Just a reminder that unemployment isn’t just a burden here (from The Wall Street Journal):

Russian unemployment has reached its highest level this decade as thrift replaces a culture of consumer spending, official data released Friday showed.

The number of unemployed in Russia rose to 7.7 million in April, or 10.2% of the total labor force of 75.2 million, data from the Federal Statistics Service, or Rosstat, showed.

Associated Press

Job-seekers line up to employers looking for job vacancies at a job fair in St. Petersburg, Russia, March 18, 2009.

Around 3 million workers have lost their jobs since late summer. Russia’s economy has been dragged down by lower oil prices and decreased access to short-term capital.