By John Helmer in Moscow When it comes to investigating, Sergei Stepashin, the former prime minister, is like a small dog with a big bone. Transfer pricing, tolling, and related metal trading schemes that evade huge sums of tax are his bone. Stepashin’s problem is that no sooner does he get his teeth into something, […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Silvio Berlusconi, November 6, 2008: “I don’t see problems for Medvedev to establish good relations with Obama who is handsome, young and suntanned.” Russian anecdote: “The driver of a heavy tanker-truck, covered in mud and slush, is stopped in the centre of Moscow by a traffic policeman eager for a […]

by John Helmer - Sunday, July 5th, 2009
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Visit The Cat’s Paw Page here.

by John Helmer - Friday, July 3rd, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Vladimir Gusev was a surprise new member of the 7-man board of directors, voted by Mechel shareholders at their annual general meeting on Thursday. The controlling stake is held by Igor Zyuzin, who has reported to the US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) that he holds 66.76%. J.P. Morgan holds […]

by John Helmer - Friday, July 3rd, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia’s resources tsar, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, is considering a new plan to award the mining right to Sukhoi Log, one of the largest unmined gold deposits in the world, to a special-purpose company backed by Russian Technologies, the state metals and minerals conglomerate run by Sechin’s old ally, […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow A fresh bid has been launched in the United States to prevent De Beers from liquidating its Russian affiliate, Archangel Diamond Corporation (ADC), and calling off legal proceedings in Denver, Colorado, and in Stockholm to recover ADC’s mining right from two Russian companies charged with fraudulently expropriating it. Also exposed […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
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