MOSCOW, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Measures beyond the sphere of immediate Russian economic influence are behind the devaluation of the national currency, Russia's president said Thursday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin broke his silence on the decline of the nation's economy during his annual meeting with members of the media. Though Russia's currency, the ruble, recovered to 65.10 to the U.S. dollar by Thursday, it had been in a free fall, dropping by double digits to 80.10 earlier in the week.