Economics
Russia Moves to Limit Foreign Investment in Media, Internet
In what critics see as just one step toward control of the internet, a Russian draft law puts limits on foreign ownership of Russia’s media and internet providers.
Mar 6, 2008 | Continued
Number of Billionaires in Russia Shoots Past 100
The number of super-wealthy Russians nearly doubled in 2007, and Russia now houses the second largest number of billionaires in the world. Oleg Deripaska leads the list with a value of some $40 billion.
Feb 19, 2008 | Continued
Kremlin Tightening Grip on Business
As president Vladimir Putin prepares to step down in March, his administration leaves a legacy of re-nationalizing private companies, and appointing close associates to run the newly formed state corporations.
Feb 9, 2008 | Continued
Russia Drops in Economic Freedom Rankings
The U.S.-based Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal have released their annual Index of Economic Freedom. Russia has dropped fourteen spots in the past year to 134th place out of a total 155 countries.
Jan 16, 2008 | Continued
Demonstrations Continue Amid Energy Crisis In Dagestan. Investigation Launched
Thousands have taken to the streets after repeated mass power outages in the Russian Republic of Dagestan. Prosecutors have launched a formal investigation into the blackouts.
Jan 14, 2008 | Continued
Consumer Prices Set to Explode
Analysts are predicting a sharp spike in the price of consumer goods and inflation for 2008, as government price controls expire.
Dec 28, 2007 | Continued
Kremlin Oligarch Shakeup Continues
As the inevitable power struggle builds toward the March 2008 presidential elections, we are continuing to see purges and punishments within the structure of the Putinocracy. The latest loser is Mikhail Gutseriyev, president of Russneft, who has been under pressure for over a year. The Kremlin is increasingly eager to place as many assets as […]
Aug 4, 2007 | Continued
Riyadh on the Volga
The Putin administration has seen many aggressive takeovers of domestic and foreign energy holdings by Putin and his closest allies at Gazprom and Rosneft. Yukos was dismembered and parceled out like loot from a pirate raid. The Russian licensing agency Rosnedra has become a tool to squeeze foreign companies out. Meanwhile, the gang in charge […]
Jul 11, 2007 | Continued
Putin’s Rules on Trade
Last weekend Vladimir Putin attacked the World Trade Organization for being “archaic, nondemocratic and unwieldy.” As The Wall Street Journal pointed out yesterday, WTO director Pascal Lamy was quick to remind that these characteristics haven’t stopped Russia from attempting to join. The article continued: Yet the biggest sticking point concerns Russia’s failure to fulfill promises […]
Jun 16, 2007 | Continued
On Science, Putin Worse than Stalin
From this story in the UK Telegraph: Since it was founded by Tsar Peter I in 1724, the Academy [of Sciences] has enjoyed immunity from government interference. Freedom to think and work unfettered has enabled 17 of its alumni since 1904 to win science’s highest plaudit, the Nobel prize. Of those, 14 have been within […]
May 8, 2007 | Continued