Video: Russian Opinion on Obama and McCain
Russian citizens prefer one candidate, while their leaders prefer another.
Year: 2008
EU Energy Policy Would Respond to Gas Cartel
Europe is being cryptic yet vaguely threatening in response to Russia’s announcement to take steps toward the formation of a gas cartel with Qatar and Iran to control 60% of the world’s natural gas: EU spokesman Ferran Tarradellas Espu...
The Lavrovian Logic on Kissinger
Apparently I missed quite the stinging attack against Henry Kissinger made by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his visit to CFR about a month ago. This is interesting to me because for the past six months or so Kissinger has been seen as the ...
The Chess Bike
How could I resist? …don’t worry, I’m not trying to compete with English Russia. Didi Senft, a 56-year-old cycling fan better known as ‘El Diablo’, poses with a chess bike for the media at the ‘Bundeskunsthalle&...
“We Will Not Cede Any Region!”
Some amusing commentary from Al Kamen on the McCain-Palin campaign’s accidental solicitation for donations from the Russian Mission to the United Nations. The Russians released a copy of a Sept. 29 solicitation addressed to Vitaly I. Churkin...
Devaluation and Fear
Russia probably should devalue the ruble, but can’t afford to inspire a massive round of withdrawal and conversion panic. From the Financial Times: Managing the rouble poses a similar challenge. The currency’s recovery has symbolised Russia’...
Storchak Release Not a Game Changer
At least that’s what Alexander Lebedev tells the Wall Street Journal about the release of Sergei Storchak: Alexander Lebedev, a billionaire banker and friend of Mr. Storchak who has been one of his strongest public defenders since his arrest...
If Obama Wins, Russia Will Be the First to Test Him
I’m just amazed by the dizzying news cycle of all these broadcast outlets during my brief visit to New York City this week. It’s actually quite hypnotic and surreal … I think that a few more days of this and I won’t even re...
Sergei Storchak, Hostage of the Clan Wars, is Released
Below is a translation of a piece of news from Interfax reporting on a court’s decision to release former Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak, who was the right-hand man of Russia’s last remaining financial liberal, Alexei Kudrin, ...
The Perfect Time to Destabilize Your Enemy
S. Adam Cardais of TOL writes that Russia is “basking” in its the international glamor of being able to bailout Iceland: “And Russia is positioned, as a revitalized once-superpower flush with cash, to rescue Iceland, a NATO membe...