Russian GDP fell in the first quarter to seven percent.

Reduction of Russia's GDP in January-March this year was seven percent. This statement was made assistant to the Russian President Arkady Dvorkovich, reports RIA Novosti.
Figures announced Dvorkovich, coincided with the preliminary estimate of the Ministry of Economic Development, which announced on 2 April, Deputy Minister for Economic Development of Russia Andrei Klepach. Klepach added that the base forecast to reduce GDP in the current year, which is expected to reach 2.2 per cent, will not be reviewed.
According Dvorkovich, in the second quarter of this year, the decline of Russia's economy will slow down when the manifest effect of anti-crisis measures taken by the Government, sends agency Interfax. "By the end of the second quarter and third quarter ... in some industries in the second half could start reviving as we speak," - Assistant to the President added.
At the end of last year, Russia's economy grew by 5.6 per cent, while in 2007 - at 8.1 percent. In mid-March this year, Minister of Economic Development of Russia Elvira Nabiullina reported that in January-February drop in the GDP amounted to eight percent.