The Ukraine crisis and Russia: five key questions

With Russia facing further sanctions from the West over its alleged involvement in the turmoil in the east of Ukraine, in this Focus we answer five key questions about the potential economic and financial market implications for Russia. The key point is that this could not have come at a worse time for Russia’s economy, which was struggling even before the crisis in Ukraine erupted. The resilience of Russia’s economy is often overplayed and a recession seems more likely than not this year.