Marshall Goldman Speech at Russia Energy Conference

By James Kimer | Published: January 8, 2007

The Jamestown Foundation website is hosting an interesting video of the debate event “Putin, Petroleum, Power and Patronage,” which took place on December 7, 2006, in Washington DC. Here is just a small excerpt of the speech by Dr. Marshall Goldman of Harvard – the complete videos can be viewed here.

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Tom Nicholls: Belarus blocks Russian oil flows to Europe

By Citizen M | Published:

The EU has more to worry about By Tom Nicholls, journalist The energy dispute between Belarus and Moscow has intensified amid reports that Minsk has blocked flows of Russian oil to Europe. The European Commission has confirmed an interruption of oil supplies to Poland and Germany through the Druzhba pipeline and is seeking an assessment […]

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Is Kremlin Inc. Setting its Sights on Kovykta?

By James Kimer | Published:

Will BP’s Kovykta project become the next Sakhalin-style seizure? From Oliver Morgan in the Sunday Observer: Kremlin Inc ready to take on the West For Kremlinologists and other followers of Russian affairs, 1 January should perhaps have been Groundhog Day, not New Year’s Day. Then, as 12 months before, the mighty Russian bear was growling […]

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Russia’s natural gas machinations are worrisome

By Robert Amsterdam | Published: January 5, 2007

From the Kansas City Star: Bullying of Belarus could affect Europe – Russia’s natural gas machinations are worrisome – The Kansas City Star The recent natural-gas supply deal between Belarus and the Russian gas monopoly, Gazprom, should be seen as a clear warning for Europe. Russia, an important supplier of European gas, is becoming increasingly […]

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Redrawing the Geopolitical Energy Map

By James Kimer | Published:

Interesting article at TheTrumpet.com: Russian Energy: Redrawing the World’s Geopolitical Map Friday, January 5, 2007 Like it or not, there is a new global power to reckon with: Russia is once again flexing its muscles with seeming impunity. Let the world beware. The mighty Russian bear is back, and energized as never before. Under President […]

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Iran Cuts Off Gas to Turkey, Russia Increases Exports

By James Kimer | Published: January 4, 2007

Media is reporting that Turkey has been cut off without much warning from natural gas supplies from Iran, the country’s second largest supplier after Russia. According to BOTAS, Turkey’s state-run pipeline operator, the country imports 20-22 million cubic meters of natural gas from Iran per day. Turkey is a critical transit country for European energy […]

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New Year’s Blues in Minsk

By James Kimer | Published:

Time Magazine has done a short piece on the Gas Wars between Russia and Belarus. Excerpts: Just half an hour into 2007, the mood among Andrei Sannikov’s guests is somber. They crowd around the television in his apartment in the Belarusan capital, Minsk, to watch a news bulletin that interrupts the usual festive programming. “We […]

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Russian Air Force Receives Delivery of Fighter Jets

By James Kimer | Published:

This week the Russian Air Force accepted delivery of two new state-of-the-art Sukhoi Su-34 fighter jets, the first of an order of 200. Russia will not export the Su-34 until its own Air Force is modernized According to Flight International: The multi-role fighter-bombers will initially be based in Lipetsk at the air force’s combat training […]

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AP: Belarus President Lashes Out at Russia

By Robert Amsterdam | Published: January 3, 2007

From the Associated Press: “If they are drowning in petrodollars and other currency income and have decided … to place us in conditions worse even than Germany and other European countries, then let’s ask this rich Russia to pay us for our services,” said an agitated, pale-looking Lukashenko, shouting at times in televised remarks during […]

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Gas War, Chapter II: Belarus

By James Kimer | Published:

New Year’s seems to be the preferred time for Gazprom to squeeze its customers – right as the temperature drops to sub-zero levels, and demand soars for natural gas to heat homes and businesses. It was around this same time of year that Russia put the squeeze on the Ukraine, and cutoff supplies to Europe […]

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