This is Planet Money from NPR.

Do you still have family in Moscow?

I have parents in Moscow.

Sergei Griev is an economist who spent most of his life in Russia.

He now lives in Paris.

Before Russian forces invaded Ukraine, he started calling home and giving his parents advice.

When did you start telling them, hey, something might be happening?

Well, even before the war, they told them that they think there will be a major assault

in Rubell.

They should take dollars out of the bank.

He was worried about the Rubell, Russia's currency, holding its value.

So he told them, exchange your Rubells for something that will keep its value.

Euros or dollars.

And then you told them, start stocking up on things, just in case.

I also told them that they need to think about buying stock of medicines because those

may not be imported anymore.

Precisely, we were talking about insulin.

My mother has diabetes and so she needs insulin every day.

It's a vital issue for my mother.

His parents followed Sergei's advice.

They got dollars and Euros out of the bank, called their doctors, got more medicine.

Before long, what Sergei feared would happen did happen.

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