Overnight rates have grown to 18 percent, indicating that financial institutions are anxious about even lending to each other.
In addition to surveillance over Russian territorial waters, the drones will also be used in combat training tasks.
Alexei Navalny led mass protests against the country's president three years ago, and his trial is seen as part of a campaign to stifle dissent.
Russia's newly updated military doctrine lists NATO and the U.S. as major military threats and outlines the use of nuclear weapons.
Vladimir Putin canceled vacations for Kremlin officials as Russia deals with its worst economic crisis in over a decade.
Russia's ruble rose on Friday to its strongest levels in more than three weeks in a sharp rebound from its recent all-time lows.
North Korea had a right to be offended by the controversial film, a Russian official said Thursday.
The ruble plunged to all-time lows last week on heavy falls in the price of oil and Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.
Russia will take on credit risk for firms, whose foreign debt obligations have shot up in ruble terms because of the currency's sharp slide.
Ukrainian support for NATO membership has swelled, but there's little appetite among NATO leaders to fan conflict with Russia.
The dates were discussed in a phone conversation among France's Hollande, Germany's Merkel and Russia's Putin.
China's trade minister proposed more use of China's currency in settling trade with Russia in the face of a weaker ruble.
Aleksey Navalny, an anti-corruption blogger, is to be sentenced Jan. 15 on embezzlement charges.
Despite its crumbling economy, Russia says a new round of U.S. sanctions won't have the desired effect.
Putin, himself a former KGB agent, sent the message in a letter to to veterans and current operatives of Russia's security services on the day Moscow traditionally honors them..
EU leaders decided to maintain a tough stance toward Russia Thursday, while also sustaining mutually beneficial commerce.
The White House does not have immediate plans to impose the sanctions the law authorizes.
The Russian president once again brought out the symbol of the Russian bear to illustrate that he would not back down under Western pressure.
Putin advocated for diversity in revenue sources while reducing dependency on oil to strengthen Russia's economy.
Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev told a Russian paper: "When a U.S. law is passed it is very hard to change it afterwards."
Residents of cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg are ditching their beleaguered currency for Western goods as fast as they can.
Igor Sechin, head of Russia's biggest oil producer, said such speculation is a "provocation."