Russia in dilemma over Arab unrest

By Catherine Belton  and Neil Buckley

For Moscow, the unrest in the Arab world is oddly double-edged. The resulting spike in oil prices has boosted Russia’s economy. Yet the Kremlin is watching uneasily the Middle East backlash against authoritarian, corrupt and wealthy leaderships.

If the government uses the oil windfall to fund further pension and wage rises – with parliamentary elections looming in December, and a presidential poll next March – the economy will be left even more dependent on the oil price.

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