Today in Russian Business – Jan 18, 2011

Shalva Chigirinsky is apparently formulating new plans to build a tower in Moskva-City business district, with approval from its construction manager: ‘We are ready.‘  Russian investors are gearing up to make an ‘unprecedented investment‘ of $700 million in the ‘controversial‘ US-based Plastic Logic.  According to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the government plans to spend $3 billion on sports development in the next three years, with 2011 marked as the ‘Year of Sports in Russia‘, with a parallel promise from the Sports Minister to increase athletes’ salaries fourfold in the run-up to the 2014 Olympics.  Mexican airline Interjet has signed a $650 million contract with Superjet to buy 15 of its aircraft.  Is cyber conflict an area in which Russia could challenge the ‘conventional military dominance‘ of the US?  Telenor’s bid to oppose Vimpelcom’s purchase of Naguib Sawiris’ telecom assets has failed. ‘[T]his deal has too high a price,‘ said a spokesperson. ‘Sawiris is selling off these assets to get rid of the burden of debt he is under, and VimpelCom will be stuck dealing with it.‘