We studied the electrochromic properties of hydrated amorphous ruthenium oxide ($RuO_2{cdot}xH_2O$) thin films using in-situ Raman spectroscopy during electrochemical charging/discharging cycles. We have found that the principal effect of hydrogen insertion into $RuO_2{cdot}xH_2O$ is reduction of $Ru^{4+};to;Ru^{3+}$, and not formation of new bonds involving hydrogen. We compared the changes in the Raman spectrum of a gasochromic $Pd/RuO_2{cdot}xH_2O$ film as it is exposed to hydrogen gas with that of electrochemical hydrogen insertion. We tested the changes in the optical transmission of the $Pd/RuO_2{cdot}xH_2O$ film when exposed to hydrogen gas.