Top-Level Individual Tasks

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS - Report 05 Dec 2013 by Alexey Dolinskiy

Putin’s personal involvement and intense economic handwringing in Ukrainian–EU relations allowed him to halt and postpone the Association agreement. However, his goal is beyond that, as Russia is trying all means to coerce Ukraine into joining the Customs Union. The Russian leadership has much economic leverage it can use.

The establishment of a new Ministry for Housing, Construction and Utilities is yet another indication that Putin wants to see a specific person responsible for every significant issue Russia faces. Although the ministry has limited powers in the fields it is regulating, it will have to engage various federal and local stakeholders to cooperate. The only real power it will have is an opportunity to report non-compliance to the Prime Minister, which makes its chief more a special representative than a minister.

Prime Minister Medvedev is no longer considered an equal or even a comparable politician to the President. His public support has dropped to the 1% level, which is below the margin of error. Many of the decisions he made as President have been overruled or their implementation simply halted, and he cannot change that.

Russians do not demonstrate a great amount of concern regarding their retirement. Most do not know how much is in their personal retirement savings account, and only 22% of Russians are ready to save more for retirement than they are legally obliged.

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