21.   IMF loans to Russia have been on hold since August, when the government defaulted on its domestic debt and devalued the ruble.

22.   Imports dropped sharply after the government devalued the ruble and defaulted on treasury debts in August.

23.   In recent public statements, Kadannikov has called for a sharp increase in government support for industry, including devaluing the ruble to help exporters.

24.   Installments were suspended after the Russian government abruptly devalued the ruble and defaulted on some loans in mid-August without consulting the lenders.

25.   It crashed in August, when the Russian government devalued the ruble and effectively defaulted on its foreign loans.

26.   It showed signs of stabilizing late last year, but took another devastating plunge after Russia devalued the ruble and defaulted on domestic debts this August.

27.   Many foreign businesses abandoned Russia or sharply curtailed activity after the government succumbed to global financial crisis last August, defaulting on some debt and devaluing the ruble.

28.   Many private bank accounts have been frozen since Russia devalued the ruble and froze some of its debts in August.

29.   Meanwhile, central bank chairman Sergei Dubinin said at a separate news conference there were no plans to devalue the ruble again, the Interfax news agency reported.

30.   Now there are fears that the ruble may be devalued, making it even more difficult to repay debts.