Today in Russian Business – Aug 20, 2010

The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service has banned an ad campaign by a regional construction firm that features a President Medvedev-lookalike, supposedly after it received complaints from ‘disgusted‘ people who thought the campaign was ‘not ethical‘.  The head of the Federal Consumer Protection Service wants all advertisements for ‘evil‘ alcohol to be banned.  ‘Where is the propaganda of a healthy way of life?‘  Wheat prices have jumped a further 5% in anticipation of a massive rise in Russian imports, although the Agriculture Ministry is playing down the more extreme reports.  Meanwhile regional shipment prices have jumped 45%.  This FT blog piece looks at the case study of events organizer ITE Group and its success in Russia, which, it says, is largely thanks to its emphasis on building local ties.  The head of the President’s Security Council is criticizing Russia’s wasteful use of its water resources, saying that it ‘creat[es] a serious threat to the country’s national security‘.  The Economist profiles Yota, a Russian start-up that has built a 4G network from scratch. ‘The firm is ambitious: it hopes to establish a global brand. That would be a rarity for Russia.‘