Today in Russian Business – Jan 26, 2011

As President Medvedev gears up for a curtailed trip to the World Economic Forum, the BBC reports on the potential of shipping port Vladivostock, and Russia’s burgeoning commerce with Asia.  Bill Browder, founder of Hermitage Capital, talks to Bloomberg about why investors should be more than wary of Medvedev’s attempts to woo foreign investors at Davos.  Apparently the President himself has little positive to say in the way of graft-smashing, admitting there had been ‘almost no success’ in fighting the problem and that anti-corruption legislation which he plans to introduce would be the ‘first in a thousand years of Russia’s history’.  German prosecutors investigating bribery allegations at Hewlett-Packard have once more requested the Kremlin’s assistance.  Two sources have told Reuters that grid company FSK will seek a London listing for its shares ahead of a planned government stake sale.  Hydraulic Machines & Systems also has its sights set on a London IPO, according to the Moscow Times.  French President Nicolas Sarkozy has confirmed that France has concluded its deal to sell four Mistral assault ships to Russia.