During and after the disintegration of the USSR when wide-ranging reforms including privatisation and market and trade liberalization were being undertaken, the Russian economy went through a major crisis. This period was characterized by deep contraction of output, with GDP declining by roughly 50 percent between 1990 and the end of 1995 and industrial output declining by over 50 percent. In October 1991, Yeltsin announced that Russia would proceed with radical, market-oriented reform along the lines of "shock therapy", as recommended by the United States and International Monetary Fund. Price controls were abolished, privatization was started. Millions plunged into poverty. According to the World Bank, whereas 1.5% of the population was living in poverty in the late Soviet era, by mid-1993 between 39% and 49% of the population was living in poverty. Delays in wage payment became a chronic problem with millions being paid months, even years late. Russia took up the responsibility for settling the USSR's external debts, even though its population made up just half of the population of the USSR at the time of its dissolution. The privatization process largely shifted control of enterprises from state agencies to groups of individuals with inside connections in the Government and the mafia. Violent criminal groups often took over state enterprises, clearing the way through assassinations or extortion. Corruption of government officials became an everyday rule of life. Many of the newly rich mobsters and businesspeople took billions in cash and assets outside of the country in an enormous capital flight. The long and wrenching depression was coupled with social decay. Social services collapsed and the birth rate plummeted while the death rate skyrocketed. The early and mid-1990s was marked by extreme lawlessness. Criminal gangs and organized crime flourished and murders and other violent crime spiraled out of control.
Moscow International Business Center under construction. Moscow is the world's most expensive city for expatriates to live in.
In 1993 a constitutional crisis resulted in the worst civil strife in Moscow since the October Revolution. President Boris Yeltsin dissolved the legislature, a move he acknowledged was unconstitutional. The legislators, who had opposed Yeltsin's moves to consolidate power and his unpopular economic reforms, barricaded themselves inside the White House, impeached Yeltsin, and elected a new President. Major protests against Yeltsin's government resulted in hundreds of deaths. With military support, Yeltsin sent the army to besiege the parliament building and disperse its defenders and used tanks and artillery to eject the legislators.
The 1990s were plagued by armed ethnic conflicts in the North Caucasus. Such conflicts took a form of separatist Islamist insurrections against federal power, or of ethnic/clan conflicts between local groups. Since the Chechen separatists declared independence in the early 1990s, an intermittent guerrilla war (First Chechen War, Second Chechen War) has been fought between disparate Chechen rebel groups and the Russian military. Terrorist attacks against civilians carried out by Chechen separatists, most notably the Moscow theater hostage crisis and Beslan school siege, caused hundreds of deaths and drew worldwide attention. High budget deficits and the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis caused the financial crisis of 1998 and resulted in further GDP decline. On 31 December 1999 Boris Yeltsin resigned from the presidency, handing the post to the recently appointed prime minister, Vladimir Putin, who then won the 2000 election. Putin won popularity for suppressing the Chechen insurgency, although sporadic violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus. High oil prices and initially weak currency followed by increasing domestic demand, consumption and investments has hel
ped the economy grow for nine straight years, alleviating the standard of living and increasing Russia's clout on the world stage. While many reforms made during the Putin administration have been generally criticized by Western nations as un-democratic, Putin's leadership over the return of order, stability and progress has won him widespread popularity in Russia. On March 7, 2008, Dmitry Medvedev was elected President of Russia, whilst Putin became Prime Minister.
Sexy Russian Brides and Beautiful Russian Girls at elenasmodels.com
Sexy Russian Brides from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, USA and Europe - meet beautiful Russian girls here.www.elenasmodels.com/russianbrides/sexy_russian_brides_content.htm -
Sexy Russian Brides. Hot Russian Brides. Pretty Ukrainian Brides ...
Sexy Russian brides, hot Ukrainian and Russian brides and pretty Ukrainian women for dating, love and marriage.datingsexybride.com/ -
Dating agency russian brides - sexy russian women.Meet russian women
Inside you will find more than 2900's of beautiful and sexy women,russian christian personals,woman seeking men for love and marriage. ...www.russianwifedating.com/ -
Hot Russian Girls. Sexy Russian Women. Sexy Brides. Russian Ladies ...
Russian Brides: Sexy russian women, hot russian girls, russian ladies are here, waiting for you. Photo competitions, psychological compatibility.www.russiangirlsnet.com/ -
Russian Women. Are They Sexy Or What? copydude
20 Apr 2009 ... Russian Women. Are They Sexy Or What? That Russian Women are 'hot' is a widely held belief. And there is some foundation for this.www.thecopydude.com/russian.../russian-women-are-they-sexy-or-what/ -
Beautiful Russian Brides-Dating russian brides-marriage sexy ...
Beautiful Russian brides dating service for single men. Sexy Russian brides seeking marriage. Mail order brides for dating and marriage.www.russian-brides-service.com/ -
Sexy Russian girl in Triumph commercial :: Sexy
Here's a sexy Russian girl, Irina Shaykhlislamova, doing a hot commercial for Triumph in Japan. You can't understand a word from the commercial, but..www.c00lstuff.com/.../Sexy_Russian_girl_in_Triumph_commercial/ -
Sexy Russian Army Babe [PIC] - Mixx
8 Aug 2008 ... Sexy Russian Army Babe [PIC]. 65. Vote. blog.800hightech.com — She is Just Beautiful.... Share on Facebook · Share on Twitter ...www.mixx.com/photos/748420/sexy_russian_army_babe_pic -
Russian Sexy Brides. Mail Order Brides. Beautiful Russian Ladies ...
Join Marriage Agency for free! search Russian brides for free and online!marriagerussians.com/
FindRussians.com Single Russian Brides. Hot Russian Women. Sexy ...
On uor Russian brides' agency is the big photo gallery of hot Russian brides, world wives and sexy women.findrussians.com/ -
