Archive

February 3, 2012

Russia’s Media Censorship Loosens

Ahead of tomorrow’s planned protests in Moscow, the usually docile Russian state media has been experimenting with some more diverse programming, according to Charles Clover in the Financial Times: Russian TV viewers, long accustomed to bori...
February 3, 2012

Russia’s Media Censorship Loosens

Ahead of tomorrow’s planned protests in Moscow, the usually docile Russian state media has been experimenting with some more diverse programming, according to Charles Clover in the Financial Times: Russian TV viewers, long accustomed to bori...
February 3, 2012

Energy Blast – Feb 3, 2012

A number of European countries are reporting reduced flows of Russian gas as the cold snap continues to pressure demand, including Austria, Poland (PGNiG says it is receiving 7% less gas a day) and Slovakia.  Italy has cut its estimate of gas volu...
February 3, 2012

Today in Russian Business – Feb 3, 2012

Vladimir Putin has promised to compensate small businesses for any losses incurred on shares bought in the 2007 stock market floating of VTB: ‘Citizens should know that we will do everything possible to ensure that they do not have any losses.’  T...
February 2, 2012

Russia’s Colourful Dissidents

Russia is a veritable rainbow of imaginative protest actions in the run-up to next month’s elections (which the unpopular Vladimir Putin is certain to win), as activists try to come up with eye-catching ways of thumbing their noses at the Kr...
February 2, 2012

Today in Russian Business – Feb 2, 2012

VTB will issue a loan to travel company Lanta Tour Voyage to ensure that its stranded tourists will be able to get home.  Tax authorities have allegedly frozen three bank accounts belonging to the charity fund Just Assistance – and the chari...
February 2, 2012

RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – Feb 2, 2012

TODAY: Putin says he is ready for a runoff as polls indicate he has lost the majority; EU chief calls for Yavlinsky to be allowed to run; anti-Putin banner facing the Kremlin is removed; Triumfalnaya Square to re-open to protesters; Orthodox Churc...
February 1, 2012

Stanovaya: Behind the Surkov-Volodin Shuffle

In this exclusive translation, Russian political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya takes a look at the critical cabinet shuffle which saw Vladislav Surkov moved to Deputy Prime Minister and the promotion of long-time Putin loyalist Vyacheslav Volodin to e...
February 1, 2012

Energy Blast – Feb 1, 2012

Gazprom is limiting exports to Europe – with Italy losing out on 8% of yesterday’s requested volume – thanks to a current cold spell that is increasing domestic demand.  But the company says that it is adhering to its long-term contrac...