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Putin’s "Zaibatsu" - The Russian Technology Property Grab08-01-2008
July 2008 will mark a momentous month in the history of Russian business. This is when Sergey Chemezov, a close associate of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, consolidated control over 426 additional enterprises that are now a part of the Russian Technologies (Rostechnologii) empire. A global, state-owned Russian weapons-and-metals holding has been born. Yet its birth has triggered the fiercest fight among the Russian elite since Dmitry Medvedev was anointed president.
Cohen: Middle East Going MAD?07-30-2008
The Real World: Sand is Running Out of Israel-Iran Clock07-25-2008
In March 2009, Russia will deploy modern S-300 long-range anti-aircraft missiles in Iran. By June 2009 they will become fully operational, as Iranian teams finish training provided by their Russian instructors, a high-level Russian source who requested anonymity told the Middle East Times.
According to multiple sources, Iran is likely to produce a nuclear bomb soon, and, given the blood curdling rhetoric of its President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, may use it against Israel.
TNK-BP Deputy Chairman Blasts Russia Partners Not State07-25-2008
Lord George Robertson, deputy chairman of TNK-BP’s board and former secretary-general of Nato, has blasted BP’s Russian partners at a closed-doors luncheon meeting at the Nixon Center in Washington on Thursday, July 25.
The comments took place as news emerged that Robert Dudley, TNK-BP’s British CEO, had been forced to leave Moscow to continue running the company from London due to his Russian visa being denied. Yet doubts remain whether he will be able to effectively run the company from overseas, which is being torn apart by a dispute between the BP and its Russian partners in the 50-50 joint venture. Additionally, the denial of visas by Russia for other key foreign BP personnel will reduce the joint venture efficiency, Robertson claimed. Simultaneously, BP has begun arbitration procedures for alleged violations of the shareholders’ agreement.
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