Russian economy contracts 2% in 11 months: Prime minister

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian economy shrank 2% over the past 11 months, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a government meeting in Moscow, Mishustin said negative forecasts by many experts and Western analysts did not come true.

Some sectors, including construction and agriculture, showed year-on-year growth in November, he said.

He urged the government to focus on developing strategies for the automotive industry, noting that it will also help related industries, including metallurgy, metalworking, chemistry, electrical engineering, electronics, information technology, and software.