URGENT: Russia's GDP grew 6% in 2008, 2% down on 2007 -finance ministry

MOSCOW, January 30 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's GDP grew 6% in 2008, down 2% compared with 8.1% in 2007 due to the global financial crisis, the Finance Ministry said on Friday, citing preliminary figures.

Presidential economic adviser Arkady Dvorkovich predicted late last year that the country's GDP would grow about 2% in 2009 while inflation would be 10-12%.