Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted in a video conference with government officials that the situation in the country is worsening as a result of the rapid spread of coronavirus. Moscow recently introduced a digital tracking system to verify that its residents are obeying quarantine conditions, as the situation in Russia’s capital has been hit hardest by the pandemic. Of the 21,000 cases of COVID-19 officially registered in Russia, half are in in Moscow. Putin said the next few weeks will be decisive in the fight against the novel virus adding that the army will intervene as necessary. Putin’s admission of the widening virus crisis comes at the same time that the plummeting price of oil on world markets has drastically reduced the volume of revenues Russia’s oil industry can contribute to the state’s coffers.
