Windows to Russia

Fighting inflation is more important for the Russian economy than keeping the ruble from strengthening, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said on Monday. Inflation has been steadily rising in Russia since wildfires and the worst drought in decades triggered short grain supplies last summer. Despite a 2010 average of 8.8 percent, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said […]

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called on Monday for the state to reduce its “unnecessary presence” in the economy. “It is necessary to reduce the unnecessary presence of the state in the economy and the excessive scale of government property, to expand the space for private initiative,” Putin said during a joint meeting of the […]