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In January–February 2015, Industrial Production Index dropped to 99.6% compared to its value for January–February 2014; the corresponding index for February 2015 is 99.6% vs. 98.4%. in February 2014.

At the Bank of Russia Board of Directors' meeting on 13 March, it was decided that the key interest rate should be reduced by 1 pp. – from 15% to 14%.

By way of improving the taxation system applied in the oil sector, during Parliamentary hearing on 13 March in the State Duma's Budget and Tax Committee a draft law regarding the introduction of a tax on financial results (TFR) was submitted by MPs for Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug.

Foreign currency remains, for Russian economic agents, the main alternative to bank deposits at the time of diminishing trust in the national currency and Russian banks.

Real estate and the situation on the real estate market is an issue that interests almost everybody. The housing market is almost entirely transparent – its ruble-denominated prices and their movement are clearly visible to everybody, while the market for corporate real estate is much less understandable fr om a layman's point of view.

A 12.2 % annual inflation is quite possible if the fiscal discipline is observed, stated Russia's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov.

In 2014, Russia's exports of machinery, equipment and transport vehicles amounted to $26bn 329m, or 5.3% of total exports, with imports of fuel and energy commodities being $345bn 445m (69.5% of exports), according to the foreign trade statistics published on 26 February by the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat).

Having discontinued the government guided exchange rate regime in favor of inflation targeting policy, Russia's Central Bank may change the way crude oil prices influence the dynamics of economy.

The initial data on December 2014 showed no drastic changes in the feelings of enterprises compared to what they felt in November same year.

Russia's withdrawal fr om G8 and the suspension of Russia's credentials in the Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) makes one think about how valuable international organizations are for Russia's economy and policy at present.

The decline of global prices of energy resources, the economic problems in Russia and a tax maneuver make this country less attractive for its partners within the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

The Bank of Russia's decision to lower the key rate to 15% from 17% may turn out to be an extremely bad signal of drastic changes in the monetary policy (MP) priorities.

On January 30, 2015 the Bank of Russia Board of Directors made a decision to lower the key rate to 15% from 17%. The interest rate was lowered "due to the shift in the balance of risks of accelerated consumer price growth and cooling economy", explained the Central Bank of Russia.

Standard and Poor's (S&P) downgraded the sovereign foreign currency credit rating of Russia on January 26, 2015 to ВВ+ from ВВВ- with a negative outlook.

In 2014, industrial production growth stood at 1.7% year on year.

The Military-Industrial Commission (MIC) of the Russian Federation held its first meeting this year in Novo-Ogarevo, on the 20th of January.