Today in Russian Business – August 13, 2009

A new state program will see car owners offered the chance to swap their old bangers for a $1,500 voucher they can use against the purchase of a domestically produced car.  Avtovaz says that its $1 billion of emergency loans has been almost entirely spent, primarily on paying off existing debt.  Truckmaker Kamaz has posted a $50 million loss in the first six months of the year.  The Moscow Arbitration Court has ordered Mikhail Prokhorov to pay $31 million to former business partner Vladimir Potanin.  Out of Reuters’ ‘five risks to watch east of the EU’, three involve Russia – investment security, oil prices, and political tensions.  Chukotka back on its feet again: the Washington Post reports on how the billions of former governor Roman Abramovich revived the remote region.  Russia and Lithuania are in a customs row as lorries from the Baltic state claim they are delayed at the border due to what they consider to be prejudicial checks. Apparently in October Iceland rejected a $5.7 billion loan from Russia in preference for a loan from the IMF.