Russia

Russia 100204Basic Political Developments

RIA: Poland hails Russian plans to commemorate WWII Katyn massacre

Warsaw Business Journal: Putin to be first Russian leader to honor Katy dead

Dow Jones: Argentina, Russia Looking To Cooperate On Nuclear Technology - The MOU was signed by Argentine Planning Minister Julio De Vido and Nikolay Spasskiy, deputy director general for international cooperation at Russia's state atomic energy corporation, Rosatom, the Planning Ministry said.

RIA: Situation in Afghanistan creates risks for neighbors - CSTO head - "We don't predict any military conflict in CSTO member-states any time soon," Nikolai Bordyuzha said in an interview with a Tajik newspaper. "However, the situation in Afghanistan, which borders on CSTO members Tajikistan and Uzbekistan is, I repeat, very strained and dangerous," he said.

RIA: Russia, U.S. to discuss anti-drug efforts at Moscow meeting

Russia Today: Americas honest disagreement with Russia over Afghan drugs

Dawn.com: US disagrees with Russia on Afghan drugs - We had an honest disagreement about poppy eradication, Richard Holbrooke, the US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told a news conference. The Russian government thinks that poppy eradication is the key; we think it was creating opportunities for the Taliban to recruit farmers, he said.

MID.ru: Russian MFA Spokesman Andrei Nesterenko Interview to RIA Novosti on the Upcoming Visit to the FRG by Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov - Naturally, the focus of reciprocal attention will be WMD nonproliferation, including a political and diplomatic settlement to the Iran nuclear problem; advancing the Middle East peace process; assistance to stabilization and reconstruction in Afghanistan, and improvement of the situation in other hot spots and areas with high crisis potential.

PTI: BRIC's 2nd summit to be held in Brasilia in April

CNBC: Inside the BRIC's Enigmatic 'R' - The Russian economy, which had been worth $1.7 trillion in 2008, slipped to $1.2 trillion as a result of the crisis. Despite criticisms of the lack of diversity in the economy, early economic statistics for 2010 look encouraging, with GDP seen bouncing back with 3 percent-plus growth this year.

Peoples Daily: Chubais: Russia hopes for high-tech co-op with China

Haaretz:

EU-Russiacentre: EU-Russian relations in January 2010 - A few important issues dominated the EU-Russian relations agenda in January 2010: the Ukrainian elections and future gas transit, the beginning of the Spanish EU presidency, some progress in Russias support for the South Stream gas project and issues surrounding with European security.

The Moscow Times: RZD to Move Estonian Oil by Year-End, Yakunin Says

RBC: Russian Railways secures RUB 50bn in subsidies

DefenseNews: Norway: Costs To Cool Russian Air Force Activities

Eurasianet: Georgia: Russian Nationalist Group Wants Georgian Foreign Minister Prosecuted

Politicom.moldova: Moldovan NGO: Ukraine-Russia spy scandal bad sign for Transnistria

Stamfordadvocate.com: Medvedev may attend Vancouver Winter Olympics

The Globe and Mail: Good night, Vancouver; good morning, Moscow - Every evening, oldies station CISL-650 will become Autoradio, a Russian-language station with simultaneous broadcasts in Vancouver and more than 300 cities in Russia.

Peoples Daily: Rogge: No worry on preparations of 2014 Sochi Olympics

Itar-Tass: Putin, Sidorsky discuss cooperation in energy, construction, chemical industries

RIA: Kazakh parliament ratifies deal on post-Soviet rapid reaction force

Itar-Tass: Sergei Darkin enters third term of governorship Thurs

The Moscow Times: Putin Friend in Football Job

Russia Today: New Russian football boss says Hiddink will stay until contract expires

RIA: Russia plans massive Victory Day display of military might

24.kg: CIS to take Victory lessons by May 9

Itar-Tass: Tatarstans parliament to consider candidate for presidency - Parliament of the Republic of Tatarstan on Thursday will consider candidacy of Rustam Minnikhanov to the presidential seat in the republic. Minnikhanovs candidacy to this post was nominated by President Dmitry Medvedev on January 27.

Kremlin: Dmitry Medvedev had a meeting with Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Pyotr Sumin to discuss the region's social and economic situation.

Kremlin: Opening Remarks at Meeting on Reforming the Interior Ministry

Reuters: Russia says killed top local al Qaeda militant

Interfax: Police detain Karachayevo-Cherkessia Muslim leader murder suspect in Moscow

RIA: Six killed in bus-truck collision in S.Russia - Six people were killed when a bus crashed into truck in Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan early on Thursday, regional emergencies officials said.

Itar-Tass: Six killed in Dagestan road accident, nine hospitalized

Itar-Tass: Medvedev hopes to reduce exorbitantly high corruption in N Caucasus

Itar-Tass: Govt to consider creation of commission for IT in govt agencies

Russia Today: Russia to protect children from Internet risks - The law should be improved, said Vladimir Ovchinsky, Constitutional Court advisor. Russia has not yet ratified two fundamental conventions of the Council of Europe, coordinating the fight against human trafficking, including child pornography. I have no idea why our country has not joined these conventions.

Itar-Tass: Mandatory health insurance reform to improve quality of medical services

Itar-Tass: Russian doctors call for raising awareness of cancer prevention

FT.com: Experts map route to disarmament - A group of leading arms-control experts will set out a route today by which the big nuclear powers could agree to abolish all atomic weapons by 2030. At a Paris conference, a group calling itself the Global Zero Commission - comprising several Russian and US arms-control policy-makers of recent decades - will outline a four-stage plan.

The Local: Russian nuclear waste dumped off Sweden - The Russian military is suspected of having dumped chemical weapons and radioactive waste off the Swedish island of Gotland in the beginning of the 1990s, according to Sveriges Television (SVT).

Xinhua: Russia Ready for Dialogue with EU over Tactical Nuclear Weapons

The Moscow Times: Time for TART - After the follow-up agreement to the START is signed, Moscow and Washington should make a firm commitment to begin TART negotiations on reducing tactical nuclear weapons in Europe.

Moneycontrol.com: Russia-India's strategic reserve plan for wheat

The Moscow News: Regional train fares reviewed

Russia profile: Kaliningrad Rising - A Rare Show of Unity Amongst the Opposition Parties, the Largest Anti-Government Protest in Years, and a Governor in Trouble Is There Something Different About Kaliningrad?

Russia profile: Outdated Paperwork - With the Arrival of the Apple iPad and Other Electronic Readers, Re-Opening the Baikal Cellulose Paper Mill Seems Absurd

The Moscow Times: A Mass Mailing of Khodorkovsky Chocolate and Mittens

Aysor.am: Georgia denies it supports terrorism in the North Caucasus

The Jamestown Foundation: Au Pays des Lumieres: Gazproms Partner Eutelsat Disconnects Georgian TV Channel

The Moscow news: State birth-raise program bails out mortgaged families

National Economic Trends

Bloomberg: Russian Economy Shrinks at Slowest Pace in 13 Months, VTB Says

Reuters: TABLE-Russia Jan GDP -0.3 pct y/y - VTB indicator

Itar-Tass: Influx of foreign direct investments in Russia exceeds $40 bln PM

FT.com: A volatile oil price is the only serious risk for Russia - The main issue that should concern investors is the oil price, given that the rouble, government finances, and profits are heavily dependent upon this. Below $60 a barrel the market gets nervous, and more than $30 a barrel the whole macroeconomic framework looks fragile. This is the main tail risk.

Bloomberg: Russia Should Be More Rigorous in Monitoring Banks, IMF Says

Business, Energy or Environmental regulations or discussions

Bloomberg: Norilsk Nickel, Polyus Gold, Rosneft: Russian Equity Preview

The Moscow Times: VEB Hires Bond Managers

MarketWatch: Russia's Uralkali raised to buy at Citigroup

Interfax: TMK placing $350 mln in convertible bonds

EmergingMarkets.me: TNK-BP $1bn Eurobond shows the way for sovereign issue

Interfax: VTB could unveil 2009 IFRS results in March, bring AGM forward

VTB Capital: Vedomosti speculates that Sberbank has created an investment banking department

Rencap: Sberbank CEO expects margins to fall in 2010

Steel Guru: Russia Chelyabinsk zinc Q4 2009 output up

AFP: Rusal pays creditors 2.14 billion dollars: company

Reuters: Russia RUSAL repays creditors $2.143 bln

Bloomberg: Rusal Cuts Debt to $12.9 Billion After Payments From IPO Cash

Bloomberg: Renaissance to Buy Leadbank, Names Gruzglin Head of Fixed Income

FinancialMirror: Bank of Cyprus sells Russian Leadbank to Renaissance Capital

AP: MDA signs two contracts with Russian firm worth a total of more than $60M

The Moscow Times: Proposal to Integrate National Payment System With Cell Phones

The Moscow Times: Alfa, Telenor Asset Merger Approved

PR Web: RT Gains Popularity On YouTube

The Financial: Aeroflot's enlargement designed to boost air safety, but carries risk

Bloomberg: Billionaire Blavatnik Said to Join Bidding for MGM (Update3)

FT.c