MOSCOW, December 25 (RIA Novosti) - Inflation in Russia in 2006 will not exceed 9%, the Finance Ministry said Monday.

"Core inflation will total no more than 7.8%, as compared to 8.3% in 2005," the ministry said on its Web site.

According to Finance Ministry, the growth of consumer prices in the first eleven months of 2006 slowed down on the same period last year and totaled 8.2% against 10% in 11M05.

In 2005, inflation in Russia stood at 10.9%, according to the economics ministry. A forecast for the country's social and economic development until 2009, prepared by the ministry, projects inflation at 6.5%-8% in 2007, 4.5-6% in 2008, and 4-5.5% in 2009.