Latest Articles about Russia
Alternative Gas Suppliers Face Overproduction in Russia
Russia's independent natural gas producers (IGPs) account for a growing share of domestic output, but they are now facing turbulent times amid the global financial crisis and the subsequent domestic economic downturn, as well as problems with sales and gas transit. The role of independent... MORE
Turkish Government May Approve Construction of a Nuclear Power Plant in April
Russian Energy Minister Sergey Shmatko paid an official visit to Ankara to meet with Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler. At the meeting, Shmatko inquired when the Turkish authorities would make their final decision to allow the Russian-Turkish consortium to build Turkey's first nuclear power plant.... MORE
Medvedev Publicly Supports Serdyukov
Since 2000 the Russian defense budget has grown manifold, as did the country's oil wealth. Last fall a three-year (2009-2011) budget was approved that envisaged hikes in defense spending (see EDM, September 18). Soon after, a radical military reform plan was approved to drastically cut... MORE
Russian Anti-Crisis Policy Is Adrift Without Direction
Russia took part in two different economic forums last weekend where conflicting propositions for overcoming the global crisis were advanced. Moscow had little to contribute to any course. Finance ministers of the G20 gathered in Horsham, UK, to prepare the agenda for the summit of... MORE
Russia No Longer Controls the Situation in Dagestan
The events taking place in the largest North Caucasian republic raise serious questions about the degree of control that the local authorities—and primarily the law enforcement agencies led by Dagestani Interior Minister General Lieutenant Adilgirei Magomedtagirov—have over the situation on the ground. Early on March... MORE
Putin, Gazprom Bluffing to Hungarians on South Stream
On March 10 in Moscow, Gazprom and Hungary's Development Bank signed the initial documents for a joint venture to implement Gazprom's South Stream pipeline project on Hungarian territory. The respective chairmen, Alexei Miller and Janos Eros, signed the documents in the presence of Prime Ministers... MORE
Russian Oligarchs and their Fight for Survival—An Investigative Report
Will Russia's few remaining oligarchs, those who silently submitted to then-President Vladimir Putin's brutal nationalization of Yukos Oil Company, survive as a privileged clan; or are they doomed to extinction during the world financial crisis? How will they manage to keep buying properties in Spain,... MORE
Wartime Approaching in the Caucasus
It is early springtime and in the mountain passes separating Georgia from Russia, there is snowfall one day and wet snow or rain the next. Avalanches and mudslides caused by wet snow regularly close down the only road connecting Russia and the breakaway region of... MORE
NATO-Russia Council to Resume Meetings in the Wake of April Summit
NATO has not invited Russia to the alliance's summit on April 3 and 4. The event to be held on both sides of the Franco-German border is billed as a family affair for NATO member countries. NATO has nevertheless initiated ahead of the summit a... MORE
NATO Resumes Full-Fledged Relations with Russia After Nine-Month Suspension
The ministers of foreign affairs of NATO's 26 countries held an informal meeting on March 5 in Brussels, following the defense ministers' meeting in Cracow on February 19 and 20 (see EDM, February 23, 24). Both preparatory to NATO's April 3 and 4 summit. The... MORE