Putin has committed to continuously send 30 to 40 billion rubles ($1
billion) in subsidies for the Crimea, including the commitment to
lifting 560,000 Crimean pensioner payments from the Ukrainian average of
$150 a month to Russia's minimum of $180. Crimean workers also expect
that the monthly wage rate will rise over time from $270 as Ukrainians
to the average of $660 as Russians.
*****************************
This week saw escalating rounds of ceremonial sanctions by the U.S.
and European Union (EU) against Russia over its annexation of the
Crimea, followed by escalating ceremonial sanctions by Russia against
the U.S. and EU. But as President Obama looked petulant, Russian
President Vladimir Putin had a huge Cheshire-Cat grin as he welcomed two
million residents of the Crimea and their massive off-shore natural gas
rights into Mother Russia.
No comments:
Post a Comment