The poor state of Russian roads is holding back the country’s economic output by between 7% and 9%, according to Russia’s Transport Ministry, with Russia’s region’s suffering the most because the majority of businesses consequently opt to base themselves in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The ministry’s 2013-2020 programme allocated nearly RUB7bn to fix the most urgent problems, and during last year’s forum in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a $13bn plan to build new roads and railways, including the continuation of the Trans-Siberian Railway. RIA Novosti