Support The Moscow Times!

Credit Card Debt Swells by 22% in Q1

Credit card debt has swelled as a growing number of Russian consumers fail to pay their bills, according to government figures released Wednesday.

The number of unpaid credit card bills grew by 22 percent in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the same period last year, the Finmarket.ru financial news service reported, citing the government figures.

In fact, borrowers are default on 10 percent of all bank loans, it said.

Overall, Russians increased the amount of loans that they have taken out by 9.15 percent to reach 8 trillion rubles ($255 billion) in the first quarter.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more