Russians write open letter to Putin over foreign-currency mortgages

Russians with foreign-currency mortgages have written an open letter to President Vladimir Putin seeking help with repayments that have soared because of the ruble's plunge, saying they were misled by banks. "We are the first to feel the shock from the economic sanctions and political intrigues of the West," the letter read. "We are faced with answering to the banks with our lives for the risky way they run their profitable business." The ruble has fallen about 50 percen