In 1855, the English photographer Roger Fenton took these photographs of what the invading British Army called Cossack Bay, at Balaclava, during the Crimean War (in Russian, the Oriental War). By John Helmer in Moscow Russia’s Transport Minister Igor Levitin reported a huge number last month, which, if true, would mean that Russian shipbuilding is […]

by Editor - Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
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by Editor - Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
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By John Helmer in Moscow Hong Kong Exchange executives and the Hong Kong stock market regulator appear to be cracking and splitting under the strain of a phantom share listing and sale for United Company Rusal, Russia’s aluminium monopoly and one of the world’s leading producers of bauxite, alumina and primary aluminium. Although anonymous sources […]

by Editor - Monday, December 21st, 2009
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A D V E R T O R I A L   AND IF YOU LIKE IT ENOUGH, MAYBE I’LL SELL IT TO YOU

by Editor - Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow “Mr Deripaska is a man who denies everything”. This was said in the Court of Appeal in London on July 21, by Geoffrey Vos QC, arguing the case on behalf of Deripaska’s former patron and founding stakeholder, Michael Cherney (Mikhail Chernoy), that Deripaska should face trial in England on Cherney’s […]

by Editor - Sunday, August 2nd, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow A client alert was issued Thursday by Deutsche Bank analyst Olga Okunova, warning that even if the Mechel Group succeeds in refinancing a $1.5 billion loan, which has been overdue since March, the group faces serious cash shortage and debt service problems this year and next. Mechel has made new […]

by Editor - Friday, June 12th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow South Africa’s Columbus Stainless Pty Ltd, the country’s only producer of stainless steel, has been targeted for anti-dumping action by a Russian steelmaker, who is himself under pressure of a foreign bank default, and takeover interest from the state. The Mechel specialty steel and mining group, owned by Igor Zyuzin, […]

by Editor - Monday, April 6th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow In 1930, at the start of the Great Depression, a story was published in the US with the purpose of convincing children that if they worked hard, they would be rewarded. That idea being none too original, it turns out that the tale of the small anthropomorphic locomotive, who pulls […]

by Editor - Friday, March 27th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia’s steelmakers have a better chance to lift output and revenues on a recovery in export demand, especially in the China market, than on reviving domestic demand for steel. This forecast, issued in a steel sector report of March 24 by Troika Dialog investment bank in Moscow, flatly contradicts the […]

by Editor - Thursday, March 26th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Denmark-based fleet operator Norden has hit United Company Rusal, the Russian aluminium monopoly controlled by Oleg Deripaska, with claims for shipping contract violations since last September. The liabilities total $98.3 million. Court documents break publicly for the first time the code of silence which usually covers Russian commodity trades, the […]

by Editor - Wednesday, March 25th, 2009
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