Prices of TVs, vacuums, and cars soared by as much as 17% in Russia in the last week, as the Kremlin calls inflation a ‘shocking external impact on our economy’

Prices of TVs, vacuums, and cars soared by as much as 17% in Russia in the last week, as the Kremlin calls inflation a ‘shocking external impact on our economy’

The cost of consumer goods and food is soaring in Russia as Western sanctions severely weaken the value of the Russian ruble and disrupt supply chains. The cost of TV sets, vacuum cleaners, and cars shot up by as much as 17% in the week after Russia invaded Ukraine, according to data from Russia's governmental statistics agency, . Meanwhile, prices of fruit and vegetables were also up as much as 7%. While prices largely rose across the board, these were the most substantial increases overall as inflation rates spiked. In a , Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "Yes, at the moment there is a pretty shocking external impact on our economy," which is leading to price increases. Peskov said that while the situation is turbulent at the moment, the Russian government is looking at ways to stabilize it. Russia's currency, the ruble, has fallen to record lows in recent weeks after Western countries imposed sanctions in a bid to isolate the country from the global economy following its invasion of Ukraine. The ruble has already this year and a move by Russia's central bank to avoid further collapse hasn't so far been effective. Meanwhile, the country's elite continues to see