Russia's Economic Crisis Reveals Fault Lines

Russia's deteriorating economic situation has struck another blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his ability to maintain a firm hold on the country and the government. Uncertainty in the Russian economy continued for another day Dec. 17 as the Russian government was forced to step in to stabilize the ruble after the currency plummeted by 20 percent the previous day. The fall in the ruble's value came after the Central Bank of Russia raised interest rates from 10.5 percent to 17 percent — the largest interest hike since the devastating 1998 financial crisis that led to Russia's massive defaults. These developments in what was already a weakening economy has increased pressure on and within the Kremlin, spawning rumors throughout Russia about the cause of this instability and what could come next.