As many of you have gathered from the news over the weekend, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has spoken openly about the joblessness glut currently hitting Russia, citing the fact that there are some six million are out of work and remarking that the economic crisis will be a “test of maturity.”  Considering how other petrostate leaders are reacting to the crisis – Hugo Chavez for example especially appears to be losing the plot while going on an expropriation spree – everyone is trying to carefully read whether the Russian government is threatening the private sector through these latest comments, or perhaps revealing a whole new dynamic in the balance of the relationship by asking for help.

Some parts of the interview sounded ominous, such as “repaying moral debts,” (!) while in other moments Medvedev seemed less concerned about suggesting consequences and more supplicatory that Russia’s private businesses not fire any employees despite lack of income: “a genuine businessman he can appreciate his employees” and as such, would “survive” the “cleanup.“

Funny how Russian government officials always know what’s best for business.