By Vladimir Soldatkin and Guy Faulconbridge ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday dismissed claims the war in Ukraine is devastating the Russian economy, citing continued growth,

President Vladimir Putin on Friday urged officials not to let Russia fall into recession "under any circumstances", as some in his own government warned of a hit to economic growth. Economists have warned for months of a slowdown in the Russian economy,

Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said earlier during the St. Petersburg Economic Forum that the economy is “on the verge of going into a recession.”