ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

2022 Russian debt default

Imagine you're playing a game with your friends where you borrow toys from them, but you promise to give them back later. Now, imagine one day you borrow too many toys and you don't have enough time or money to give all of them back. This is kind of what's happening with Russia and its debt.

Russia is a big country, kind of like a really big toy box. People and other countries lend Russia money, just like lending toys to a friend. But sometimes a country can't pay back all the money it borrowed. It's like that friend who borrowed too many toys and can't return them all.

In 2022, some people are worried that Russia might not be able to pay back all the money it borrowed. If this happens, it's called a "default," and it can cause big problems for the people who lent Russia money.

Why might Russia default on its debt? Well, there are a lot of complicated reasons, but it mostly has to do with politics and the economy. Sometimes countries spend too much money on things they can't afford, and then they struggle to pay back the money they borrowed. Kind of like if you spent all your allowance on candy and couldn't afford to pay your friend back for the toys you borrowed.

A Russian debt default could have big consequences for the global economy, which is like a big game of money where all countries are players. Nobody wants Russia to default on its debt, but it's something that people are keeping an eye on in case it happens.