Copyrighted Image? DMCA | "The west knows all about the vulnerability of Russia's economy, its creaking factories and its over-reliance on the energy sector. When the introduction of sanctions over Russia's support for the separatists in Ukraine failed to bring Vladimir Putin to heel, the US and Saudi Arabia decided to hurt Russia by driving down oil prices. Both countries will face some collateral damage as a result -- and this could be considerable in the case of the US shale sector -- but both were prepared to take the risk on the grounds that Russia would suffer much more pain. This has proved to be true." |