Russia's economy contracted 7.9 percent in 2009, statistics showed Monday, after the economic crisis abruptly ended years of strong growth in the country and showed up its failure to implement reform.

However amid brightening prospects for the economy going into 2010, the figure was slightly better than predicted by the government, which had been forecasting an even worse contraction of 8.5 percent.

Economic growth in Russia in 2008 amounted to 5.6 percent but the economic crisis was already slamming the brakes then on several years of high Russian growth that had been fuelled by soaring energy prices.

Economists have said that Russia has been paying the price for failing to reform and diversify its hydrocarbon-reliant economy during the good times and is still highly vulnerable to any oil price shocks.

Among the sectors worst hit in 2009 was the construction sector, which contracted 16.4 percent in the period, the statistics office Rosstat said in a statement.

Also badly affected was the hotel and restaurant sector, which shrank 15.4 percent. A quarterly breakdown was not immediately available.