Mock headstones for President Vladimir Putin are the latest signal that Russian citizens are unhappy with this year’s tax hikes, according to Meduza, , with Putin’s polling numbers taking a hit . The tax hikes, however, are offset somewhat by Russia calling on its oil companies to hold fuel prices steady to insulate its people from the high price of fuels. But in addition to the tax hikes, the government has also agreed to pay the oil companies back for doing so—compensating them for 60 percent of the difference between European fuel prices and Russian fuel prices. Of course, lower fuel prices are usually welcomed by the masses, but to make this happen, Russia is unleashing $8 billion from its sovereign wealth fund and giving it to the oil companies—oil companies that have enjoyed a rather flush year. And it is this part of the arrangement that has stoked […]