BYPASSING THE BALTICS.

Arkhangelsk regional authorities have decided to build a new 220 km long railroad to link the Russian northwest with the Finnish port of Oulu, thus reducing their dependence on ice-free Baltic ports, the Moscow business paper BWW (no. 16) said. But Russian plans to build a new port at Ust-Luga have suffered another setback, BWW said. The project’s directors have been unable to raise the necessary funds and have left their own organization mired in massive debt.

Moscow’s Complaints on the Black Sea Fleet.