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Putin blames external factors, government mistakes for Russia’s economic problems

“The hardships we are facing are not only external, they are caused not only by the sanctions restrictions or by restrictions linked with the objective international situation," the president said
Russian President Vladimir Putin  Artyom Korotayev/TASS
Russian President Vladimir Putin
© Artyom Korotayev/TASS

MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. Russia’s economic hardships are caused not only by external factors, but also by internal problems and government’s mistakes, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with the government members on Thursday.

“The hardships we are facing are not only external, they are caused not only by the sanctions restrictions or by restrictions linked with the objective international situation, they are also caused by our mistakes that have been made over the years,” the president said.

Putin said that “all this is historical inheritance,” adding that the government has tried to change the structure of the national economy and make it more innovative. “Much has been done on this track as well, but the recent events have shown that’s not enough,” he said.

The president also thanked the government for its work in the current uneasy period, assessing the Cabinet’s work as “quite satisfactory.”

“I’d like to thank you for the team work during the year - your and all your staff members, deputies and personnel of the related ministries and departments,” he told the ministers.

Putin said, “We’ve had an uneasy year.” “Though we can’t remember easy years, but the government in general is certainly coping with the difficulties the national economy and the country in general are facing,” the president said.

He said that “great responsibility rests with the government.” “We have seen in recent months how turbulent the world economy processes are and how this affects us.”

“I consider the [government’s] work as quite satisfactory, corresponding to today’s needs,” he said, adding, “I hope it will be so in the future.”.