In an apparently unscripted exchange with reporters in Kursk last Thursday, Mikhail Prokhorov corrected the earlier impression he had given a fortnight before that, if elected by Russian voters in December at the head of the Right Cause party, he may not take his seat in parliament. However, the garble reported by Interfax adds to […]

by John Helmer - Monday, June 6th, 2011
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow A fleet of between 200 and 1,000 vessels will be required to carry newly released Russian wheat and other grains to markets in the Mediterranean and East Asia, grain traders and port sources have told Fairplay, in the wake of the May 28 order from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Putin stole […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, June 2nd, 2011
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow Gennady Onishchenko, the Russian government’s chief food inspector and head of the federal inspection agency Rospotrebnadzor, has ordered a ban on imports of vegetables, announcing: “we urge the population not to buy fresh vegetables from Germany and Spain. Buy Russian production.” But this time the notorious protectionist of Russian farm, food […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
No Comments »

By John Helmer, Moscow Alexei Mordashov, owner of the Severstal steelmaking and mining group (lapel button), has instructed the executives in his goldmining arm Nord Gold to prepare for another shot at selling their shares at an initial public offering (IPO) in London before Christmas. He’s also told them that the sooner they can buy […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
No Comments »

Question: Candidates for the post of the IMF managing director are now being discussed. Whom would you support? And what is your attitude towards the scandal surrounding Dominique Strauss-Kahn? Was he framed for political reasons?

by John Helmer - Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
No Comments »