Ordinary Russians felt the effectiveness of economic sanctions

Seven months later, after the president Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin initiated his raid on Ukraine, causing international sanctions against Russia and the outflow of capital, which provoked the "dive" of the ruble, consumers from Moscow feel the "squeezing of juices".

Ksenia Galuchko
Bloomberg News

There are many ways to measure the deepening financial crisis spreading across Russia. The ruble is sinking more than any other currency in the world, politicians have burned through about 55 billion dollars of currency reserves, and the economy is teetering on the brink of recession.

Halyna Mityaeva measures the ego in centimeters.

A 69-year-old pensioner used to buy half a stick of Braunschweig sausage for her husband every week, but now it's just too expensive. Cut it a little shorter, she instructs the salespeople at the supermarket where she shops outside of Moscow – a quarter stick should be enough.

"Every time I go to the store, the food is more expensive," Mityaeva said as she walked through the grocery store in recent days. "People are getting angry right now." In the lines of the store, you can hear people complaining: "What can I afford to buy with 1000 rubles?".

Seven months later after President Vladimir Putin initiated his raid on Ukraine, causing international sanctions against Russia and the outflow of capital, which provoked the "dive" of the ruble, consumers through Moscow feel the "squeezing of juices".

Annual inflation rose to a three-year high – 8 percent last month, leading to a 17 percent increase in prices for meat and poultry, 28 percent for tobacco, and 13 percent for international air tickets and tourist services.

Natalya Lomteva makes fun of the idea of ​​taking a trip abroad, which she calls "it is impossible to afford.” A 20-year-old college student, she's more focused on saving money to finance her pack-a-day habit and finding restaurants she can still afford.

Rising food prices accelerated after Putin imposed a ban in August on some items imported from the United States and Europe in retaliation for economic sanctions against Russia. The annual inflation rate for meat is 17 percent, for example, compared to 11 percent in July and follows a 3 percent drop in prices at the end of 2013.

General food inflation has almost doubled to 11 percent from about 6 percent last year.

The central bank raised the base interest rate three times this year, up to 8 percent. The ruble has fallen 18 percent this year, raising the cost of imports.

Some products disappear altogether.

A survey commissioned by Sberbank, published last week, showed that 17 percent of surveyed Russians pointed to disappearing goods from store shelves.

Marina Khomenko, a 56-year-old teacher, said it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the Nivea cosmetics she uses or the C&A clothes she favors. Some prices have tripled, according to her estimates.

"Clothes can't cost that much," Khomenko said.

Returning to the supermarket, Mityaeva, a pensioner, recalls a list of prices that she recently saw jump: bread, milk, cottage cheese, sour cream and chicken wings, among others.

And then she will remember how much she pays for medicine now - 4000 rubles ($100) a month for the treatment of heart arrhythmia - and she plans to do it again. This is more than one third of her pension of 11 rubles.

"I can live without caviar, but I need my medicine," says Mityaeva. "Life is getting more complicated."

Source: seattletimes.com