winthrop77

2007-12-31T23:59:00.001-05:00

winthrop77 is currently dormant. Please visit my current Russian news and analysis blog: winthrop360

2007-12-31T23:58:00.000-05:00

2007 has been very successful for Russia and I guess the entire world knows it now. The terms "Russia rising," "the reemergence of Moscow," and "the awaking of the sleeping bear" are pretty much heard and generally accepted all over.

But in my opinion the popular opinion is way off when it comes to magnitude. I believe that Russia's rise will be (and already is) far, far greater than anyone can possibly fathom. Economically, politically, and socially, Russia will not just be among the leaders, with enough strength to maintain an independent policy and its own course. In fact, it will be setting the world's course on many occasions and it will be doing so prudently.

An analogy that I am beginning to use with my friends is that Russia's fall, during the 1990s, was a strategic retreat - and that Russia is historically a master of the strategic retreat, having employed it successfully during attempted invasions by western conquerors on multiple occasions, centuries apart.

Recognizing that it was in a disadvantaged position, Russia retreated to buy time, rebuild, and strike back (hence the surrender of Paris to Tsar Alexander I in 1814, 2 years after Napoleon tried to invade Russia, and Berlin to Marshall Zhukov in 1945, 4 years after Hitler tried to do the same).

No one's talking about marching on Washington or London, but Russia is in the position today to ruin it and ruin it badly for the delusional empire-dreaming hawks in the United States and the United Kingdom, who prefer the weak and dying Russia of the 1990s to the strong and independent Russia of today.

*

Some of the more undocumented accomplishments of 2007 include:
- The diversification of the economy away from oil and gas
- The spread of prosperity from the cities to the regions
- The emergence of a pretty affluent middle class that can afford a car, an apartment, and an annual trip to the Mediterranean or Southeast Asia
- America's nightmare: Russia-India-China
- Russia's return to Africa and Latin American by means of investment and trade
- Putin's excellent relationships with Sarkozy, Prodi, and Zapatero
- Improving ties with Latvia and Hungary
- The increasing isolation of Russophobes in Europe, including the Kaczynski brothers, by other Europeans
- Russia's tactical victories in the Caspian and Central Asia
Looking to 2008, everyone makes predictions. Here are some of mine:
- Russian birthrates, which are at something like 18-year highs already, continue to rise strongly
- Russian businesses grow internationally through acquisitions that annoy western nationalists
- A resurgent Russia takes first place at the medals table in Beijing
- Ownership changes at Kashagan and Tengiz
- Oil prices fall to the $50-70 range
- As oil prices fall, Russia's economy grows even faster and GDP forecasts are increased on multiple occasions. For 2008, at least 8% growth
- Better relations with a plethora of countries in Eastern Europe / FSU (basically everyone except Estonia, Lithuania, Georgia, and the Czech Republic)
- Increasing defense ties between Russia and Israel

2007-12-30T18:40:00.000-05:00

Lithuanian president for proper relations with Russia story

2007-12-30T14:33:00.000-05:00

Indo-Russia economic ties on upswing in 2007 story

2007-12-30T14:12:00.000-05:00

Plans for a second 5-star hotel in the Moscow-City Business Center have been announced by France's Accor Group story

2007-12-30T13:40:00.000-05:00

Luxembourg's Bluebird Securities Saturday said it had acquired a 5.7 percent stake in Russia's second largest gas producer Novatek. Last year, Novatek produced 28.7 billion cubic metres of natural gas and reached 100 billion cubic metres in cumulative natural gas production since starting natural gas production in 1998, according to a company statement story

2007-12-30T13:39:00.002-05:00

Russia, US nearing nuclear industry deal story

2007-12-30T13:39:00.001-05:00

The Economic Times: India and Russia could jointly develop a new generation space shuttle for manned space flights and negotiations for the project are expected to begin in January, according to a top space official. "India has expressed desire to participate in the development of a new reusable manned spaceship and from January next we will discuss this issue with the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation," Chief of Russia's Federal Space Agency, Roskosmos, Anatoly Perminov said.

Although Perminov did not identify the project, but 'Energia' Corporation is reportedly developing reusable spacecraft 'Clipper', which is expected to replace Soviet-designed Soyuz spaceships in Russia's national space programme. Perminov said India was Russia's privileged space partner with which it was working in different directions and has granted Indian space experts access to many of its ground control facilities story story2

2007-12-30T13:34:00.000-05:00

IANS: Brahmos, the world's fastest cruise missile jointly developed by India and Russia, would be assembled in Kerala, an official said here Sunday... The Brahmos can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. Brahmos is about three times faster than the US subsonic Tomahawk cruise missile. It has the capability to attack surface targets as low as 10m in altitude and has a maximum range of 290 km story

2007-12-30T13:31:00.000-05:00

Relations between Russia and China have a strong impact on the formation of a just world order, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. "Russian-Chinese relations provide a vivid example of friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation, based on long-term, strategic interests. Russian-Chinese political, economic and humanitarian ties have been developing vigorously, bringing visible benefits to the Russian and Chinese peoples. Strong interaction between our two countries in the world arena is an important factor of building a just world order with due account taken of civilized political-economic diversity," Putin said in a message of greetings to Chinese President Hu Jintao, according to the Kremlin press service story

2007-12-29T18:39:00.000-05:00

Russia plans to spend 21.9 billion rubles ($892 million) on geological exploration projects in 2008, up 11% against this year, the economics ministry said in an end-of-year report on Saturday story

2007-12-29T14:39:00.000-05:00

"We have achieved many objectives in politics, economy, social and demographic programs," Putin was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying. "These results serve Russia and its citizens. In return, people supported us at the recent parliament elections." Putin thanked everyone who contributed to the fulfillment of strategic plans and who worked together with him for the past eight years "on the achievement of common goals and carried out the policy of Russia's economic might, authority and influence in the world."

Russia is steadily promoting its national interests worldwide, the prestige of education is growing, and the native language and literature are developing, he said. "The successful bid of Sochi for hosting Winter Olympic Games 2014 was a tangible symbol and recognition of our success," he said. "The whole country celebrated that victory. I must say that we would not have won it if we had not revived the economy, finance and political stability in Russia." "The year 2008 will be momentous for the country. Once we provide for the continuation of our policy, we will make big progress together," Putin said story story2 story3

2007-12-29T14:38:00.000-05:00

Russia will raise oil export duties by $58.4 to $333.8 per metric ton from February 1, in line with global market trends, a senior Finance Ministry official said on Saturday story story2 story3

2007-12-29T14:30:00.000-05:00

Russia is likely to be one of the top performing markets in 2008, according to online fund analyst Moneyspider.com story

2007-12-29T14:28:00.000-05:00

Inflation will be 11.9-12% in Russia in 2007 and 8.5% next year, the finance minister said on Saturday. The minister also said that the strong Russian economy means the finance ministry does not expect a financial crisis in Russia next year, adding that the ministry is currently drafting a 15-year financial plan for the economical development of the country story

2007-12-29T14:12:00.000-05:00

RIA Novosti: The average price of Russia's Urals blend oil, a benchmark for the national budget, was $69.29 per barrel in 2007, $8.2 higher than in 2006, a Russian Finance Ministry spokesman said on Saturday. Alexander Sakovich, a senior tax and duty officer at the ministry, said the figure was $88.07 for December, against $58 in December 2006. The price was initially set at $61 per barrel in this year's budget story

2007-12-29T14:09:00.000-05:00

Russia's Kaluga poised to be Detroit of Europe story

2007-12-29T13:34:00.001-05:00

A Russian icebreaker the Amderma has delivered supplies and seven British crew members of the Halley Research Station to Antarctica, a spokesman for the Far East Shipping Company said on Saturday story

2007-12-29T13:34:00.000-05:00

Russian railways CEO tells Putin production targets fulfilled story

2007-12-29T13:29:00.000-05:00

Russia has enhanced border security in the turbulent North Caucasus, the country's security chief Nikolai Patrushev told President Vladimir Putin on Saturday story story2 story3

2007-12-29T09:54:00.000-05:00

Eric Kraus: After the catastrophic 1990s, Russia is still establishing her place in the world. This is not some sort of popularity contest – Russia will not be awarded her rightful place by benevolent Western states happy to anoint her a major power, taking Russia’s fundamental interests to heart out of the sheer goodness of their hearts. Great powers have no durable friends – they have durable interests. Having succumbed to the illusion of Western benevolence following the collapse of the USSR, Russia is now wary of promises. Mr. Putin has been successful in reestablishing Russia as a country to be reckoned with. The fact that this week his face graces the covers of both The Economist and Time Magazine is a measure of this success. Russia can be loved or hated – feared or welcomed – but it can no longer safely be ignored...

It is not surprising that this transformation is unwelcome to many in the West. Surely, it was far easier to deal with the Yeltsin regime. Pat the bear on the nose, tell him how you loved him, let him dance, applaud politely. Steely eyed and sober, Putin must be a bit chilling. Perhaps they hoped he would go away and everything would go back to normal. But he is not going away. Thus, the famously free and fair Western press – typically oblivious to the financial and political interests of its corporate owners and home governments – engaged in a multi-year barrage with a degree of coordination which might have been mistaken for a propaganda campaign. It was so futile. Putin has engineered his self-succession handily, while Russia defied the predictions of doom and gloom, and has prospered mightily.

There are still some in the West who imagine they can blunt Russia’s thrust by somehow imposing their own criteria and political models. The accompanying threats are laughable – diplomatic isolation, expulsion from the G8 – conveniently forgetting that the globe is a far bigger and more diverse place than it was just a decade ago. At best this hectoring is futile – at worst counterproductive. Russia is too rich to be bribed, too strong to be threatened. Lessons in governance from the West are seen as tainted with self interest, and thus increasingly treated with scorn story

2007-12-29T09:50:00.000-05:00

Andrei Tsygankov: In general, Russia’s foreign policy has been a great success, not because Russia is in such a position that it no longer expects economic and political pressures from Western (and non-Western) powers. Great power politics is not going to disappear, and there will always be those interested in controlling Russia and the key position it holds in shaping the world’s military, energy and cultural power balance. Russia’s foreign policy has been a success because the United States and Europe now understand that, in the 1990s, they lost the ability to cast Russia as a junior partner. Now, new, more equal relationships with Moscow have to be designed. With all the paranoia and lack of rational discourse on the part of Russian officials, the Kremlin managed to preserve basic qualities of a sovereign power while considerably expanding a space for international integration and interdependence. Testaments to this interdependence include skyrocketing foreign investments in the Russian economy, the willingness of Western governments to cooperate with the new Duma and executive power, the Time magazine recognition of Vladimir Putin as Man of the Year, and many other indicators story

2007-12-29T09:49:00.000-05:00

Vladimir Frolov: In 2007, Russia continued its march toward economic prosperity and international prominence. Putin and his team have engineered a smooth political transition that would transfer presidential power into the hands of Putin’s most trusted associate Dmitri Medvedev, while allowing Putin to continue guiding the nation as Medvedev’s prime minister.

On the international scene, Russia stood tall in defending its interests and vital international principles. Russia managed to block the Ahtissari plan for Kosovo’s unilateral independence arguing in favor of more diplomacy to achieve a regional settlement. On Iran, Russia provided both the sticks, when necessary to tighten the UN sanctions, and carrots in the form of reactor fuel shipments to persuade Iran to abandon its uranium enrichment program.

In the former Soviet Union, Russia improved relations with Latvia (by signing and ratifying the border treaty) and Moldova, while it continued applying pressure to Estonia and Georgia. Russia worked hard to outmaneuver the United States and the EU on alternative energy routes from Central Asia and courted the new leadership in Turkmenistan to maintain the lucrative gas buy out relationship with that country. In Ukraine, Russia sought to maintain a broad base of relationships with different political groups while exerting some pressure to neutralize Yuschenko’s drive to elevate Ukrainian nationalism to the top of the country’s political agenda. Russia has improved the relationship with Europe by demonstrating that anti-Russian policies of some EU states, like Poland, would have consequences for the broader Russia-EU relationship. Of course, by digging in its heels on US missile defense plans in Europe and withdrawing from the Conventional Forces treaty, Moscow succeeded in bringing the West’s attention to Russia’s long ignored security concerns.

Could Russia be named The Country of the Year? Has Russia proved to be the world’s most dynamic, vibrant and newsworthy nation in the world in 2007? Has Russia strengthened its international position? Has it gained more respect at the table of global politics and admiration at the kitchen tables of ordinary people throughout the world? In fact, has Russia become a genuine world leader in 2007? story

2007-12-29T09:07:00.000-05:00

Georgy Bovt: Moscow has turned into one huge marketplace in the run-up to the New Year's holiday. Judging from the traffic jams in the city, and especially those near supermarkets, the scale of this year's shopping bonanza will set a new record. Many supermarkets long ago switched to 24-hour service. Moscow now has more giant around-the-clock stores than any other city in the world, but even at night you can still encounter lines. The crowds of shoppers snatch up furniture, cars, home electronics and the latest cell phone models as fast as the Soviets used to grab potatoes from store shelves. In addition, Moscow's young women feverishly buy up fashionable clothing that costs twice what it does in Europe. It is hard to believe that Russia is a poor country.

The country's consumer market is on the verge of becoming Europe's largest. Russians' real income has grown 12 percent to 15 percent annually, outstripping labor productivity by a factor of two. And if you take into consideration the robust shadow economy, actual incomes are probably growing even faster story

2007-12-28T14:29:00.000-05:00

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin has congratulated Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on the New Year. As the Turkmenistan.ru's correspondent has learnt from the press service of the Turkmen president, in his message Vladimir Putin said "the main result of the outgoing year" was the further deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Turkmenistan, and realization of this cooperation, first of all, in the energy sector. "I highly appreciate the current level of our mutually trustful dialogue. I am confident that in future we can jointly strengthen the positive dynamic of development of relations between Russia and Turkmenistan, to raise the level of the comprehensive Russian-Turkmen partnership even higher in the interests of our peoples and for strengthening the stability and security in Central Asia," the Russian president noted in his message story

2007-12-28T14:07:00.000-05:00

The newspaper Rezonansi is reporting that Russian history textbooks will refer to Georgia as "totally dependent on the US." The newly-approved textbooks, the newspaper cites Russian media sources in saying, loosely sum up the post-Rose Revolution period by writing: "By the end of 2003, after the [ex-president Eduard] Shevardnadze regime was overthrow, Mikheil Saakashvili became the head of state and Georgia became totally dependent on the US" story

2007-12-28T13:42:00.000-05:00

Kalmykia: Russia's new oil and gas Klondike story

2007-12-28T13:37:00.000-05:00

Russia’s Gazprom is moving forward with the construction of an Iran–Armenia natural gas pipeline, the news agency Regnum reports story

2007-12-28T09:21:00.000-05:00

Over one hundred thousand babies were born in Moscow this year. "Nothing of the kind happened for 18 years. It is a very important indicator of what is happening in our country in general," Luzhkov said. According to the report aired by the Russian News Service radio, 11 babies who were born almost simultaneously on Wednesday were assigned the 6-digit number. Six of the newborn babies were boys and five were girls story story2

2007-12-28T09:19:00.000-05:00

The main factors which contributed to Russia's image in 2007 are its independent foreign policy, a shift from the primary-sector to the secondary-sector economy and the rise to power of a party which is capable of assuming responsibility for what is happening in the country, said Nikolai Bordyuzha, the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization story

2007-12-28T09:18:00.000-05:00

Russia's Defense Ministry has ordered new tank support combat vehicles to boost firepower of the Ground Forces armored units, a Russian newspaper reported. The Uralvagonzavod Plant, based in Nizhny Tagil in the Sverdlovsk region, has long been developing a concept for a unique combat vehicle (Russian acronym BMPT) to provide fire support and protection for tanks on the battlefield, however its implementation has been subject to delays. The BMPT, dubbed the Terminator, is built on the basis of the most mass-produced T-72 battle tank. The new combat vehicle features enhanced armor protection and is equipped with powerful armament capable of destroying anti-tank capable ground and air targets and infantry, while operating in a common battle formation story

2007-12-28T09:17:00.000-05:00

Gazprom Neft and LUKoil have formed a joint oil and gas venture to implement projects in hydrocarbon production, the two leading Russian energy companies said on Friday. Gazprom Neft, energy giant Gazprom's oil division, will hold 51% and LUKoil 49% in the new Development of the Regions company and will run the joint venture on a parity basis. The company will develop fields in East Siberia and in the Komi Territory in northwest Russia story

2007-12-28T09:16:00.000-05:00

Poland, Russia to discuss missile defense in Warsaw, January 10 story story2 story3 story4 story5

2007-12-28T09:15:00.000-05:00

Sberbank expects net profit of at least 112 billion rubles ($4.5 billion) in 2007, the head of Russia's largest state-owned bank said on Friday story

2007-12-28T09:13:00.000-05:00

U.S. aviation giant Boeing on Thursday agreed to buy more than $1 billion worth of titanium components from domestic manufacturer VSMPO-Avisma for the 787 Dreamliner and other passenger aircraft. Sergei Kravchenko, head of Boeing in Russia, and Vladislav Tetyukhin, general director of VSMPO-Avisma, signed a five-year agreement for the supply of components from 2011 to 2015. "This contract is the biggest in the history of Boeing in Russia. I can't imagine a better gift for me and my team," Kravchenko told reporters at the signing ceremony, which was attended by Russian Technologies head Sergei Chemezov and U.S. Ambassador William Burns. The agreement is part of a plan by Boeing to invest $27 billion in Russia over the next 30 years, Kravchenko said. Titanium products will account for $18 billion of that number, he said story story2 story3 story4

2007-12-28T09:12:00.000-05:00

Gazprom this year held talks to join ExxonMobil's Sakhalin-1 oil-and-gas project, an unidentified person close to the gas giant said. Gazprom, which took control of Shell's Sakhalin-2 project last year, now wants a stake in Exxon's venture, Vedomosti reported Thursday. Gazprom held talks with both Exxon and its partner in Sakhalin-1, state-controlled Rosneft, Vedomosti said story

2007-12-28T09:09:00.000-05:00

Charles Miranda: Russia's new-found confidence stems from its booming economy. When Putin – who has been named Time magazine's Person of the Year – succeeded Boris Yeltsin in December 1999, the country was near collapse, with millions of people unemployed, state-employed bureaucrats, soldiers and scientists unpaid, and the pension scheme bankrupt. The nation split; former Russian states including Estonia, Lithuania and Hungary sided with the West. But the nation thrived as gas and oil exports drove economic growth at almost 8 per cent a year.

Defence spending is now up by a quarter to $A35 billion a year. A new fleet of warships will be built, and supersonic bombers, fighters and missiles will be bought. By 2009, Russia will have one of the most advanced jet fighters in the world. On November 21, probably the most serious aggressive posturing was played out when Putin accused NATO of threatening Russian security and ordered his military to place the country's strategic nuclear arsenal on a higher state of alert. He accused the NATO alliance of increasing military resources next to his borders. About the same time, the US announced plans to set up a missile shield operation including 10 interceptor missile launchers and a radar in Poland and/or the Czech Republic. The Cold War has begun to ice again story

2007-12-28T08:59:00.000-05:00

Nikolaus von Twickel: "I see a never-ending stream of British businessmen coming through my office interested in, attracted by, excited by Russia," [Brenton] said. Bilateral trade is rising by 20 percent annually, with Britain becoming the largest source of foreign investment in 2006, and Russian companies are increasingly seeking financial services in London, Brenton said story

2007-12-28T08:58:00.000-05:00

Scott Sullivan: With its choice of Vadimir Putin as man of the year, Time Magazine has boosted Putin’s prestige and dealt a significant blow to the Ahmadinejad-Chavez alliance against Russia... In short, Vladimir Putin is now in a strong international position. Putin’s prestige is increasing, thanks to Time Magazine. Meanwhile Putin can call on powerful allies like China for support in international affairs story

2007-12-28T08:29:00.000-05:00

Foster + Partners: One of the world’s most ambitious building projects, Crystal Island has been granted preliminary planning permission in Moscow. Enclosed within a vast mega structure covering a total floor area of 2.5 million square metres – the project’s scale is unprecedented. At 450m the scheme in one of the tallest structures on the planet, creating a spectacular new emblem on the Moscow skyline. Conceived as a self-contained city within a city, it contains a rich mix of buildings including museums, theatres and cinemas, to ensure that it is a major new destination for the whole of Moscow...

Crystal Island will have a range of cultural, exhibition and performance facilities, approximately 3000 hotel rooms and 900 serviced apartments, as well as offices and shops, designed to maintain a dynamic and animated public realm throughout the day. Residents are able to work and live within a densely planned area where every amenity is within easy walking distance, including an international school for 500 students. Mixed-use also presents a strong case for energy balance, with individual components using energy at different times, while reinforcing the breadth of economic and social activity of the area... Dynamic enclosure panels slotted into the structural framing allow daylight to penetrate deep into the heart of the scheme and can be controlled to modify the internal environment – closed in winter for extra warmth and opened in summer to allow natural ventilation. Energy management is at the heart of the design, with additional strategies to include on-site renewable and low-carbon energy generation story story2

2007-12-28T08:28:00.000-05:00

Russia sees end of road for space tourism story

2007-12-27T16:14:00.000-05:00

VLADIMIR PUTIN: You are well aware that in recent years we have begun to implement national social projects in health care, education and housing. These fields are certainly fundamental ones for any family. And long-term demographic policy measures should play a special role in this respect.

For the first time in Russian history a so-called maternity capital has been introduced. And this is not only a first for Russia but for other countries as well. Birth certificates are being paid. Basic medical facilities are improving.

Since the beginning of 2007 there are increased allowances for childcare. Similar benefits have been introduced for mothers that stay at home. And I already said that we will index these allowances to inflation.

All of this is yielding results. In just 10 months of this year more than 1,300,000 long-awaited children were born in Russia, and this is 8 per cent more than in 2006.

The necessary conditions for working parents are being implemented. Expenses on kindergartens are now partially reimbursed. The salary received for acting as foster parents have almost doubled.

The wages that adoptive parents receive have also increased. This is because education within the family to a large extent determines what kind of person a child will grow up to be. Neither the state nor even the best teachers (and thank God they exist!) can replace the family.

And next year we are going to continue to organize the fate of orphans. We are going to improve legislation with regards to foster care and guardianship so that this process is quicker and, most importantly, for the benefit of children.

We expect to achieve visible results quickly, ie. in the short term. And the newly-created Fund to help address the problems of children in difficult circumstances has work ahead of it, and it will carry out its work with dignity transcript

2007-12-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

Mirax Group has become Russia’s first developer with a project in Switzerland; Mirax announced it would construct an elite Alpine ski resort in the Alps, investing roughly $300 million for this purpose story story2

2007-12-27T14:17:00.000-05:00

Nokia Siemens Networks, the joint venture between Siemens AG and Nokia, and Chinese Huawei won a tender for construction of a 3G network in Russia, pan-Russian mobile operator MegaFon said in a statement story

2007-12-27T13:37:00.000-05:00

RosBusinessConsulting: State-owned venture funds RVK and Rosinfocominvest have been set up, with assets worth RUR 15 billion and RUR 2.9 billion (approx. $607m and $117.4m). Intel Capital and Cisco also became more active. Intel focused on investment in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China), particularly Russia. Ashish Patel, Managing Director of Intel Capital, described Russia as a country with an incredible number of innovations. And Cisco announced plans to invest $100 million in Russian projects over the next three years... The center of investment is shifting away from the West to other countries, including Russia, due to low growth on developed market, reckons Olga Uskova, President of the National Innovation and IT Development Association. Government officials added fuel, too, speaking of economic diversification and focus on hi-tech projects story story2

2007-12-27T13:32:00.000-05:00

Russia's relations with Japan have been developing productively with bilateral trade volume reaching a record high of 18-19 billion U.S. dollars this year, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said Thursday. "On the whole, we're pleased with the development of relations with Japan," he said, adding that Russia is ready to discuss with Japan all issues, including the difficult ones story

2007-12-27T12:31:00.000-05:00

Russia's gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 7.4% in November and 7.7% in January-November 2007, the economics ministry said on Thursday. Russia's Economic Development and Trade Ministry published on Thursday on its website a report on the Russian economy's performance in the first eleven months of 2007. In accordance with the report, Russia's GDP is expected to rise 7.6% in 2007 compared with the previously projected figure of 6%. Fixed capital investment in Russia grew 17.2% in November and 20.5% in January-November 2007, year on year story story2 story3

2007-12-27T12:29:00.000-05:00

Russia could export weaponry worth about $7.5 billion in 2008, the head of the Russian Technology state-run corporation said on Thursday. Russia has almost doubled annual arms exports since 2000, becoming the world's second-largest exporter of conventional arms after the United States story story2 story3

2007-12-27T12:23:00.000-05:00

Russia's state-run VTB bank said on Thursday it has sold 5% in the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS) to another state bank Vnesheconombank story story2

2007-12-27T09:27:00.000-05:00

More innovative products manufactured in Russia story

2007-12-27T09:26:00.000-05:00

Russia has no plans to drop construction of the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline, a deputy foreign minister said on Thursday. The ambitious East Siberia-Pacific Ocean (ESPO) oil pipeline is slated to pump up to 1.6 million barrels per day of crude from Siberia to Russia's Far East and then onto China and the Asia-Pacific region. The project's first leg, estimated at $11 billion, is expected to be commissioned in December 2008 story

2007-12-27T08:51:00.000-05:00

James Heartfield: The critics are on weaker ground, though, when they question Putin’s mandate. However you look at it, Putin’s support is healthy – a lot healthier than that of most Western leaders. In successive elections, presidential and parliamentary, Putin’s brand of mainstream nationalism has won a wide base of support. Putin’s critics for the most part do not just attack Putin. They also attack the Russian people who elect him. Foremost amongst Putin’s critics are the "exiles" - Russians living abroad, many in the UK. In the first instance, these oppositionists were drawn from the disappointed intelligentsia, only later being invigorated with exiled oligarchs like Boris Berezovsky and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich. This cohort blames the Russian people for failing to listen to them, and insists on seeing Putin as the reincarnation of Stalin.

The exiles enjoy the sponsorship of Putin’s critics in the West. The tradition of supporting an alternative exile leadership for Russia is an old one that precedes even the Cold War, when anti-communist dissidents were promoted by the West; it goes back to the nineteenth century, when radical enemies of the Czar were given exile. Today, Britain is at the fore of the policy of shielding Putin’s foreign critics, most notably Boris Berezovsky, much to the irritation of the Russians. But the European Union, too, is active, giving a helping hand to the Orange anti-Russian movement in the Ukraine.

The problem for the exiles and Putin’s other critics is that inside Russia they enjoy little support. Putin’s aggressive attacks on the oppositional Other Russia party led by Garry Kasparov simply do not outrage most Russians in the way they do people in the West. Putin retains the support of Russia’s middle-class because he stabilised the economy and delivered years of solid economic growth.

In the British Foreign Office, criticisms of Putin notwithstanding, officials insist that Britain has to work with Russia – though the contempt that Putin reads in their reactions to him is close to the surface. They think of the current Russian government as mediocre in comparison to the "heroic" Yeltsin imposition of free-market reforms on to a clapped-out Stalinist economy. Oil, they say, is the key to Putin’s success. It is true that during the economic upturn of the 2000s, boosting oil demand helped Russia a great deal. But under Yeltsin there was oil, too; it was just that he sold it off cheap to foreign investors.

By contrast, Putin’s nationalist economic policy redirected oil wealth towards investment leading to strong growth rates. Mikhail Gorbachev (Time Man of the Year in 1987 and 1989) explained the limits of the West’s support for reform: ‘As Russia becomes stronger, suddenly our friends in the West begin to get excited.’ It is all a long way from the generous attitude that US President Bill Clinton (Time Man of the Year in 1992 and 1998) had towards a mostly supine Boris Yeltsin.

Putin’s aggressive reassertion of Russia’s national interests has certainly cost him support in the West. But then, he is not a representative of Western interests, but of Russian ones... And as Time’s sort-of endorsement of Putin underlines, realpolitik in the West favours a strong leader they can do business with story

2007-12-27T08:43:00.000-05:00

Brian Baskin: High oil prices and European demand for natural gas have transformed Russia's once-sleepy oilfield services sector into a $13 billion business that could become the world's second-largest market by 2011... A pair of three-year-old Russian companies, Integra Group and Eurasia Drilling Co., have grown into heavyweights in the sector, with combined revenue of at least $2 billion, or roughly equal to the combined Russian business of international giants such as Schlumberger Ltd. and Halliburton Co. Now, the Russian firms are looking at the next step - one that is likely to put them into more direct competition with the Western companies... Although they mostly perform different work, both companies found a niche in satisfying booming demand for basic services, while also touting experienced, high-profile management teams story

2007-12-27T08:36:00.000-05:00

Sweden's IKEA is to build a 100 million euro ($145 million) furniture factory in the Komi Territory in northwest Russia, the regional industry and energy minister said on Thursday story

2007-12-26T22:31:00.001-05:00

Russia delivered two Sukhoi Su-30MKA fighter jets to Algeria on Tuesday, kicking off the implementation of an arms contract inked by the two governments story

2007-12-26T22:18:00.000-05:00

Supplies to the Russian Ground Forces of Tor-M2 low to medium-altitude, short-range surface-to-air missile systems (SA-15 Gauntlet) will start in 2009, a high-ranking military official said on Tuesday story

2007-12-26T22:14:00.000-05:00

Russian defence news agency ARMS-TASS is reporting that Greece has signed a contract for Beriev Be-200 firefighting amphibians. It would be the first export order for the twin-turbofan flying boat story

2007-12-26T22:13:00.000-05:00

Ball Corp, which makes plastic and metal packaging products, plans to build a $120 million beverage can plant in southern Russia, a Russian business daily reported on Wednesday story story2

2007-12-26T22:10:00.000-05:00

Agrooglyad: Russia may become the most optimal supplier of major vegetables to Ukrainian market: this country had a rather good harvest of cabbage, potato, table beet and carrot. Also, there is no need to pay import tariff rates in case of vegetable imports from Russia story

2007-12-26T22:07:00.000-05:00

OilVoice: Iran's Oil Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari this week assured that it would not be possible to put the Nabucco gas pipeline into operation without Iran, dismissing it as uneconomical story story2

2007-12-26T22:03:00.002-05:00

Tatneft, Russia's sixth largest oil company, said on Wednesday it was considering producing bitumen oil with U.S. oil giant Chevron. "Today Tatneft is working with Shell after both companies signed a strategic partnership agreement on the development of high-viscosity bitumen oils in September. We also agreed with Chevron to meet in Kazan where the company specialists will talk about their technology and the possibility of using it at our deposits," Tatneft General Director Shafagat Takhautdinov said story

2007-12-26T22:02:00.000-05:00

Investment in the Russian economy has exceeded forecasts by 20% this year, Economic Development and Trade Minister Elvira Nabiullina told the Vesti TV channel on Wednesday story

2007-12-26T22:01:00.001-05:00

The Russian government has offered Serbia €1 billion for a majority stake in the country's oil and gas monopoly, in exchange for the development of a part of the strategic Blue Stream gas pipeline, Belgrade’s Blic daily said Wednesday. Citing sources, Blic said the Russian government offered Serbia €500 million in cash and another €500 million in investments for the overhaul of Naftna Industrija Srbije's (NIS) ageing production and distribution facilities story story2 story3

2007-12-26T12:14:00.000-05:00

Construction of a base for the Black Sea Fleet in the port of Novorossiisk is proceeding according to schedule, Russia's defense minister said on Wednesday. President Vladimir Putin signed a decree in 2003 setting up an alternative naval base for the Black Sea Fleet in Novorossiisk, which the Navy said will be ready by 2012, after Ukraine demanded the base in Sevastopol be closed by 2017 story

2007-12-26T12:12:00.001-05:00

Russia's deposits in east Siberia and the Far East are expected to produce and supply 207 billion cubic meters of gas by 2030, a Gazprom official said on Wednesday story

2007-12-26T12:12:00.000-05:00

Trade between Russia and Belarus is set to grow over 28%, year on year, to $24 billion this year, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky said on Wednesday story

2007-12-26T12:11:00.000-05:00

Moscow expects Britain to take the initiative in improving bilateral relations with Russia, the Russian foreign minister said on Wednesday. "We value our partnership with Britain. But it was they who took the first step in the creation of the current situation. So we expect from them another first step to rectify it," Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the Russian daily, Vremya Novostei, published on Wednesday story

2007-12-26T09:20:00.000-05:00

Mustafa Oguz: The Nabucco gas pipeline that is supposed to connect the Caspian gas fields with Europe is in danger due to insufficient supplies, a proactive Russian policy in the region and Turkey’s failure to intervene on time, say energy experts. Worse, Russia’s recent gas deal with Turkmenistan comes as a signal to many that Turkey’s dreams of connecting its East and West with gas pipelines are about to crash into reality story

2007-12-26T08:26:00.000-05:00

An unmanned Russian cargo ship carrying 2 tons of supplies, including holiday gifts, docked Wednesday at the international space station, officials said. The ship delivered food, including honey, sweets, fruit and vegetables, drinking water, fuel, equipment, oxygen and Christmas and New Year's gifts for the crew — U.S. astronauts Peggy Whitson and Daniel Tani and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. The ITAR-Tass news agency reported that the cargo ship also delivered Russian-tailored trousers, which it said were made of a new, thinner fabric and more comfortable than the U.S.-made ones currently used by the crew. If the crew like them, they could become standard outfit story story2

2007-12-26T00:14:00.002-05:00

Igor Tomberg: Caspian pipeline seems to have defeated Nabucco story

2007-12-26T00:14:00.001-05:00

India looks to Russia for wheat story

2007-12-26T00:09:00.000-05:00

Russia on Tuesday launched three satellites to complement its space navigation system, officials said. The satellites were sent into orbit on a Proton-M rocket that blasted off successfully from the Baikonur launchpad in Kazakhstan, said Russia's Federal Space Agency spokesman Alexander Vorobyov. They are to join Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System, or GLONASS - the equivalent of the U.S. Global Positioning System, or GPS story story2 story3 story4 story5 story6

2007-12-25T23:50:00.000-05:00

Gas exports from Russia's Siberian and Far Eastern regions to Asia and Pacific countries could eventually top 50 billion cubic meters, a Gazprom official said on Monday story story2

2007-12-25T23:38:00.000-05:00

Russia may become world's fifth largest economy by 2020 - minister story story2 story3 transcript

2007-12-25T23:35:00.000-05:00

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk may visit Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin as early as February after Russia lifted a ban on Polish meat exports last week, improving relations between the two countries story story2 story3

2007-12-25T22:32:00.000-05:00

Foreign direct investment in the Russian economy is expected to rise from $41 billion in 2007 to $51 billion in 2010, a deputy economics minister said on Tuesday story

2007-12-25T22:23:00.000-05:00

Russia's military Tuesday successfully test-fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads - a weapon intended to replace aging Soviet-era missiles. The RS-24 missile was launched from the Plesetsk facility in northern Russia and its warheads successfully hit designated targets on the Kura testing range on the Kamchatka Peninsula almost 7,000 kilometres east, Strategic Missile Forces spokesman Alexander Vovk told The Associated Press.

Earlier in the day, Russia conducted a successful test launch of a ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea in the Arctic. The K-114 Tula (Delta IV-class) nuclear submarine of the Northern Fleet fired a new-generation RSM-54 Sineva (NATO designation SS-N-23 Skiff) intercontinental ballistic missile from a submerged position, targeting a test site on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East story story2 story3 story4 story5 story6 story7 story8 story9 story10

2007-12-25T22:19:00.000-05:00

Moscow regards U.S. plans to deploy missile defense bases in Central Europe as an attempt to weaken Russia's nuclear deterrent, the official Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday. "If a radar [in the Czech Republic] along with missiles in Poland are deployed, this will be a military operation ...to weaken Russia's nuclear deterrent potential," Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement. We will have no other option but to take measures to make up for this new factor in our strategic balance of forces with the United States."

Kamynin cited a recent newspaper interview by Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, who said it would be logical for the U.S. radar to monitor Russian territory. "Such statements by Czech leaders ...show that talk about a missile threat from Iran is ungrounded. Czech diplomats are telling things like they are, revealing the true goal behind the Third [missile defense] Site in Europe - a threat supposedly emanating from Russia," Kamynin said story

2007-12-25T14:27:00.000-05:00

Russia will auction licences to mine three sections of the Verknekamskoe potash deposit for at least 2.7 billion rubles, or $109 million (Rs430.5 crore), in April, an area with 40% of the world’s untapped potash reserves. Russia will sell the rights on 29 April, Andrey Belokon, head of the Federal Subsoil Agency’s branch in the Perm region, said in a telephone interview. Bids close on 5 February, he said. “We are offering 40% of the world’s proven and untapped potash deposits for sale,” Belokon said, adding that he expects interest from Russian and international fertilizer producers story

2007-12-25T00:05:00.000-05:00

Mu Xuequan: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Libya has been widely regarded as one of Moscow's important steps to catch up with the West in efforts to restore its influence in the North African country. Lavrov's two-day trip that ended Monday seeks to make arrangements for a possible visit to Libya by Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a letter extended to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Putin expressed his willingness to visit the country, saying that Moscow is ready to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields. Tripoli welcomed the letter and expects Putin's visit...

Lavrov pinned great hopes on his visit, saying both countries have the sincere wish to promote bilateral ties. Both the Russian and Libyan governments are hoping to upgrade relations and are willing to devote themselves to enhancing cooperation in various fields, he told reporters on Monday. Lavrov said both sides expect to sign cooperation agreements in military techniques, investment protection and avoidance of dual taxation story story2 story3 story4

2007-12-24T23:57:00.000-05:00

Hindustan Times: Russia’s willingness to sign a nuclear agreement with India, without waiting for international restrictions on technology transfer to New Delhi to be lifted, is welcome... Since the proposal doesn’t seem to carry any riders like the Hyde Act clause that hamstrings the Indo-US deal, New Delhi shouldn’t find it too difficult to decide on it soon story

2007-12-24T22:05:00.000-05:00

Sunday Times uncovers Patarkatsishvili murder plot story

2007-12-24T20:07:00.000-05:00

Russian Rosspetssplav, which controls top chromium maker Klyuchevsky Ferroalloys Plant and chrome oxide plant Russian Chrome 1915, said on Monday it was building a ferro-alloy holding firm story

2007-12-24T20:06:00.000-05:00

Miriam Elder: Tapping the potential of the Siberian railway - Firms see the Russian route as an alternative for shipping goods from Asia to Europe... Boosted by annual gross domestic product growth of 7%, its coffers flush with windfall oil profit, the Kremlin has made infrastructure a priority this election year. President Vladimir V. Putin has given his blessing to a huge reform program by Russian Railways, the state monopoly known by its Russian acronym RZD. This will involve sinking more than $500 billion into the aging rail network to modernize tracks, build 12,400 miles of lines and buy 1 million freight cars by 2030. Capitalizing on the country's location between Asia and Europe is crucial. Vladimir Yakunin, RZD's president and a longtime Putin ally, said at a recent industry conference that "integration into the global transport system will allow us to use our unique geographic position to build a transcontinental bridge" story

2007-12-24T20:03:00.000-05:00

RosBusinessConsulting: This year has been successful in terms of solving both economic and social problems, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin told journalists today. He noted that the government had addressed several important matters, such as the army, social policy, and national projects. The passing of a three-year federal budget was unprecedented in Russia's history. Moreover, the budget provides for a decrease in Russia's dependence on oil and gas. Kudrin pointed out that Russia's capital inflow, foreign investement, and GDP growth have been high in 2007 story

2007-12-24T19:56:00.000-05:00

Private banking nearly doubles in 2007 story story2

2007-12-24T19:44:00.000-05:00

Russian mortgage market booming story

2007-12-24T19:23:00.000-05:00

The controversial Nord Stream project for pumping Russian natural gas to Germany via an underwater pipeline in the Baltic Sea serves the interest of the European Union and the bloc has to support it, the president of the EU's executive Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, told an audience in Tallinn on December 20th story

2007-12-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

A robust economy, an increasingly clear political landscape and promises of hefty state spending make Russian stocks an attractive bet to at least maintain this year's pace through 2008, market participants say story

2007-12-23T15:35:00.000-05:00

Due to an insane new schedule at work, which requires my presence at the office for a considerable part of the day (as opposed to working remotely from home !), I have fallen behind a bit, I guess. I will try to make it up on the weekends, backdating the posts. Don't know how long this will last. Sigh

2007-12-23T14:47:00.000-05:00

Former American Secretary of State says America must not confuse foreign policy towards Russia with seeking to prescribe historical processes. In a recent interview with the Time Magazine, Henry Kissinger said that restructuring the domestic situation of Russia cannot be achieved by American designs - particularly in the short term. Kissinger added that Russia is a vast country adjoining China, the Islamic world and Europe and having cooperative relations with it are important for peace and global solutions story

2007-12-23T14:32:00.001-05:00

Russian geophysical expedition to Antarctic early next year story

2007-12-23T14:30:00.000-05:00

Sami Torma: Russian trucks have queued up for 100 kilometres (62 miles) at the Finnish border ahead of the holiday season, prompting the Nordic nation to ask the European Union for help eliminating the record blockage. Russia's booming economy has led to constant traffic headaches in the region as trucks carrying new cars, televisions and machinery transit through Finland and the Baltic nations story

2007-12-23T14:11:00.000-05:00

President Vladimir Putin said the Russian radical opposition was an instrument used by some countries to influence Russia, which provoked the authorities into taking tough measures against its activists. In an interview with Time Magazine, which named the Russian president its Person of the Year 2007, Putin said the opposition posed no threat to the government. "Look at the election results. They failed to gain even 1% of the vote. Should it cause any concerns? There is no anxiety in political terms. But I regard this [opposition] as a tool foreign states use to meddle in Russia's internal political affairs." Putin dismissed the accusations saying all the players had received media access as stipulated in the election legislation, and in turn charged the opposition with provoking the authorities.

"The thing is they simply do not want to express their opinion, they want to be arrested, they incite authorities to take tough measures," Putin told the magazine, adding opposition groups had deliberately chosen unauthorized venues for their meetings. "They deliberately commit violations, and then the authorities are forced to respond accordingly. And I am telling you with full responsibility that the authorities will continue responding in this manner," the president said.

He said Kasparov, whose arrest has been widely discussed in Western media, would never enjoy vast support among Russians as his rhetoric and activities targeted the West. "Why do you think Mr. Kasparov spoke English during his arrest? ... I believe because all his enthusiasm was directed at Western audiences, not the Russian people," Putin said. "A man working to please a foreign audience will never be called a political leader in his country. The one who seeks to be a leader in his country should focus on his nation's interests and speak the language spoken in this country," Putin said story

2007-12-23T13:58:00.000-05:00

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov begins on Sunday his two-day working visit to Libya to discuss closer bilateral cooperation, regional and international issues. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin earlier said it was important for both countries to "focus on tapping the impressive potential of cooperation in the oil and gas sphere," adding that Russia's companies Gazprom and Tatneft have launched the development of oil fields in Libya. Kamynin said Russia and Libya were also coordinating projects in the electric power sector, pipeline transport, housing construction and railway infrastructure with Russia's participation, adding that Russia was ready to contribute to the implementation of Libya's right to civilian nuclear power. e also said new challenges and threats will be discussed focusing on world community efforts to counter terrorism story

2007-12-22T14:33:00.000-05:00

Russian Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar is thankful to Russian special services for successful fight against and the prevention of extremist and xenophobic crimes. "As a representative of one of the traditional religions in Russia, I cannot fail to notice the contribution of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) to the prevention of crimes committed under pseudo religious and nationalistic slogans," Lazar said in a letter sent to the head of the FSB Nikolai Patrushev on the 90th anniversary of the service obtained by Interfax.

Russia "has always been a multiethnic and multi-theistic" country and its might has originated from the unity of its peoples, Lazar said. "It is not surprising that Russia's foes will not give up attempts to undermine" the unity by means of "Rusophobia, anti-Semitism, and the perversion of religious traditions in an extremist manner," the Russian chief rabbi said story story2

2007-12-22T14:21:00.000-05:00

Russia has drastically increased its rye exports in 2007, Russian Grain Union Vice President Alexander Korbut said story

2007-12-21T22:41:00.000-05:00

South Korea will receive advanced defence technology from Russia as part of debt repayments, officials said Friday. "What we want to receive from Russia is cutting-edge know-how that is ahead of ours by 20-30 years," an unidentified DAPA official was quoted as saying. Russia has already provided South Korea with tanks, armored vehicles, helicopters, naval vessels and other weapons to repay its debts story

2007-12-21T22:32:00.000-05:00

James Klurfeld: Time's decision to make Putin its Person of the Year is fascinating. The magazine's editors make clear that the bestowal of the title is not an honor, just a statement of their judgment of who has had the greatest impact on events in the past year. And the re-emergence of Russia as a major player - and not always a welcome one - on the world stage is a major development, even if its rise hasn't dominated headlines in the same manner as the war in Iraq or the presidential campaign. In the longer term, Russia's rise from the shambles of communism could have greater impact on world affairs than even President George W. Bush's misadventure in Iraq. For better or worse story

2007-12-21T19:23:00.000-05:00

Chinese Ambassador to Russia Liu Guchang has hailed the China-Russia relations and the contribution made by the Russia-China Friendship Association in boosting bilateral ties. In a speech at a New Year party in honor of the association on Thursday evening, Liu spoke highly of the Year of China theme events held in Russia this year, saying it promoted the good-neighborly friendship and strategic partnership of coordination to a new high. The Russia-China Friendship Association has done a great deal and played an important role in boosting the all-round and rapid development of bilateral ties and in cultivating friendship and understanding between the two peoples, Liu said story