Young Russian Tries to Sue Over Violent Lesbian ‘Exorcism’ in Chechnya

A young woman from Russia’s conservative republic of Chechnya is seeking criminal charges against her parents, one of their acquaintances and a psychiatric clinic for allegedly torturing her based on her sexual orientation, a Russian LGBT support group said Tuesday. The latest incident comes after widespread reports of anti-gay abuse, including torture and killings, in the…

Who Made It Into Russia’s New Cabinet?

President Vladimir Putin confirmed a new government Tuesday following last week’s shake-up of the political system which led to Dmitry Medvedev’s resignation as prime minister. Despite Putin describing the new government as a break with the past, many senior ministers held on to their positions.  Here’s a look at the main figures in Russia’s new…

Mishustin Gives Gazprom the Go-Ahead

Three days after being announced as Russia’s new prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin has granted Gazprom Oil the development rights to the Khambateyskoye gas and oil field on the Yamal Peninsula.  According to the federal government, the oil company will pay about 2 billion rubles ($32 million) for the production licenses. The field is located both…

Russian, Syrian Troops Hold Joint Drills

Russia and Syria have conducted joint exercises aimed at protecting economic interests in Moscow’s key naval foothold in the Mediterranean, the Defense Ministry’s Zvezda news channel reported. These are at least the second joint Russian-Syrian naval drills to take place in the port of Tartus in a month. Russia seeks to invest $500 million in…

Decembrist Blockbuster Splits Film Critics

Just before the New Year’s holidays Russian filmmakers released their best bets for vacation blockbusters. One of the most promising films was “The Union of Salvation,” a lush, cast-of-thousands, historical saga that tells the story of the Decembrists, young Russian noblemen who organized a revolt against the monarchy in December 1825. Directed by Andrei Kravchuk…

All-Russian Tennis Tournament held with support from Gazprom Transgaz Ufa

News from projects and regions January 21, 2020, 09:30 On January 11–18, Ufa hosted the All-Russian Tennis Tournament held with support from Gazprom Transgaz Ufa. The tournament brought together over 60 participants up to 15 years old from across the Republic of Bashkortostan, as well as from Moscow, Sochi, Izhevsk, Chelyabinsk, Magnitogorsk, and Samara. The children competed on one of the best tennis courts in Ufa,…

Severstal ivests i robotics to automate advaced composites maufacturig

January 21, 2020 PAO Severstal (MICEX-RTS: CHMF; LSE: SVST), one of the world’s largest vertically integrated steel and mining companies, announces that it has invested in Dutch company Airborne, a global leader in developing digital automation platforms for the production of composite parts, and products with integrated composites. Severstal joins other investors in this investment…

New Russian PM Transferred His Wealth to Wife – Kommersant

Russia’s new Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin transferred his wealth to his wife before returning to public office from the private sector a decade ago, the Kommersant business daily reported Sunday following questions about the origins of her declared income. Amid President Vladimir Putin’s power shake-up last week that saw Mishustin’s surprise appointment, critics questioned how…

Engineering Division of ROSATOM and JNPC signed the acceptance statement confirming the transfer of the nuclear island of Tianwan-3

On January 20, Director General of ROSATOM Alexey Likhachev paid a working visit to the operating Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant (Jiangsu Province, China). Tianwan NPP is a result of Russia China joint efforts. Today, all four power units with Russian-designed VVER-1000 operate efficiently at the station.  Alexey Likhachev met with the head of the Atomic…

Russian Prosecutor General Chaika to Leave Post

Russia‘s Prosecutor General Yury Chaika is leaving his post, Interfax reported Monday, citing the Kremlin.  President Vladimir Putin proposed that the Federation Council appoint Igor Krasnov, deputy head of the Investigative Committee, as the new prosecutor general, the Vedomosti business daily reported.  According to officials, Chaika, 68, will leave the post he has occupied since 2006…

Russian Oil Deals in Syria Linked to ‘Putin’s Chef’ – Novaya Gazeta

Two little-known Russian companies that signed oil and gas deals with Syria last year have links to a secretive businessman believed to be running a private military contractor, the investigative Novaya Gazeta newspaper reported Sunday. Syria’s parliament in December approved contracts for oil exploration with two Russian companies, Mercury and Velada. Syria’s oil minister had…

‘We Are Building Capitalism!’

“Do you want to go to Russia?” When Robert Stephenson, a senior civil servant in the U.K. was asked this question in February 1992, he had no idea how it would change his life. But he immediately said, “Yes” and only after a moment asked the more important question: “Why?” The “why” turned out to…

Gazprom supports launch of Pristine Russia Festival

Background The Vernadsky Nongovernmental Ecological Foundation was established in 1995 at the initiative of Gazprom. For more than 20 years, the Foundation has been pursuing its main goal of achieving sustainable environmentally-oriented social and economic development of society based on the scientific heritage of the academician Vladimir Vernadsky. The Foundation comprises over 30 member organizations headed by its founding company, Gazprom. The Foundation serves as a consulting…

Ukrainian PM Offers to Quit After Tape Suggests He Criticized President

Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk submitted his resignation on Friday after an audio recording suggested he had criticized the president, but then appeared to suggest that he might stay in his job. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy would consider the resignation letter later on Friday, the president’s office said. Speculation over Honcharuk’s position has grown this week…

Moscow Sees 8 Hours of Sunlight in December

The Russian capital experienced a total of eight hours of sunlight in December, the head of Russia’s meteorological center said Thursday. While less than 4% of the city’s possible sunlight hours without cloud coverage, the eight hours still surpassed the six minutes of clear skies that Moscow saw in December 2017.  “Muscovites saw only eight…