Russia Denounces Venezuela Coup Attempt as ‘Monstrous’ U.S. Meddling

Russian lawmakers have slammed what they called the United States’ interference in Venezuela’s affairs as the country’s opposition leader declared himself interim president in a coup attempt. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president on Wednesday, winning the backing of Washington and many Latin American nations and prompting socialist Maduro, who has led…

PhosAgro EGM Approves Dividends

Moscow – PhosAgro (Moscow Exchange, LSE: PHOR), one of the world’s leading vertically integrated phosphate-based fertilizer producers, announces that an Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders (“EGM”) has approved the payment of dividends in the amount of RUB 9,324 million, or RUB 72 per share (RUB 24 per Global Depositary Receipt), from the Company’s undistributed net…

Russians Owe More Than $450M in Gas Debt, Gazprom Says

Customers across Russia owe a regional subsidiary of the Gazprom gas giant 30.1 billion rubles ($455 million) in accumulated debt, the subsidiary told Russian media on Wednesday. Last week, a court in the North Caucasus republic of Chechnya ruled to erase 9 billion rubles of its residents’ gas debts after local prosecutors warned of rising…

Cool Moscow Bars

The best spots for a great night out in Moscow. Antiquarny Boutique & Bar Moscow is filled with cool bars for a tipple or two and a chat. Here are some of our favorites. Voda  Hidden in one of the maze-like courtyards on Ulitsa Petrovka, Voda is a magnet for Moscow’s so-called “creative class.” The…

Situation in Syria’s Idlib Province Is Fast Deteriorating, Russia Says

The situation in Syria’s Idlib province where Russia and Turkey have tried to create a de-escalation zone is rapidly deteriorating, Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said on Wednesday. The territory is now almost under full control of Nusra militants, she said. “Continuing provocations pose a threat to civilians, Syrian military personnel and the Russian Khmeymim air base,”…

Russian Spy Chief Met Saudi Counterpart and Crown Prince — Reports

The head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence agency Sergei Naryshkin on Monday met Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as the head of the kingdom’s intelligence services, the Interfax news agency said on Wednesday. Naryshkin discussed cooperation in the fight against international terrorism with his Saudi counterpart, Interfax cited Russia’s Foreign Intelligence…

Russian Bobsleigh Head Zubkov Quits After Doping Ban

Russian Bobsleigh Federation president Alexander Zubkov said on Tuesday he was temporarily stepping down from his post after being banned from the sport for two years over doping violations. The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) last week suspended Zubkov from any activities related to the sport for a two-year period. “I took this step…

Hypersonic Bomber Crashes in Russia, 3 Reported Killed

At least three crew members were killed and one injured when a military strategic bomber crashed in northwestern Russia on Tuesday, the Defense Ministry has said. Interfax quoted the ministry’s press service as saying that the Tupolev Tu-22M3 made a “hard landing” and was destroyed after getting caught in a snow squall in the Murmansk…

PhosAgro and Ma’aden discuss issues of ensuring global food security through the use of environmentally friendly fertilizers

Moscow – Two of the world’s leading producers of phosphate-based fertilizers, Russia’s PhosAgro and Saudi Arabia’s Ma’aden, discussed prospects for cooperation on key issues related to the sustainable development of the mineral fertilizer industry and on meeting the needs of the agriculture industry for high-quality phosphate-based fertilizers with low levels of potentially-harmful heavy metals, and…

11 Russian Protesters Arrested in Moscow Ahead of Japan Talks

Russian police detained 11 protesters outside the Japanese embassy in Moscow as they rallied against the idea of ceding control over disputed islands to Japan, OVD-Info, a Russian organisation that monitor protest, said on Tuesday. The detentions took place ahead of talks in Moscow between President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss…

Gazprom and Mitsui discuss Sakhalin II and Baltic LNG

Background Japan’s Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui) is one of the world’s most diversified corporations. Its major business areas include the marketing of, and investing in, oil and gas production and processing, as well as energy infrastructure development. Gazprom and Mitsui are partners in the Sakhalin II project, which includes Russia’s first LNG plant. The Sakhalin II operator is Sakhalin Energy Investment Company…

Russia’s Foreign Debt Shrinks to Decade Low

Russia’s overall foreign debt fell by $64.4 billion last year to reach a 10-year low, Central Bank data showed Monday. Foreign debt has been falling since 2014, when Western sanctions imposed over the conflict in Ukraine made it harder for companies to borrow abroad. Read More Central Bank Says Russia’s Foreign Debt Fell $130 Billion…

‘Women of the Gulag’ Shortlisted for Oscar Nomination

Why isn’t the Russian film industry happy? It’s complicated. Getting history on film: interviewing one of the camp survivors. Courtesy of “Women of the Gulag” It’s Oscar time again. On Jan. 22, among the nominations for 2019 awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Academy will announce the five short documentary films up…

Internet Anonymity Will Soon Disappear, Russian Culture Minister Warns

Internet users throughout the world will soon need IDs to go online as anonymity will gradually fade into oblivion, Russia’s culture minister predicted on Monday. Russia has for years called for international regulations cementing state control over the internet, arguing that national governments are otherwise left vulnerable to cyberattacks from foreign powers. Russian lawmakers submitted…

Run-down Village Revived by Crowdfunded Honey Business

With a workforce of elderly women and using local ingredients, a honey and confectionery business put together with funds raised online is breathing life into an ailing Russian village. Cocco Bello Honey in Maly Turysh, in Sverdlovsk region around 1,500 kilometers east of Moscow, employs local residents, many in their sixties and over, left behind…

U.S. Calls on Russia to Destroy New Missile System

The United States called on Russia on Monday to destroy a new cruise missile system which it said constituted a “direct violation” of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and accused Moscow of destabilizing global security. “Unfortunately, the United States increasingly finds that Russia cannot be trusted to comply with its arms control obligations and…

Charity hockey match held as part of United Future: Good to Children program

Background Gazprom Dobycha Urengoy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gazprom, was set up to develop the Urengoyskoye oil, gas and condensate field, one of the largest in the world. Its production infrastructure consists of 22 comprehensive gas treatment units, two oil production sites, 20 booster compressor stations, five gas cooling stations, more than 2,800 production wells, two compressor stations for the utilization of associated petroleum gas, and a pump station for…

Russia Opens Civil Proceedings Against Facebook, Twitter

Russia’s communication watchdog said on Monday it was opening administrative proceedings against Twitter and Facebook for failing to explain how they plan to comply with local data laws, the Interfax news agency reported. Roskomnadzor, the watchdog, was quoted as saying that Twitter and Facebook had not explained how and when they would comply with legislation…

Pushkin House Book Prize: Let the Reading Begin

Pushkin House has launched the 7th round of its annual Book Prize, a competition which seeks to bring the finest writing about the Russian-speaking world to the attention of readers and promote an informed and nuanced debate about events, institutions and people in the past and present. The prize recognizes excellence in works of non-fiction…

Nayara Energy to Enter Indian Petrochemical Market in 2022

Nayara Energy Limited, 49.13% of which is held by Rosneft Oil Company, works on a milestone development programme for its Vadinar refinery. The first stage involves the organization of production of petrochemical products and a foray into Indian petrochemical market. The first phase of the Vadinar refinery development programme includes construction of new units to…

PhosAgro joins UN Global Compact, expanding its engagement with the UN on corporate social responsibility and sustainable development

Moscow – PhosAgro (Moscow Exchange, LSE: PHOR), one of the world’s leading vertically integrated phosphate-based fertilizer producers, has joined the United Nations Global Compact.  Launched in 2000, the Global Compact is the UN’s largest international initiative for business in the areas of corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. Since its establishment, more than 13,000 companies…

Severstal reports Q4 & FY2018 operatioal results

January 18, 2019 Q4 2018 GROUP HIGHLIGHTS Hot metal output decreased 3% q/q in Q4 2018 to 2.23 mln tonnes (Q3 2018: 2.31 mln tonnes), due to BF#2 short-term maintenance works. Crude steel production declined by 4% to 2.94 mln tonnes (Q3 2018: 3.06 mln tonnes) reflecting a decrease in pig iron production and seasonal…

Denis Vasyukov put in charge of Gazprom Transgaz Krasnodar

Release January 17, 2019, 21:10 Denis Vasyukov has been appointed Director General of Gazprom Transgaz Krasnodar. Denis Vasyukov was born in 1977 in Kemerovo. He graduated from Tomsk Polytechnic University, majoring in Machine-Building Technologies. He has an MBA. He has been employed with Gazprom for over 16 years. Between 2002 and 2010, he rose through the ranks from Dispatcher to Chief Engineer – First Deputy Director of the Yurginskoye…

Memorandum signed to expand Banatski Dvor underground gas storage facility in Serbia

Release January 17, 2019, 18:45 Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Dusan Bajatovic, Director General of Srbijagas, signed today in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, a Memorandum of Understanding on the advancement of the expansion project for the Banatski Dvor underground gas storage (UGS) facility. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and Aleksandar Vucic, President of the…