The Russian Sanctions, Not Economy Are in "Tatters"

``In the backdrop of these figures it is not overly important what will be the actual GDP growth figure of the year. It could be anywhere from -3 to 0%. Whatever it is within that range is a good reading considering that this was the year Russia's economy was supposed to be devastated and torn into tatters. And certainly Russia has had to cope with an extraordinary shock wave following the sanctions and the drop in the oil price. Not many expected that the Russian economy would be this resilient and become practically immune to the sanctions. From now on the West can bang its head all it wants with sanctions but Russia's economy will stay put. ''