Picture: AFP
Washington. Russian President Vladimir Putin may be more powerful than ever despite the G-7’s unified sanctions against the country due to its actions in Ukraine, according to Fox News Military Analyst, retired four-star General Jack Keane.
Putin is “the most feared and the most respected leader in the world today,” Keane said on FOX Business Network’s Varney Co. while also adding that he remains popular among the Russian people.
President Obama disagrees. While speaking today at the G-7 Summit in Schloss Elmau, Bavaria, Germany, he said Russia’s actions in Ukraine are hurting the Russian people. “The Russian economy has been seriously weakened. The ruble and foreign investment are down. Inflation is up. The Russian Central Bank has lost more than $150 billion in reserves.”
Russia’s RTS Index, which tracks Russian blue chip companies and is calculated in U.S. dollars, has lost over 30% of its value in the past 12-months. Along with sanctions, Russia is heavily dependent on oil and gas. Energy exports account for nearly 70% of the country’s exports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). With oil down over 40% in the past year, Russia has taken a hit.

© 2015 All rights reserved. Citing Focus Information Agency is mandatory!