‘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…

Russia’s Ruling Party Approves Mishustin as PM

Russia‘s ruling party on Thursday unanimously backed President Vladimir Putin’s surprise choice for prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, a man with almost no political profile. Mishustin’s elevation is part of a sweeping shake-up of the political system announced by Putin on Wednesday, which led to the resignation of Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister along with his…

Will Putin Stay Or Will He Go? Bombshell Address and Shock Medvedev Resignation Offer Big Hint

For over an hour, President Vladimir Putin’s annual state-of-the-nation speech on Wednesday sounded just like those that had come before it.  As in previous years, Putin proposed measures for encouraging Russians to have more children, tackling poverty levels and stimulating economic growth.  And, not for the first time, Prime Minister Dmitry Medevev had trouble staying…

‘Technocratic Placeholder’? Putin Picks Little-Known Tax Chief as Russian PM

Mikhail Mishustin, President Vladimir Putin’s surprise choice to become Russia‘s prime minister, is a tax chief with almost no political profile who analysts say could be a “technocratic placeholder.” The Kremlin-dominated lower house of parliament, which rarely opposes Putin on important issues, is due to decide whether to approve Mishustin on Thursday. Mishustin, 53, has been…

Putin Puts Forward Little-Known Tax Chief as New Russian PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday formally put forward Mikhail Mishustin, the little-known head of Russia‘s Federal Tax Service, to be Russia‘s new prime minister, the Kremlin said. Putin submitted his candidacy to the Russian parliament for approval after Mishustin agreed to be put forward for the role, the Kremlin said. Russia‘s government resigned unexpectedly earlier on Wednesday…

6 Highlights From Putin’s State of the Nation Address

President Vladimir Putin turned an eye toward Russia’s domestic affairs in his annual state-of-the-nation speech Wednesday, outlining proposals for fixing the country’s political, economic and social problems. Addressing both houses of parliament, the Federal Assembly, at the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall, Putin discussed Russia’s demographic crisis, the poverty level and Russia’s defense. In addition to…

Russian Auto Market Stalls

The Russian car market is braced for a turbulent year ahead, as a leading business association warns sales are likely to drop and more manufacturers could give up on Russia altogether. Sales of new cars dropped by 2.3% in 2019 to around 1.76 million units, and will fall by a further 2.1% in 2020, the…

Russian Journalists in Africa Were Killed in ‘Robbery,’ Investigators Say

Three Russian journalists investigating a secretive Kremlin-linked military group in the Central African Republic (CAR) were killed in a robbery attempt, a senior Russian investigator said in an interview with the Kommersant business daily Monday. Kirill Radchenko, Alexander Rastorguyev and Orkhan Dzhemal were shot and killed on July 30, 2018, while investigating the activities of…

Finnish Court Rejects Russian Businessman Rotenberg’s Suit Against Nordic Banks

Boris Rotenberg, a Russian businessman under U.S. sanctions over the Ukraine conflict due to his close ties with President Vladimir Putin, on Monday lost a discrimination lawsuit he filed in a Finnish court against four Nordic banks. “Helsinki District Court has rejected Boris Rotenberg’s complaint over the right to banking services and damages for discrimination,” the…

Gazprom Dobycha Nadym takes stock of its New Year’s charity events

News from projects and regions January 13, 2020, 14:30 Photos On January 10, Nadym (Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area) once again hosted a charity concert entitled Christmas Evenings. The concert concluded the series of the charity actions held by Gazprom Dobycha Nadym on New Year’s Eve. The first of those actions was named “A Gift for a Child” and was launched in late December. Gazprom Dobycha…

Breakaway Georgian Region’s Leader Resigns Amid Election Protests

The leader of Georgia’s breakaway province of Abkhazia has resigned following days of protests contesting his victory in an election held last fall. After protesters stormed the government headquarters Thursday, Abkhazia’s lawmakers voted for President Raul Khadzhimba’s ouster and its supreme court reversed its earlier decision that upheld his re-election in September. Khadzhimba had led…