By John Helmer in Moscow One of the reasons for pornography is that it provides a low-cost alternative to the real thing. Not to mention the chance to fantasize immediately about a future pleasure that isn’t likely to materialize — or to be affordable if it does. The announcement on Tuesday of Russia’s agreement in […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
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To Muratov D.A. Editor in chief “Novaya Gazeta” 101990, Moscow, Potapovsky per., 3 From: Law firm “Ivanyan and partners”, lawyers of “Gunvor” company of T. Tornqvist and G.N. Timchenko Subject: Publication in “Novaya gazeta” dated 24.08.09 and letters addressed to T. Tornqvist and G.N. Timchenko dated 11.08.09 and 31.08.09. September 4th, 2009. Dear Dmitry Andreyevich,

by John Helmer - Sunday, October 4th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev has presented two bears to Switzerland, with the warning that if any harm comes to them, or to Victor Vekselberg, a Russian oil and aluminium oligarch, all the Russian money that goes into, or is presently sitting in Switzerland, may vanish. The Swiss Foreign Ministry says […]

by John Helmer - Friday, September 18th, 2009
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Compiled by John Helmer in Moscow The Financial Times Gunvor, Putin and me: the truth about Russian oil trader May 22 2008 03:00 From Mr Gennady Timchenko. Sir, Your article “On the offensive” (Analysis, May 15) purported to explain the rise of the oil trader Gunvor. However, it contained many inaccuracies and false claims. In […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, July 30th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow The Caspian Energy Group, led by Ilya Kokarev, said this week it is confident the Russian courts will rule shortly to uphold its right to seats on the board of the Red Barricades Shipyard. This is the only standout among the Astrakhan yards to resist consolidation by Caspian Energy, which […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow The Russian and Azeri governments have taken the air out of a scheme to provide Europe with an alternative source of gas supply to Gazprom, which signed an agreement on Monday with the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR). When it comes to putting the gas into high-priority […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow In the chapbooks of the medieval Finns, it was reported that pygmies lived in the Arctic Sea regions. The men there were dwarfed, so the Finns and Lapps thought, because of the effect of the North Pole and ice cap as a low-hanging roof over the world that made it […]

by John Helmer - Friday, May 29th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Following the weekend European Union (EU) summit meeting with Russia in Khabarovsk, Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller warned yesterday in Moscow that if the Ukraine cannot pay the tab for past-due bills for gas, or for future deliveries for winter storage, and if the European Union won’t lend the money, […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia’s maiden LNG terminal became operational in late 2008, after years of controversy over seismic and ground contamination onshore; threats to whale habitats at sea and tax evasion claims in Moscow. Gazprom, Russia’s dominant gas producer and monopoly exporter, now has shareholding control of the project operator, Sakhalin Energy, replacing […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow The Russian oil industry. and the state treasury too, have breathed a sigh of relief as the Chinese and Russian governments announced this week their agreement on a revolutionary shift in future Russian crude oil flows. According to the announcement from Beijing on Tuesday, where Deputy Prime Ministers Wang Qishan […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
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