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Oil Prices, Sanctions and Currency Collapse Put Putin in a Bind
NBC ^ | 16 Dec 14 | Erin McClam

Posted on 12/17/2014 4:37:09 AM PST by elhombrelibre

Vladimir Putin is suddenly feeling the squeeze.

The Russian president, earlier this year a swashbuckling land-grabber who seemed to confound the West, finds himself in a three-way economic vise — tumbling oil prices, punishing sanctions and now a collapse in his country's currency.

"He really is going to be hit by a perfect storm," said Andrew Kuchins, director of the Russia program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. "Although much of it is his own making."

The value of the Russian ruble plunged by as much as 20 percent on Tuesday despite a desperate attempt by the central bank to strengthen the currency by jacking up interest rates. The ruble has lost half its value this year against the dollar.

Blame the two other crises that have sprung up on Putin.

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Russia
KEYWORDS: crimea; donetsk; energy; oil; opec; ruble; russia; saudiarabia; ukraine; vladtheimploder
"You can't have growth with 17 percent interest rates. You can't have a thriving economy with oil under $60 a barrel," he told CNBC on Tuesday. "The things that bring all czars down are economic problems."
1 posted on 12/17/2014 4:37:09 AM PST by elhombrelibre
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To: elhombrelibre

In before someone makes the comment that this is how wars start.


2 posted on 12/17/2014 4:38:35 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

Nothing to do with Obama or Kerry


3 posted on 12/17/2014 4:45:56 AM PST by scooby321
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To: 1rudeboy

I forgot to say that, 1RB.


4 posted on 12/17/2014 4:46:13 AM PST by elhombrelibre (Against Obama. Against Putin. Pro-freedom. Pro-US Constitution.)
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To: elhombrelibre

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11297770/Russia-risks-Soviet-style-collapse-as-rouble-defence-fails.html


5 posted on 12/17/2014 4:46:37 AM PST by elhombrelibre (Against Obama. Against Putin. Pro-freedom. Pro-US Constitution.)
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To: elhombrelibre

I’ve got a live one on another thread. Just likened me to an Obama supporter, lol. Right on script.


6 posted on 12/17/2014 5:01:02 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

Wars are expensive.


7 posted on 12/17/2014 5:02:36 AM PST by Tennessean4Bush (An optimist believes we live in the best of all possible worlds. A pessimist fears this is true.)
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To: elhombrelibre

does this mean that the price of vodka will also tank 60%?


8 posted on 12/17/2014 5:10:58 AM PST by Cruz_West_Paul2016
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To: elhombrelibre

“You can’t have growth with 17 percent interest rates.”

Yeah right, just ask Jimmah Cahtah, father of 20% interest rates here 30 years ago.


9 posted on 12/17/2014 9:38:50 AM PST by vette6387
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To: vette6387

True.


10 posted on 12/17/2014 9:45:23 AM PST by elhombrelibre (Against Obama. Against Putin. Pro-freedom. Pro-US Constitution.)
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To: elhombrelibre

11 posted on 12/17/2014 11:40:31 AM PST by hubel458
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