Russians have been hammered by economic crises over the past two decaes, so the rubles recent loss of 50% against the dollar is a iittle same old, same old.

Hyperinflation and crashes causes the problems of the 1990s.  The steep dowturn of Western economies in 2009 inficted more harm on the Russian economy than sanctions have

Now the ruble is responding to politics.  Western sanctions on Russian banks and state companies over the Ukraine have led to a credit squeeze and capital flight.  The Kremlin struck back, banning Western food stuffs.

Most ordinary citizens blame economic woes on the West.  But Russians who have dollars are having a bonanza.  The Russian government gets more than half its income in dollars on oil and gas exports.