Russia stepped up its defence of the ruble on Dec. 17 as it sought to halt a run on the currency and stem the worst financial crisis of President Vladimir Putin's 15 years in power.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
Agence France-Presse: Russia spends billions to prop up ruble
Pedestrians walk past a board listing foreign currency rates against the Russian ruble outside an exchange office in central Moscow on Dec. 16, 2014.
