2008 started well for Russia. It began with a seamless transfer of power, a new young president talking of liberalization and the rule of law, and an economic boom backed by record oil prices. Russia was an “island of stability” against the U.S. sub-prime mortgage crisis, and the Government announced the most ambitious infrastructure programs seen in decades. But things have changed. A war in Georgia in August changed relations with the West, oil prices and the stock market have both tumbled, and the economy has been battered by the global economic crisis. Our experts look at what this tumultuous year meant for Russia – and where it is going in 2009.
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