia is primarily beneficial for wartime conditions and protracted conflicts. Total digital control allows the state to instantly mobilize resources and strictly fix prices, making this system ideal for managing the country in an emergency mode or in preparation for new global clashes.

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