The World Bank has sharply lowered its economic outlook for Russia for 2015 and 2016 to reflect a further decline and increased volatility in global oil prices, the bank's latest report on global economic prospects said.
"...sustained low oil prices will weaken activity in exporting countries. For example, the Russian economy is projected to contract by 2.9 percent in 2015, getting barely back into positive territory in 2016 with growth expected at 0.1 percent," the report, published on Tuesday, said.
The previous WB report projected Russia's real GDP to contract by 0.7 percent in 2015, before increasing by 0.3 percent in 2016.
In December 2014, the Russian Economic Development Ministry adjusted its forecast of the country's economic growth in 2015 to the decline of 0.8 percent under a baseline scenario that assumes an average oil price of $80 per barrel.