President Putin Calls on Government to Handle Inflation "Very Carefully"

Vladimir Putin has called on the government to be careful while trying to curb inflation.

It is important to act "very carefully so as not to damage the real sector of the economy," said the president, opening a Tuesday Kremlin meeting with the Cabinet of Ministers.

"The inflation grows rather quickly," he observed, adding that though it was much lower than in the previous year, it was more important than ever to curb it.

He said he counted on the government to approach the matter "systematically."