Putin orders quick repairs for Russian economy

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday instructed his government to take quick steps to repair the economic damage from the coronavirus outbreak.
Putin discussed the state of the economy in a video conference with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

Mishustin told the president that the cabinet's plan contained measures intended to stimulate economic growth, raise incomes and reduce unemployment.

He said the proposals envisaged spending 5 trillion roubles (about 73 billion US dollars) until December 2021.

A partial economic shutdown that Putin ordered in late March to stem the outbreak badly hurt an economy already battered by a sharp drop in oil prices.

Putin said that the nation was now past the peak of contagion, allowing regional officials to gradually ease the restrictions.

Some experts have warned, however, that the daily increase of about 9,000 cases makes a quick lifting of the lockdown dangerous.