Western sanctions, which seemed to constitute only a pinprick a few months ago, appear to have inflicted serious damage, with the ruble having lost nearly half its value against the US dollar last year. Though financial markets will calm down when the ruble’s exchange rate settles into its new equilibrium, Russia’s economy will remain weak, forcing the country’s leaders to make tough choices.
而油价并非俄罗斯唯一的问题。西方制裁在几个月前看上去还无关痛痒，如今似乎已经造成了严重伤害，去年卢布兑美元几乎贬值了一倍。尽管金融市场将在卢布汇率进入新均衡时平静下来，但俄罗斯经济将继续萎靡，迫使俄罗斯领导人作出艰难抉择。