By John Helmer in Moscow Sovcomflot, the global tanker group run by Sergei Frank (left) and Russian government officials, received a negative rating report from the Moody’s international rating agency this week, as proceedings in the company’s half-billion-dollar claim against the former management wind up in the UK High Court in London. According to Moody’s […]

by John Helmer - Sunday, March 14th, 2010
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By John Helmer in Moscow The Chelyabinsk prosecutor has opened a criminal investigation into a lethal explosion this week at a coke battery of the Mechel group in Chelyabinsk. One worker at the battery was killed immediately, and three others are in serious condition in hospital after the blast, which occurred, according to a company […]

by John Helmer - Friday, March 12th, 2010
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By John Helmer in Moscow The state diamond stockpile agency, Gokhran, will not be purchasing as many Alrosa rough diamonds this year as had been expected and budgeted for, according to a brief statement by the Gokhran head, Vladimir Rybkin. But before Gokhran sells any of its new stocks, Rybkin said the state agency will […]

by John Helmer - Friday, March 12th, 2010
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On February 24, 2010, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was critical of Mikhail Prokhorov for failing to meet his investment obligations in the electricity generating sector.

by John Helmer - Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
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By John Helmer in Moscow Two chickens were lying side by side in the refrigerator case of a Moscow shop in the Soviet year of 1988. One, American, was plump and cheerful; the other, Russian, was scrawny and sarcastic. “I’m so much fitter than you,” said the American to the Russian. “Well, at least I […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
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Si, si, pur troppo e vero: nel temerario volo Molti gl’Ícari son, Dedalo un solo Voli per l’aria chi puo volare Scorra veloce la terra, il mare, Parta, ritorni, ne fermi il pie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnFMm1-_9ew

by John Helmer - Friday, March 5th, 2010
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The Koukidis Option On April 27, 1941, Konstantinos Koukidis was the Greek Evzone on flag-guard duty at the Acropolis, when the German invaders arrived. When a German officer ordered Koukidis to surrender, give up the Greek flag, and raise the German flag in its place, Koukidis took the Greek flag down, wrapped it around his […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, March 4th, 2010
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  ЖАЛОБА на постановление об отказе в возбуждении уголовного дела Translation from Russian

by John Helmer - Thursday, March 4th, 2010
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Picture-1 – see how the price of aluminium metal is rising on the US exchanges

by John Helmer - Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
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By John Helmer in Moscow In the junior goldmining business, hope springs eternal. So naturally it did, when GV Gold, the Irkutsk-based junior goldminer controlled by Sergei Dokuchayev, went before a recent Moscow miners’ beauty contest to announce a new share issue bid. Maxim Gorlachev, head of corporate development, told the Adam Smith Institute metals […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
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