Russian Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov proposed tapping into the trillions of rubles sitting in household and business bank accounts to boost the economy and state finances. Senior Russian lawmakers and officials criticized the idea immediately, raising concerns about depositor confidence and the security of private savings. The proposal reflects broader economic stress in Russia — the Central Bank has cut interest rates and warned of inflation risks from the Middle East conflict, while independent economists say Russia's economy is entering a final decline phase.