Month: November 2009

November 5, 2009

Censoring The Census

As many frequent readers of the Russian media would attest, retrieving accurate data pertaining to any sensitive topic can prove difficult.  It is thus reassuring to see that Russia has agreed to hold its census next year, at a cost of 10.5 b...
November 5, 2009

Energy Blast – Nov 5, 2009

Naftogaz Ukrainy has apparently released a statement admitting that a ‘dire economic situation’ means that the company is struggling to pay its October gas bill.  The Moscow Times reports however that Ukrainian Energy Minister Yur...
November 5, 2009

Today in Russian Business – Nov 5, 2009

Vladimir Putin is ‘surprised’ that the Opel deal (which he had earlier called, ‘one of the first steps that will lead us to a real integration into the European economy’) has fallen through – and said that a legal ana...
November 5, 2009

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – Nov 5, 2009

TODAY: Two arrested in relation to the Markelov and  Baburova killings; police looming at yesterday’s Unity Day celebrations; leaders pledged tolerance whilst ultranationalists marched en masse; bloggers to be hushed by Yandex decision?...
November 5, 2009

Magna Reflections

I gave a talk at a conference today and we released the white paper on Singapore so frankly I’m getting to this later than it would normally take to respond. I believe Magna is one of those cases I have spoken about in the past of premature ...
November 4, 2009

GM U-Turn Startles

It felt as if negotiations would go on for an eternity, with months of stalling: search this site for ‘Opel bid’ and the stories of stops and starts come thick and fast.  Now, just as it seemed that the deal was finally coming to ...
November 4, 2009

Dangers Of Dissent

A Dissenter’s march in Russia wouldn’t be a Dissenter’s march if it didn’t end in large-scale detentions.  Saturday night’s march was no different, with up to 50 protesters allegedly held.  Thanks to la Russ...
November 4, 2009

Gas Crisis Cooling Down?

Winter is upon us, and the last couple of days have seen rumors rumbling about the possibility of another gas interruption – due to payment problems at Ukraine’s end.  It is alleged that Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko a...
November 4, 2009

Energy Blast – Nov 4, 2009

Russia is planning to contribute $6.5 million to the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund in 2010-2015, the fund which supports, among others things, the use of nuclear security measures to counter nuclear terrorism.  Satellite photos apparently sugges...
November 4, 2009

Today in Russian Business – Nov 4, 2009

After months of painstaking negotiations, GM has scrapped the Opel sale on the basis that it was ‘no longer in the best interests of GM, now that the environment for car sales has started to improve’, reports the Independent.  The...