Archive

May 12, 2008

Energy Blast – May 12, 2008

One UK journalists considers the implications of oil at $200 a barrel. An electricity-trading arm of national utility Inter RAO asked the Turkish Energy Ministry to delay a tender to build two power plants so it can prepare a bid. Kazakhmys is exp...
May 12, 2008

Today in Russian Business – May 12, 2008

Renova Industries, owned by billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, has taken control of Oerlikon, the world’s largest maker of spinning machines. Russia’s derivatives market is “growing at a phenomenal pace,” with turnover now at over $50 billion. B...
May 12, 2008

RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – May 12, 2008

TODAY: Lithuania gives way on EU-Russia negotiations; Russia continues to threaten Georgia with more Abkhazia troops; football final could mend diplomatic relations; concern over greenhouse gas emissions and Sochi preparations; Alexander Lebedev. ...
May 11, 2008

In Darkest Siberia

The New York Times has a very interesting article today about Gazprom and “the quest for energy in darkest Siberia.”
May 11, 2008

Measuring Medvedev

From Garry Kasparov in the Los Angeles Times: For that action to be meaningful, Medvedev must give immediate attention to these issues: He must free the long list of political prisoners who were jailed as Putin developed his dictatorship by KGB cr...
May 9, 2008

The Ever-Present Fear of State Intervention in Russia

This bit comes from Forbes, reminding readers of something we’ve been saying for years: Russia could be so much more successful if the state just loosened its grip on economy and society, and let natural ingenuity and innovation of Russian p...
May 9, 2008

Video: Victory Day is a Very Big Deal This Year

Repeat after me: we are a global superpower, we are a global superpower, we are a global superpower… Here’s a quick news clip of the steroidal display of (aging) military might for Victory Day. Nothing to worry about, say the Americans...
May 9, 2008

Conditions for Crisis

David Satter has an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal today, arguing that Putin’s “manipulation of the political system – amid the fights between ruling clans for money and power – can only create the conditions for an eventua...
May 9, 2008

Energy Blast – May 9, 2008

Russia’s oil production strategy “is now yielding diminishing returns”. Gazprom has become the world’s third largest listed company by market value, so why has its stock only risen by 4.3% this year? Prime Minister Vladimir Putin intends to ...
May 9, 2008

Today in Russian Business – May 9, 2008

Vladimir Putin has predicted that Russia’ economy will be larger than Britain’s by the end of this year, and promised to rein in inflation in his new role as Prime Minister. Roman Abramovich has bought a $36.3 million Colorado ranch. The European ...