Question: Candidates for the post of the IMF managing director are now being discussed. Whom would you support? And what is your attitude towards the scandal surrounding Dominique Strauss-Kahn? Was he framed for political reasons?

by John Helmer - Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow Mikhail Prokhorov’s last attempt but one to gather popularity among Russians was the idea that they should be compelled to work harder each hour and for up to 60 hours per week. That doesn’t sound like an election clincher anywhere in the known world, does it?. Prokhorov’s last attempt but two […]

by John Helmer - Monday, May 30th, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow It was just five weeks ago that First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov was pledging his allegiance to President Dmitry Medvedev and his unswerving compliance with the April 2 presidential decree ordering ministers of state to vacate their seats on state company boards. In Shuvalov’s case, he insisted that under no […]

by John Helmer - Friday, May 20th, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow On April 25, President Dmitry Medvedev appeared for an interview on the Moscow internet television channel Dozhd (“Rain”). According to the chief interviewer, Natalya Sindeyeva, the advance work by the president’s staff did not include either request or discussion of what questions the president would be asked. Perhaps there should have […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
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Vladimir Putin: Ladies and gentlemen, As you know, yesterday I delivered a report on the government’s performance in the State Duma. I spoke not only about our performance, however; in point of fact, I spoke about the results of our common endeavour because the government only organises the work of the social sectors and the […]

by John Helmer - Monday, April 25th, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow Vadim Moshkovich – Senator from Belgorod, owner of Rusagro (aka Ros Agro Plc), which sold its shares in London last week — has been singing this golden oldie from The Searchers (1963). Don’t miss the last chorus line: “I’ll never ever let you go…Oooooo, Oooooo, Ooooo” Rusagro was 94% owned by […]

by John Helmer - Monday, April 18th, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow To modernize, privatize, incentivize, and win the votes of Russians yearning to be free, President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered the senior ministers of the federal government to vacate their seats on the boards of state companies. First to go – on his own resignation, eleven weeks ahead of deadline – is […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, April 14th, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow The armchair warriors in London and Washington love nothing so much as an excuse for an invasion against an enemy too small to put up much of a fight, or inflict too many casualties on the invaders. But that’s because the parlour fires, in front of which their armchairs are placed, […]

by John Helmer - Monday, February 28th, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow In the Naughty-Boy School of Government, it is required for the boys to apply for the master’s permission to sit; stand; ask a question; refill their inkwells, and leave the room to answer the call of nature. In the history of the great English Public Schools, a great deal of bladder […]

by John Helmer - Monday, February 7th, 2011
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  Medvedev wants journalist’s attackers heads torn off   Published: 19 January, 2011, 10:20: http://rt.com/politics/medvedev-wants-heads-torn/ Pavel Kashin (RIA Novosti / Michail Pochuev) “The president promised to tear off the heads of those who attacked me” said Russian journalist Oleg Kashin, who was severely beaten last November.

by John Helmer - Wednesday, January 19th, 2011
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