For a long time, Vladimir Putin distanced himself from Russia’s pension reform.
It was always expected to be highly controversial and the idea was for the government to propose the tough reform and take the flak.
BBC: Russia’s Putin embraces higher pension age but softens blow
An elderly woman walks past a sports goods shop with pigeons flying around in downtown Moscow on August 8, 2018.
The pension age in the country will rise -- for the first time in nearly 90 years -- by eight years to 63 for women. For men, it will rise by five years to 65 -- just two years short of average male life expectancy. / AFP PHOTO / Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV
