Month: February 2009

February 25, 2009

The Estonian Spy

Today Russia lost another espionage asset in Estonia, demonstrating the ongoing recruitment of foreign spies and purchase of state secrets on behalf of the FSB – Cold War style.  Seems like these kinds of treason cases involving Russia ...
February 25, 2009

Crime and Punishment

Amid the aftermath of the bungled Anna Politkovskaya murder trial, which one Moscow Times columnist says might be disconcertingly rewarding to “certain members of the liberal opposition who take joy whenever the government reveals its gross ...
February 25, 2009

What Does Russia Want From Afghanistan?

What, exactly, does Russia want from Afghanistan? The question has preoccupied the global media for weeks. Today, two countervailing theories emerge. Notwithstanding the threat of Islamic extremism filtering into the Caucasus, writing in the Inter...
February 25, 2009

The Costs of Gradual Devaluation

From the FT report on the Russian economy being hit by an 8.8% decline: Economists linked the sharp fall in January production to the virtual paralysis of the financial system as the government slowly devalued to rouble, creating a lucrative one-w...
February 25, 2009

Is China a Choice or Necessity?

The problem with stealing so much private property (for Russia and Venezuela anyways) is that no one is particularly interested in putting much capital in your hands for the development of expensive energy projects.  Hence the Chinese swoop i...
February 25, 2009

Energy Blast – Feb 25th, 2009

President Dmitry Medvedev and his Yemeni counterpart Ali Abdallah Salah will discuss military and trade cooperation when they meet in Moscow today, with special focus on Yemen’s electric power industry, and oil and gas sector.  A senior...
February 25, 2009

Today in Russian Business – Feb 25th, 2009

The Prosecutor General’s Office has opened an investigation into the possible misuse of billions of rubles of government funds by the state-controlled Russian Venture Company, which reportedly has deposited most of its capital in the account...
February 25, 2009

RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – Feb 25th, 2009

TODAY: Khodorkovsky moved to Moscow for new trial; Medvedev urges Estonia to prosecute suspected murderers; Kremlin granting passports in neighboring countries; pro-Kremlin youth try to tarnish opposition image.Former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsk...
February 24, 2009

Grigory Pasko: The School of Kreativ

The loud advertising posts for this book scream out that before us is not just any book, but – «a paper virus of sorts, which takes possession of the mind and expands the boundaries for the realization of creative possibilities. Here are pre...
February 24, 2009

Pragmatism, Not Ideology

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has republished this interesting interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in which he tries to explain his country’s increased interest in Latin America. The interview, excerpted from an ...