Russia's economic crisis: Can Putin save Russia and himself?

Skukova, who recently lost her job as a logistics planner, agreed. “Like millions of Russians, we live on credit. We have a car loan, lots of debts. But we can’t pay off any of them now,” the 40-year-old said.

They are just two faces of a growing economic malaise sweeping across Russia, even as Putin tries to project confidence and calm his electorate’s nerves, insisting that Russia will emerge stronger from this crisis within two years.

Others are also feeling the brunt of the economic slump. The lines of unemployed workers who line up for a free bowl of soup at outdoor kitchens are growing. Families wait for hours outside banks to empty their accounts before buying anything of value — electronics, furniture — before prices soar even higher.