Dismantling the Constitution

By James Kimer | Published: December 15, 2008

Below we’ve got another exclusive translation from RBK Daily, which our regular readers understand is almost amusingly pro-government news source from Russia which at times can help glean insights into Kremlin thinking.  According to this latest piece, it seems like we should brace ourselves for a full-on assault of what’s left of the besieged constitution […]

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Grigory Pasko: Russia’s New Dark Political Humor

By Grigory Pasko | Published:

Recently, my German acquaintance phoned and asked how people in Russia are weathering the crisis. I replied: they tell each other jokes. He, apparently, did not understand. I will explain in this article. Inasmuch as there aren’t so many owners of steamships and factories and stocks in Russia, then the quantity of jokes about those […]

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The Gas Troika is Hot Air

By James Kimer | Published:

It’s an ongoing debate.  Is the threat of an OPEC-like natural gas cartel being bandied about by the Gazprom for real, or just all talk?  It’s not about whether the exporting countries are willing to form a new series of practices to manipulate prices, but rather how successful they could possibly be in controlling a […]

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Video: Lira Tskhovrebova

By James Kimer | Published:

Related to the earlier post, here is the news clip of Russia’s alleged spy, Lira Tskhovrebova, sent to pitch the invasion of Georgia in Washington DC.

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FSB Plant Pitches the War in Washington

By James Kimer | Published:

File this one under “caught red handed.”  The Kremlin might take note that they shouldn’t have their spies posing as “independent South Ossetian activists” hiring elite public relations firms.  From the Associated Press: Georgia’s interior minister, Vano Merabishvili, told the AP on Monday that Tskhovrebova was spying for Russia’s security services. Tskhovrebova ridiculed the idea […]

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Taking the Cake

By James Kimer | Published:

Today the Wall Street Journal is reporting on Siemens $528.3 million bribery settlement with German authorities, while the claim with U.S. under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is now underway.  Anyone still curious where the majority of the bribes went?

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Hate Crimes on the Rise

By James Kimer | Published:

There’s been a lot coverage recently of these outbreaks of violence from Russian nationalists directed toward migrants and foreigners – a trend that some say is passively tolerated by the state.  Though the loss of jobs caused by the economic crisis appears to worsening the situation, most acknowledge that Russia’s future economic growth is heavily […]

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Energy Blast – Dec 15th, 2008

By Citizen M | Published:

A Russian deputy is to attend this week’s OPEC meeting.  The price of oil is slowly rising on expectations that the meeting will lead to a significant cut in output, although this report suggests that, although Russia is willing to cooperate, Norway and Mexico may not act in accordance with OPEC’s wishes.  Could a recovery […]

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Today in Russian Business – Dec 15th, 2008

By Citizen M | Published:

The economic crisis is driving minority shareholders, who had previously turned a blind eye, to demand responsible corporate expenditures.  Import levels have dropped 20% on last year’s levels, due to the fluctuating ruble and slowing demand.  What is the Kremlin’s reasoning behind its strategies for devaluing the ruble?  The currency has fallen for the second […]

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RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – Dec 15th, 2008

By Citizen M | Published:

TODAY: Weekend protests see activists detained; Solidarity given ominous gift; activist heckles Medvedev; Lavrov attending Mideast Quartet, US and Russia to discuss arms trade; hate crimes, killer blogs, Russophobia. The opening day of the founding congress of Solidarity, Russia’s new democratic movement, was reportedly marked by a delivery of ‘dead and wounded sheep‘ clad in […]

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