Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name:Kirill Rogov 
Author-Name-First: Kirill                          
Author-Name-Last: Rogov
Author-Workplace-Name: Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy
Title: RUSSIA’S ECONOMY IN DECEMBER 2013: PRELIMINARY DATA AND MAJOR TRENDS
Abstract:  A few words about the socio-political background that triggered some of the key economic events of December 2013. The most important political event of the month was the unexpected release from jail of former oil tycoon Michail Khodorkovsky who had spent 10 years and 2 months behind bars. As Khodor¬kovsky’s jail term had been expiring, Putin was facing a dilemma – either to give the go-ahead to the long-anticipated third Yukos case, or to let Khodorkovsky go free. With his decision to release Mikhail Khodor¬kovsky Putin intended to show that he was the boss of everything happening in Russia, to get political kudos (Khodorkovsky’s appeal for pardon) as well as Khodor¬kovsky’s promise not to engage in politics and not to try to regain Yukos assets.   
Classification-JEL: P16
Keywords: Russian Economy 
Journal: Russian Economic Developments
Year: 2014
Issue: 1
Month: January
Pages: 2-4
File-URL: http://www.iep.ru/files/RePEc/gai/recdev/263Rogov.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:gai:recdev:263