Russia ratifies agreement to join WTO

The State Duma on Tuesday voted 238-208-1 to pass the bill.

Russia is the largest economy outside the global trade organization. It has spent 18 years trying to negotiate its entry into the body. But thousands of Russian businesses are wary that the low import duties and caps on subsidies that are a condition of joining the WTO will hurt their businesses

Activists including several dozen Communist Party deputies staged a protest outside the Duma Tuesday morning to protest Russia's accession.