Gazprom’s European Strategy

By Robert Amsterdam | Published: January 29, 2007

Interesting piece in the Guardian yesterday about Gazprom’s acquisition pattern in European energy companies as illustrative of their strategy take on bigger holdings, launch takeovers, and secure long-term supply agreements. Some excerpts: Executives at British utilities say Gazprom is considering buying minority shareholdings in UK groups Centrica and National Grid in a move designed to […]

» Read More

WSJ on Kasparov

By Robert Amsterdam | Published:

This weekend the Wall Street Journal ran the attached interview with Garry Kasparov. Garry Kasparov The Other Russia By MELANIE KIRKPATRICK January 27, 2007; Page A9 NEW YORK — As the longtime world chess champion, Garry Kasparov was a famously aggressive player. His latest game is politics, and his style is equally aggressive. “Our goal […]

» Read More

Kommersant: Khodorkovsky Wants Clear Charges

By James Kimer | Published: January 26, 2007

From Kommersant: Khodorkovsky Wants Clear Charges YUKOS former chief executive Mikhail Khodorkovsky won’t cooperate with investigators until they bring “clear and concrete charges” against him. Mr. Khodorkovsky sent this appeal to the head of the investigation team on Thursday. Yury Shmidt, Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s attorney, told Kommersant he had handed his client’s appeal addressed to Salavat […]

» Read More

Russian Man Caught in CIA-Georgian Uranium Sting

By James Kimer | Published: January 25, 2007

Breaking news from the Associated Press: Russia silent on Georgian uranium sting AP MOSCOW – Russia responded with silence Thursday after Georgia revealed a foiled effort by a Russian man to sell weapons-grade uranium, an episode that appeared to cast doubt on the nation’s ability to halt the black market trade in nuclear materials. The […]

» Read More

Grigory Pasko: Political Prisoners in Today’s Russia – The PORTOS Organization

By Grigory Pasko | Published:

The PORTOS Organization By Grigory Pasko, journalist In 2002, the Moscow Oblast Court sentenced two activists from the “Poeticized Association for the Elaboration of a Theory of Social Happiness” (PORTOS) to deprivation of liberty for a term of from one year suspended to 2 years actual. According to the verdict, Vladimir Belanenko and Alexey Merkulov […]

» Read More

US State Dept ‘Threatens Sanctions’ on Russia-Iran Arms Deal

By James Kimer | Published:

Per the news earlier this week of Russia’s state arms trader Rosboronexport completing delivery of a set of TOR-M1 defense missiles to Iran, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said that the United States may consider imposing sanctions as a response. State Dept. Spokesperson McCormack believes the Iranians were surprised by Russia’s endorsement of the UN […]

» Read More

Bronze Soldier Roils Russia-Estonia Relations

By Robert Amsterdam | Published:

News this month that Prime Minister Andrus Ansip and the Estonian Parliament had passed legislation clearing the way for the removal of the Bronze Soldier monument (originally Monument to Liberators of Tallinn) has ignited a considerable historical debate, and roiled Russia-Estonia Relations. (this week Russia threatened sanctions if the statue is moved). The Bronze Soldier, […]

» Read More

New Yorker Publishes Opus on the Dissident Murders of Russia

By Robert Amsterdam | Published:

This week’s New Yorker is running a long article by Michael Specter titled “Kremlin, Inc.: Why are Vladimir Putin’s Opponents Dying?” Read all 14 pages here. Some excerpts: Despite the fact that Politkovskaya was articulate, attractive, and accomplished, she was barred from appearing on television, which is the only way the vast majority of Russians […]

» Read More

Vitaliy Katsenelson of Motley Fool Takes on Shell & Sakhalin

By James Kimer | Published:

This week on MSNBC (our emphasis): Russia: We Don’t Need the West Anymore Did the Russian government muscle Shell out of Sakhalin? By Vitaliy Katsenelson, CFA [Royal Dutch Shell’s $7.5 billion sale to Gazprom may have been coerced by the Russian government. Vitaliy Katsenelson looks at the Sakhalin-2 sale and examines the long-term implications if […]

» Read More

Total Under the Kremlin Gun for Kharyaga

By James Kimer | Published:

Today the Wall Street Journal is running a comment on the latest energy hustle in Russia against France’s Total. Sergei Stepashin is refreshingly honest about about Total’s “environmental” violations A Total Mess January 25, 2007 Surprise, surprise: The Kremlin has accused another foreign oil major of “environmental” violations that just might lead to the renegotiation […]

» Read More