Russia inflation hits 20 year high in April

MOSCOW: Russia’s annual inflation jumped to a two-decade high of 17.8 percent in April, fuelled by Western sanctions over Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine, the statistics agency said on Friday.

Since President Vladimir Putin moved troops into Ukraine on February 24, Russia has been hit with a barrage of international sanctions, including embargoes on key exports, accelerating already high inflation.

Inflation of food prices, a huge concern for Russians on low incomes, has reached 20.5 percent year-on-year, according to Rosstat.