[Again, my apologies for the late posting of this news blast, as I’m covering all the bases on my own today… – Best, James]

TODAY:  The United States sells even more arms during a recession, Gorbachev’s towering ego, more gas spats between the Kremlin and Kiev, Khodorkovsky talks about jail for life, the Pikalyovo virus spreads, Deripaska doesn’t want Opel, and a EU human rights commissioner gets the state-approved tour of Chechnya.

Russia and Ukraine are at each other’s throats again over natural gas, with the Kremlin accusing Kiev of attempting to alter the contracts.  In a televised meeting with Gazprom’s Alexei Millar, President Dmitry Medvedev said “As far as an idea of an advance payment for tariffs, then I would like to ask you a simple question — is it stipulated in a contract?” After receiving a negative answer from Miller, Medvedev said: “Then don’t pay! There’s a need to act in accordance with the contract that has been signed.  We’ve specially prepared it, it was born in the throes of pain, has been quite seriously developed and we are currently working in line with it.“