Archive

July 6, 2009

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – July 6, 2009

TODAY: Obamarama begins with touchdown in Moscow today; the US President grants interview to opposition paper; Putin rebuffs suggestion he favors old ways; Obama trying divide and conquer on Medvedev and Putin?; missile defense may be a dealbreake...
July 5, 2009

The Real Bernie Madoff of Russia

Well, the mystery is over, and the question of whether or not Barack Obama would raise human rights issues during his visit to Russia has been answered.  A few hours back, the media reported that the new U.S. president mentioned, among other ...
July 4, 2009

Unmovable Anti-Americanism in Russia

From Megan Stack’s article in the Los Angeles Times: “There’s no future in Russia for pro-American policy,” said Nikolai Zlobin, director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the World Security Institute in Washington. R...
July 4, 2009

Time to Diminish Expectations

Remember those halcyon days – like last Thursday – back when lots of people thought that the United States and Russia were on the brink of diplomatic breakthrough? The Obama administration appeared perfectly willing to ditch the Polish...
July 3, 2009

Business Is an Unhappy Camper in Russia

Reuters is reporting that the Russian authorities are cutting down on the number of CEOs allowed to join the parallel business summit, and are planning on moving it from a luxury hotel to inside the Kremlin to keep tighter control.  That just...
July 3, 2009

Russia’s Reluctance on Iran

We often hear from U.S. observers all about the mutual interests that Washington and the Kremlin share in curbing Iran’s march toward nuclear proliferation and other indications of growing hostility, yet it’s funny how we usually see n...
July 3, 2009

Who wears the pants in this diarchy?

Is it a mistake for President Barack Obama to only meet with President Dmitry Medvedev?  Andrew Kuchins thinks so.  From the Moscow Times: There should be no illusions about where ultimate decision-making authority in Russia resides toda...
July 3, 2009

Khodorkovsky: My Life in the Gulag

The following is an English translation of an interview with Mikhail Khodorkovsky in the Italian magazine L’Espresso: My life in a gulag  Talks with Mikhail Khodorkovsky by Gigi Riva The political and economic interests behind his case....
July 3, 2009

Energy Blast – July 3, 2009

The European Commission’s Gas Co-ordination Group has warned Europe to brace itself for a potential gas disruption, and suggests that EU countries need to prepare themselves more actively for the possibility.  The turnaround in Europe&#...
July 3, 2009

Today in Russian Business – July 3, 2009

Avtovaz has warned that with its gargantuan losses, it may be difficult to face the future without more state help.  Unilever intents to build an $140 million ice cream factory, which will be the biggest plant in Russia to make the frozen des...