Energy Blast – Dec 18th, 2008

By Citizen M | Published: December 18, 2008

Russia’s lack of support for a cut in oil production is causing problems for OPEC, which has agreed to remove an additional 2.2 million barrels of crude from the market, starting in January.  Russia’s retreat makes Azerbaijan the only non-OPEC nation to offer output cuts.  The news had no effect on the price of oil […]

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Today in Russian Business – Dec 18th, 2008

By Citizen M | Published:

The ruble has fallen to an all-time low against the euro.  There have been seven devaluations of the ruble since early November, with analysts predicting more frequent and dramatic drops.  The number of overdue market payments has increased by over six times this year, creating banking nightmares of devalued property and lack of funds.  Read […]

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RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – Dec 18th, 2008

By Citizen M | Published:

TODAY: Motorist protests are first sign of public anger over financial crisis, activists concerned over widening of treason definition; Russia to give Lebanon fighter jets; Medvedev to have early meeting with Obama.Protests by Russian motorists on foreign car duty, some of which involved clashes with riot police, ‘were on such a scale that they can […]

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Russia’s China Envy

By James Kimer | Published: December 17, 2008

Writing in the Moscow Times, Yulia Latynina thinks that that the Russian government should be more worried about losing territory to China in the long-term than collective security in Europe in the short term.  The answer: focus on economic development in Russia’s far East before envy of China grows into a political reality. The problem […]

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Defining Treason

By Robert Amsterdam | Published:

Defining treason in legal terms is an inherently political process, fraught with bitter contention, weight of history, suspicions of abuse, and no shortage of nationalist grandstanding.  But probably not for Russia, which this week introduced a new bill to the Duma asking for modifications to the legislation to make the criteria more open and arbitrary […]

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Preemptive Repression

By James Kimer | Published:

The following is an exclusive translation from RBK Daily on the preparations being made by the Russian security forces to handle an uprising or unrest over the economic crisis. In expectation of uprisings The powers have rethought reducing interior troops Yesterday, the MVD [Ministry of Internal Affairs] decided not to reduce the interior troops (VV), […]

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Rhetoric and Reality at OPEC

By James Kimer | Published:

Yesterday we blogged that Russia had a number of reasons to stay outside the sway of OPEC, not least because they wouldn’t want to risk their hard-earned international standing in groups such as the G8 and the succession effort to the WTO, but rather because this government in particular is very sensitive about committing to […]

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Alexanyan Calls Bail “Cynical”

By James Kimer | Published:

We’ve done a fair amount of blogging about the case of the terminally ill former Yukos general counsel Vasily Alexanyan, who after spending years in prison under no charges and subjected to essentially fatal medical blackmail, was recently given an opportunity to be released on bail – but only by paying the Russian government a […]

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Energy Blast – Dec 17th, 2008

By Citizen M | Published:

The highly-anticipated OPEC meeting is being held today in Algeria, where members and non-members, including Russia, will discuss what is expected to be a significant cut in production – currently being reported at 2 million barrels per day – to try and raise the price of oil.  Russia’s oil majors have already voiced their support […]

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Today in Russian Business – Dec 17th, 2008

By Citizen M | Published:

Russia’s economic situation is worsening by the day – ‘the big question is whether the regime’s political control will crack too.‘  Despite the financial crisis, Russia’s arms exports will exceed $8 billion this year, a $1 billion increase on last year’s figures.  Russia is considering buying an unspecified number of remotely piloted reconnaissance aircraft from […]

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