9 8 ▁financial ▁crisis ▁and ▁the ▁preceding ▁re cess ion ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁By ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Russia ' s ▁G DP ▁measured ▁by ▁purch asing ▁power ▁increased ▁by ▁ 7 2 %. ▁ ▁During ▁Put in ' s ▁first ▁eight ▁years ▁in ▁office , ▁industry ▁grew ▁substantial ly , ▁as ▁did ▁production , ▁construction , ▁real ▁in comes , ▁credit , ▁and ▁the ▁middle ▁class . ▁Put in ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁pra ised ▁for ▁elimin ating ▁w ides p read ▁bar ter ▁and ▁thus ▁boost ing ▁the ▁economy . ▁In fl ation ▁remained ▁a ▁problem ▁however . ▁ ▁A ▁fund ▁for ▁oil ▁re venue ▁allowed ▁Russia ▁to ▁rep ay ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ' s ▁deb ts ▁by ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁Russia ▁joined ▁the ▁World ▁Trade ▁Organ ization ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁Control ▁over ▁the ▁economy ▁was ▁increased ▁by ▁placing ▁individuals ▁from ▁the ▁intelligence ▁services ▁and ▁the ▁military ▁in ▁key ▁positions ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁economy , ▁including ▁on ▁bo ards ▁of ▁large ▁companies . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁an ▁industry ▁cons olid ation ▁programme ▁was ▁launched ▁to ▁bring ▁the ▁main ▁aircraft ▁producing ▁companies ▁under ▁a ▁single ▁um bre lla ▁organization , ▁the ▁United ▁A ircraft ▁Corporation ▁( U AC ). ▁The ▁aim ▁was ▁to ▁optimize ▁production ▁lines ▁and ▁minim ise ▁losses . ▁The ▁U AC ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁Russia ' s ▁" n ational ▁champions " ▁and ▁compar