Business

Business

A 400 million-euro ($570 mln) contract has...

A 400 million-euro ($570 mln) contract has been signed for the delivery of Russian MiG-29 fighters for the Myanmar Air Force, a source close to Russia"s arms export monopoly told a business daily on Wednesday.

(Adds Lavrov's quote in para 6)

An ash cloud from a volcano that erupted...

An ash cloud from a volcano that erupted in Iceland on Wednesday will reach Russian regions to the south of Moscow, the Russian Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Service said.

A new international agreement to replace...

A new international agreement to replace the Kyoto environmental protocol will not be signed in 2010, the Russian presidential advisor on climate change has said.

ASTANA, September 25 (RIA Novosti) - The...

ASTANA, September 25 (RIA Novosti) - The Nabucco pipeline project will be promising if it pumps Iranian natural gas, former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told a Eurasian energy forum underway in Kazakhstan"s capital, Astana.

At least 11 people have been injured and...

At least 11 people have been injured and several are feared to be dead after an explosion rocked an under-construction power plant in the U.S. state of Connecticut on Sunday.

A total of 392,000 cubic meters of snow...

A total of 392,000 cubic meters of snow have been removed from Moscow streets in the past 24 hours, a spokesman for the Russian capital"s authorities said Sunday.

Attempts by Washington to threaten Tehran...

Attempts by Washington to threaten Tehran with possible nuclear strikes undermines global security and brings harm to the global community, an Iranian news agency said citing the country"s foreign minister.

By James SHERR, Head, Russia and Eurasia...

By James SHERR, Head, Russia and Eurasia Programme at the Queens Institute of International Relations, Chatham House

Canada defeated the U.S. 3-2 in the final...

Canada defeated the U.S. 3-2 in the final men"s hockey match on the last day of the Vancouver Olympics, bringing the number of its gold medals to 14.

Chinese companies may invest $2 billion...

Chinese companies may invest $2 billion to build hotels in Russia"s Black Sea resort of Sochi, the host city for the 2014 Winter Olympic games, Russia"s RBC daily said on Tuesday.

Forensic tests on the victims of the crash...

Forensic tests on the victims of the crash of the Polish president"s plane near Smolensk on Saturday have been completed, the Russian Health Ministry said on Monday.

Gazprom"s Board of Directors approved on...

Gazprom"s Board of Directors approved on Tuesday the energy giant"s investment program for 2010, stipulating 5.4% growth in investment from the current year to 802.4 billion rubles ($27.8 billion).

Iran has produced its first batch of 20%-enriched...

Iran has produced its first batch of 20%-enriched uranium, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by the Iranian Fars news agency on Thursday.

Iran has started the final test of equipment...

Iran has started the final test of equipment at the country"s first nuclear power plant, the Bushehr project manager has said.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on...

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Monday expressed his condolences over recent terrorist attacks in Russia and offered Moscow support in fighting terrorism.

KIEV, July 28 (RIA Novosti) - The head of...

KIEV, July 28 (RIA Novosti) - The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, who is on a 10-day tour of Ukraine, called on Tuesday for the reunification of Orthodox believers in Ukraine.

McDonald"s plans to invest around $135 million...

McDonald"s plans to invest around $135 million in expanding and upgrading operations in Russia and open 45 more outlets in the country this year, the corporation"s executive vice-president said Monday.

MOSCOW, April 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russian...

MOSCOW, April 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russian aluminum giant RusAl said on Tuesday its primary aluminum output had decreased 7.2% year-on-year in January-March to 1 million metric tons. United Company RusAl, established in March 2007 through a merger of the Russian aluminum giants RusAl and SUAL and Swiss Glencore"s alumina assets, said bauxite production fell 34.2% in the reporting period to 3 million metric tons, while alumina output declined 25.3% to 2.1 million metric tons. "As part of its Cost Efficiency Leader program, RusAl has reduced production across its most economically inefficient and environmentally unsound facilities. By the end of 2009, the total reduction of aluminum will be 0.5 mln tons, which is approximately 11% of 2008 volume. The alumina output will be cut by 3.9 mln tons, approximately 34% of the total output," the company said. RusAl said that total savings from cost-cutting measures amounted to $554 million in the first quarter, with the company expected to save $1.1 billion in 2009, excluding the investment program.

MOSCOW, April 29 (RIA Novosti) - Russian...

MOSCOW, April 29 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed on Thursday a law on the ratification of a Black Sea Fleet agreement with Ukraine, the Kremlin said.

MOSCOW, August 11 (RIA Novosti) - Russian...

MOSCOW, August 11 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced on Tuesday he was holding off sending Russia"s new ambassador to Ukraine over Kiev"s anti-Russian policies.

MOSCOW, August 14 (RIA Novosti) - Five warships...

MOSCOW, August 14 (RIA Novosti) - Five warships from the Black Sea Naval Cooperation Task Group (Blackseafor) called on Friday at the port of Sevastopol, Ukraine, on a four-day goodwill visit.

MOSCOW, August 28 (RIA Novosti) - The eight...

MOSCOW, August 28 (RIA Novosti) - The eight men accused of involvement in the mystery disappearance of the Russian-crewed Arctic Sea cargo ship last month have denied charges of piracy and kidnapping, a lawyer of one of the defendants said Friday.

MOSCOW, December 3 (RIA Novosti) - British...

MOSCOW, December 3 (RIA Novosti) - British company Imperial Energy said on Monday it had increased output at its oil deposits in Western Siberia by 17.6% to 10,000 barrels per day. Imperial Energy, a British company focused on oil exploration and production in former Soviet republics, holds licenses to explore and develop oil deposits in Russia"s Tomsk Region. "Imperial has achieved its year end production target of 10,000 bbl/d - currently producing at a rate of 10,000 bbl/d, which continues to increase," the company said in a statement. According to Imperial Energy"s reserve audit data as of December 31, 2006, the company"s "proven plus probable" reserves amount to 802.6 million barrels. Imperial Energy earlier said it plans to produce 10,000 barrels per day by late 2007, 25,000 bbl/d by late 2008, and 35,000 bbl/d by late 2009. Imperial Energy said it had invested $600 million in the development of its oil deposits in Russia.

MOSCOW, December 6 (RIA Novosti) - Bills...

MOSCOW, December 6 (RIA Novosti) - Bills on tougher punishments for pedophiles and on responsibility for making, distributing and acquiring child pornography have been submitted to the lower house of Russia"s parliament. A group of lawmakers led by First Deputy State Duma Speaker Oleg Morozov and family affairs committee head Yelena Mizulina, as well as other members of parliament, submitted the draft laws. Mizulina told RIA Novosti that the bill, drawn up to counter pornography production and distribution, introduces the notion "child pornography", and differentiates responsibility. "Today the law does not define what child pornography is. We will introduce this definition," she said. The bill also envisions criminal responsibility for storing and acquiring child pornography. "If people don"t buy it, people won"t produce it," Mizulina said. The bills were developed with the participation of Russia"s Public Chamber.

MOSCOW, February 6 (RIA Novosti) - Gazcom...

MOSCOW, February 6 (RIA Novosti) - Gazcom will orbit two new Yamal-300 satellites in the first half of 2009, the telecommunications arm of Russia"s energy giant Gazprom said Wednesday. In line with its commitments under a contract with satellite supplier Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, as of the end of 2007, Gascom has paid around 50% of the project fees. Gascom currently has three Yamal telecommunication satellites, designed and built jointly with the Energia Corporation.

MOSCOW, July 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia hopes...

MOSCOW, July 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia hopes U.S. authorities will conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding last week"s death of a baby adopted from a Russian orphanage, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. The 21-month-old infant died in the town of Herndon in the U.S. state of Virginia last Tuesday after being left by his 49-year-old foster father for about five hours in the back of a car, in searing heat. The ministry said in a statement: "We hope that American law enforcement authorities and the court will exhaustively look into all the causes and circumstances surrounding this tragedy and take a just decision. We also hope that the relevant U.S. social services will draw the necessary conclusions from this." The father, Miles Harrison, the managing director of a real estate consulting firm in the town of Herndon, is to be formally charged with manslaughter after he is discharged from hospital where he was admitted with shock. Harrison could face ten years in prison if convicted. The child, born with the name Dmitry Yakolev and renamed Chase Harrison, had been living in a children"s home in northwest Russia"s Pskov Region until three months ago. After the incident, Russian authorities banned European Adoption Consultants Inc., the agency responsible for placing the child with the Harrisons, for failing to immediately report the death. Two other agencies also had their Russian licenses revoked. The Russian Foreign Ministry said: "We have repeatedly called on the American side to sign a special bilateral adoption agreement. Such an international legal document would allow us more effectively to control the fate of Russian children taken out of the country by foster parents. We will ensure that this issue is included in the agenda of Russian-American dialogue."

MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - Abkhazian...

MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh said on Tuesday that the former Georgian republic had no plans to become a part of Russia, the Russian daily paper Izvestia reported.

MOSCOW, March 25 (RIA Novosti) - Development...

MOSCOW, March 25 (RIA Novosti) - Development costs for the Shtokman gas condensate field in the Barents Sea will not be reevaluated for the time being, the company's chief executive said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, May 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Orthodox...

MOSCOW, May 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Orthodox monasteries have begun exploiting modern technology and are now accepting requests for prayers for the living and the dead by email or through mobile phone text messages, a respected Russian daily said on Monday.

MOSCOW, November 20 (RIA Novosti) - Saudi...

MOSCOW, November 20 (RIA Novosti) - Saudi Arabia wants to build a mosque and an Islamic culture center in Moscow, the Ambassador to Russia Ali Hasan Jafar told Russia"s top Muslim official on Thursday. Ravil Gainutdin, who heads the Russian Mufti Council, told the Saudi envoy that he believed such a project would strengthen ties between the countries. However, he told RIA Novosti that the location and construction date have yet to be agreed. "We would not want to hurry events, as the Saudi side has only declared its intention. The construction of any building, especially a religious one, is a controversial issue, which sometimes can be debated for years," Gainutdin said, adding that the Russian Muslim community is already discussing the issue.

MOSCOW, November 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russian...

MOSCOW, November 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed a directive on the opening of a Russian trade mission in Nicaragua.

MOSCOW, October 18 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, October 18 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) said on Thursday it intended to hold an initial public offering on Russian bourses in late 2009 and early 2010 to the sum of $1-1.5 billion. The UAC was established earlier this year to help overcome the crisis in Russia"s aircraft industry, and incorporates many of the country"s best-known aircraft builders, including Mikoyan, Ilyushin, Irkut, Sukhoi, Tupolev, Yakovlev and other enterprises in the industry. A UAC official also said the corporation would float newly issued shares representing 10-15% of its charter capital by closed subscription in 2008, adding that Russia"s government-controlled foreign economic bank Vnesheconombank could participate in the offer. The UAC, which is 90% state owned, incorporates aircraft building companies and state assets engaged in the manufacture, design and sale of military, non-military, transport and unmanned aircraft in a bid to streamline the Russian aviation industry. The UAC official also said the company would borrow about 120 billion rubles (about $4.8 billion) by 2012.

MOSCOW, October 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, October 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s gross domestic product (GDP) increased 0.6% quarter-on-quarter in July-September 2009, showing growth for the first time since the second quarter of 2008, the Economics Ministry said on Tuesday.

MOSCOW, October 22 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian...

MOSCOW, October 22 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian senator and two high-ranking Catholic priests discussed on Monday the return of assets belonging to the Catholic Church, which were seized by the Soviet Union.

MOSCOW, October 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russian...

MOSCOW, October 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sets off on Monday for a brief working visit to Sri Lanka to discuss a number of bilateral issues including fight against drug trafficking, the ministry said on Friday.

MOSCOW, October 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia...

MOSCOW, October 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia plans to offer Britain a range of projects on joint energy efficiency investments, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said on Monday.

MOSCOW, October 8 (RIA Novosti) - A powerful...

MOSCOW, October 8 (RIA Novosti) - A powerful earthquake hit the southwest of the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, U.S. media said, citing the U.S. Geological Survey.

MOSCOW/PARIS, August 15 (RIA Novosti) -...

MOSCOW/PARIS, August 15 (RIA Novosti) - The tracking device aboard the Russian-crewed Arctic Sea, missing since late July, was briefly reactivated on Saturday showing the vessel to be located in the Bay of Biscay, a Russian maritime journal said.

MOSCOW, (RIA Novosti commentator Anatoly...

MOSCOW, (RIA Novosti commentator Anatoly Korolyov) For the first 500 years of its existence, Russia did not have a coat of arms, or a national flag or anthem. In the middle ages, instead of a flag, the prince's troops carried a miraculous icon, and before embarking on a campaign or going into battle, the men would usually pray in front of the holy image.

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti economic commentator...

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti economic commentator Vlad Grinkevich) - The Russian currency is losing ground: in today's trading on the MICEX (Moscow Inter-Bank Currency Exchange) the dollar cost over 28 rubles for the first time since the spring of 2006.

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator Ilya Kramnik)

MOSCOW, September 10 (RIA Novosti) - The...

MOSCOW, September 10 (RIA Novosti) - The largest in Europe and the only in Russia indoor speed skating centre opened in Moscow on Thursday. At the opening ceremony Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov expressed gratitude to the International Skating Union for "trust due to which it was decided to hold the world speed skating championship of 2005 in Moscow back before the beginning of the construction of the centre." "The time when we held the championships of Russia in Berlin has passed, and new champions will now come into being here, in Moscow," Mr. Luzhkov said. The Krylatskoye speed skating centre is included in the Olympic River programme of building sports facilities. It is Russia"s only indoor complex with a 400-metre international-level speed skating track and the world"s sole skating rink where specially prepared water will be used for making ice. The new centre is an up-to-date five-storey building including an ice arena with three speed skating tracks and a circular track, and ice-hockey and figure skating rinks. The stands have a seating capacity of up to 10,000. A medical centre, a hotel for athletes with accommodation for 50, and a parking lot for 500 motor vehicles also form part of the centre. The complex with an artificial ice field will enable athletes to train all year round. From February 4 to 6 the Krylatskoye centre will host the world speed skating championship in which more than 1,000 athletes from 20 countries are expected to take part.

New Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych...

New Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said on Thursday that Kiev will build relations with both Europe and former Soviet republics, but will not form any military alliances either with NATO or Russia.

Olympic gold medalist Evgeni Plushenko won...

Olympic gold medalist Evgeni Plushenko won the Russian Figure Skating Championships on Saturday to become an eight-time national champion.

On April 2, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin...

On April 2, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is expected in Venezuela, where large economic, energy and military contracts are to be signed. Scientific and cultural agreements are still in the works.

One of the alleged hijackers of the Arctic...

One of the alleged hijackers of the Arctic Sea cargo vessel is seeking protection through Europe"s human rights court for inhumane treatment after detainment in August 2009, the suspect"s lawyer said on Saturday.

Only 14 bodies of the victims killed in...

Only 14 bodies of the victims killed in Polish president"s plane crash on Saturday could be easily identified by relatives, the Polish health minister said.

On March 5, 2010, Russian President Dmitry...

On March 5, 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev attended an expanded meeting of the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. The focus of this meeting was the ongoing military reform.

Over 20 people were killed and some 100...

Over 20 people were killed and some 100 injured in separate bomb attacks in Iraq on Thursday during the Shiite religious festival of Ashura, local media reported.

(Recasts, adds quote, details, background in paragraphs 3-7)

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has ranked...

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has ranked Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the president of the Russian North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, among the world"s worst "predators" of freedom.

Rivers in Russia"s Siberian region of Tomsk...

Rivers in Russia"s Siberian region of Tomsk, central Kirov region and northern Arkhangelsk territory have swollen beyond their banks due to melting snow, forcing the evacuations of thousands of people.

Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement on...

Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement on Friday on the duty-free import of Ukrainian steel pipes into Russia at a volume of 260,000 metric tons annually.

Russia could slightly reduce oil export...

Russia could slightly reduce oil export duty on its Urals blend from the current $271 to $266-268 per metric ton starting in January, a Finance Ministry official said.

Russia has no information that Iran is working...

Russia has no information that Iran is working on the development of nuclear weapons, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

Russian and Polish specialists will finish...

Russian and Polish specialists will finish on Wednesday or Thursday analyzing the data contained in the black boxes of the plane that crashed in western Russia killing the Polish president and 95 others, Polish TVN24 TV-channel reporte.

Russian holding Digital Sky Technologies...

Russian holding Digital Sky Technologies Ltd. (DST) has agreed to buy ICQ messenger from U.S. company AOL for $187.5 million, the two companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev doubts...

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev doubts that energy sanctions will be imposed against Iran.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on...

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday that people suspected of economic crimes should be released on bail more often to prevent jail being used to pressure businessmen, as well as to cut the prison population.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will discuss in Moscow with his Croatian counterpart Jadranka Kosor issues of cooperation in the oil and gas sector.

Russia"s Federal Security Service (FSB)...

Russia"s Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained suspects in connection with recent bomb attacks and identified their organizers, the FSB director said on Thursday.

Russia"s richest woman, Yelena Baturina...

Russia"s richest woman, Yelena Baturina, earned 31 billion rubles ($1 billion) in 2009, but spent almost all of it to pay down the debts of her Inteko company, the firm said on Tuesday.

Russia, the United States and France have...

Russia, the United States and France have sent the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency a confidential letter expressing concern over Iran"s move to begin enriching uranium to 20%.

Russia will not introduce any "draconian"...

Russia will not introduce any "draconian" measures to provide security during the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia"s deputy premier in charge of Olympic preparations said on Wednesday.

Russia will present a draft inter-governmental...

Russia will present a draft inter-governmental agreement on adoption issues to a senior U.S. delegation, which is in the country for discussions, in the next few days, Russian Children"s Ombudsman said on Thursday.

Some 27 million Russians died during the...

Some 27 million Russians died during the Second World War, a Russian daily said on Thursday, citing estimates by a Russian interdepartmental commission.

Some 800 people died from the À/H1N1...

Some 800 people died from the À/H1N1 virus in the first week of December, bringing the death toll to 9,596, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement on Friday.

The body of Polish President Lech Kaczynski...

The body of Polish President Lech Kaczynski who died in an air crash near Smolensk in west Russia will be delivered to Poland today, the press secretary of the regional governor said on Sunday.

The body of Polish President Lech Kaczynski...

The body of Polish President Lech Kaczynski may have been found in the wreckage of the plane that crashed earlier on Saturday in western Russia, a highly-placed police source told RIA Novosti.

The defending Olympic champions in Nordic...

The defending Olympic champions in Nordic Combined, Team Austria, took gold in the team event.

The extension of Russia"s use of a naval...

The extension of Russia"s use of a naval base in Crimea will have no influence on Ukraine"s prospects for European integration, the Ukrainian foreign minister said on Wednesday.

The Georgian government said on Friday it...

The Georgian government said on Friday it had no problem with the resumption of direct flights between Tbilisi and Moscow.

The head of a state agency overseeing the...

The head of a state agency overseeing the reconstruction of Moscow"s famed Bolshoi Theater has been dismissed by the mayor over design disagreements, a source in the city administration said on Wednesday.

The parliament of the former Georgian republic...

The parliament of the former Georgian republic of South Ossetia will vote on Wednesday to censure the government of Prime Minister Vadim Brovtsev, a parliament spokesman has said.

The Russian ambassador to Kiev has dismissed...

The Russian ambassador to Kiev has dismissed the chances of Ukraine backing out of the deal on Russia"s lease of a Crimean naval base, saying such a step would convert some funds received by Ukraine into state debt.

The Russian Orthodox Church should exert...

The Russian Orthodox Church should exert a stronger influence on national culture to prevent it from turning into a destructive force, a senior hierarch said Tuesday.

The Russian women"s gymnastics team have...

The Russian women"s gymnastics team have won gold in the team competition of the European Gymnastics Championships.

The Times newspaper claims to have obtained...

The Times newspaper claims to have obtained "confidential intelligence documents" showing that Iran is testing a final component to build a nuclear bomb.

Things are moving on the Eastern front...

Things are moving on the Eastern front. And more movement may be coming soon, as an old winter chill in Rome-Moscow relations seems to be thawing, with profound consequences for Europe and the entire world

Today, on February 16, the Kyoto Protocol...

Today, on February 16, the Kyoto Protocol is marking an anniversary: five years since it officially came into force. This anti-global warming charter has seen many anniversaries. It was adopted in December 1997 in Kyoto (hence its name) and opened for signing in March 1998. The first steps towards its implementation were made on January 1, 2008.