For Many Russians, Making Ends Meet is a Daily Grind

Knight Ridder – Thanks to high oil prices, Russia – the commodity’s No. 2 exporter – is booming in many ways. The government is paying off debt early, amassing a $60 billion windfall fund and reporting $225 billion in foreign reserves. Real estate prices in Moscow have never been higher, and the nation boasts 33 billionaires, topping all except the United States and Germany.

But the other Russia, what some call the real Russia, is struggling. Tens of millions of working adults barely get by in this vast nation of 143 million people. For them, revenue from oil and natural gas benefits only a tiny sliver at the top.
Knight Ridder