You're reading: Voice of America: Russia’s ex-economy minister sees fundamental problems

MOSCOW -- Russia's currency, the ruble, this week fell to its lowest value in a quarter century. Oil prices also fell as finance officials changed their economic forecast for next year from slight growth to recession. Russia's economy is taking a beating from Western sanctions over Ukraine and foreign investment is fleeing the country. But economists say Russia's underlying problems are even more important than events in Ukraine and price of oil.

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