Russian economy expected to grow 1-2 pct in 2017: PM

Russian economy is picking up and the growth will probably reach between 1 percent and 2 percent in 2017, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday.

"The economic climate is changing. It is very clear that our economy has begun growing, albeit perhaps not quite confidently yet...This year, we are expecting the economy will grow between 1 percent and 2 percent," Medvedev was quoted as saying by the Vesti v Subbotu state television news program.

According to Medvedev, inflation has been under control in Russia.

"It is very important that we have been able to handle inflation...(It) was in double digits and the people's income took a hit. Nobody liked that," he said.

Inflation in Russia has currently fallen close to the 4 percent target, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin said Friday.

Russia's economy began to contract in 2014, with the currency rouble suffering a sharp devaluation amid weak oil prices and western sanctions.

Official data shows that Russia's gross domestic product fell 0.2 percent in 2016, compared to a drop of 2.8 percent in 2015.

At a government meeting on economic issues in February, Russian President Vladimir Putin said last year's results were better than expected, underlining "a positive trend in the economy."

Under Putin's instruction in December, the Russian government is currently working on its action plan through 2025, aimed at an economic growth of 3 percent or more in excess of that of the global economy. Endi