Russia's consumer price inflation is expected to be at 2.3%-2.4% in January, Vladimir Sokolin, the head of the Federal State Statistics Service, said at a news conference Wednesday according to Prime-Tass.
In January 2007, consumer price inflation was at 1.7%.
Sokolin attributed the high inflation expected this January to an increase in prices for some food products and increases in tariffs for some services, in particular, for electric power and natural gas supplies.
In February, consumer price inflation is expected to be lower, Sokolin said, adding that it would certainly be less than 2%.
Russia’s Economic Development and Trade Ministry earlier projected consumer price inflation to be at 1.8% in January.
The government is seeking to keep inflation at 7.5%-8.5% this year. Last year, the country's inflation amounted to 11.9%, exceeding the government's forecast of 8%.