On December 20, speaking at a press conference, the Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the government is carrying out balanced and exceptionally targeted economic policies. An important decision was the introduction of restraining fiscal rules in 2012. The fiscal controls limit budgetary spending depending on oil prices. For 2013, spending was authorized with the assumption that oil stayed at more than 91 dollars a barrel.

Other results that pleased the Russian President include the reduction in unemployment numbers, as well as an increase in wages and pensions. The average monthly salary for November of this year was 27,607 roubles. The average pension for seniors was more than nine thousand roubles. The unemployment rate for November was 5.4 percent. Last year, the rate was 6.6 percent. The number of childbirths in Russia is also increasing. According to President Putin, this suggests that people generally have a sense of social security. The so-called “maternal capital” (financial aid given to women for childbirths) will be indexed. In 2011, it was 365,698 roubles, in 2012, it was 387,640 roubles. As of January 1, 2013, the maternal capital will go up to 408,961 roubles.