DUBNA (Moscow Region), December 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's inflation stood at 0.6% on December 1-18, the economics minister said Tuesday.

Inflation in Russia stood at 8.2% in the first 11 months of the year, and at 0.3% in the first 11 days of December. The government's inflation forecast for 2006 is 9.0%.

German Gref said inflation as of December 18 was 8.8%, but declined to comment on the possibility to keep inflation within the planned figure.

"We'll see," Gref said.

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.