Russia Intelligencer 2008 November 11

Financial Crisis & Censorship
Russian shares were clobbered in the London and Russian stock markets, losing some 70 percent of their value, in spite of the government’s interventions (Halpin; Vorobieva & Zhdannikov; Weir “Crisis spares”).

Russian media is prohibited from using the words “crisis” and “collapse” in relation to the…events in economy (Bloomfield).

Foreign Affairs: Libya
Colonel Muammar Qaddafi visited with Dimitri Medvedev to discuss the possible placement of a Russian naval base Libya, ostensibly as a shield against attack from the U.S. Russia recently wrote off about $4.6 billion in Libyan debt in exchange for lucrative contracts, including a major rail project (Libya “ready to host Russian naval base”).

Nationalization, especially Energy
The Russian government has been expanding its takeover of major industries and squeezing out foreign companies. Gazprom, the energy conglomerate in which the Russian government holds a majority share, is the appears to be the center of the program and has been awarded exclusive rights to export oil (Weir “Gazprom”).

Opposition Parties
Several opposition parties and figures, including Garry Kasparov, are working to form a group that would seek to protect the Russian constitution (Russian opposition figures).

Russian Justice
A trial of suspects in the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya was set to begin. The primary suspect, Chechen native Rustam Makhmudav, is on the lam in Western Europe. Those being tried a conspirators include Makhmudav’s brothers and FSB agent Pavel Ryaguzav. Because Ryaguzav is in the FSB, all the trials will be in secret military courts, though protestors have called for open trials. Politkovskaya was known for reporting on human rights violations in Chechnya (Murder of Russian journalist remembered).

On a related note, the lawyer who once represented Politkovskaya, Karina Moskalenko, found mercury in the car she and her family used after experiencing a sudden decline in health. She has represented several Russian opposition figures. It looks like political assassination is all to common in Russia (Schwirtz & Cowell; Stack; Zarakhovich).

Sources
Bloomfield, A. (2008 Oct. 27). Bans, tough talk can’t hide the trouble Russia is in. Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/bans-tough-talk-cant-hide-the-trouble-russia-is-in/2008/10/26/1224955853364.html, accessed 2008 Nov. 3.

Halpin, T. (2008 Oct. 20). Russia is well prepared to survive financial crisis says Putin. Times. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/russia/article4981200.ece, accessed 2008 Nov. 3.

Libya “ready to host Russian naval base.” (2008 Oct. 31). RIA Novosti. http://en.rian.ru/world/20081031/118052964.html, accessed 2008 Nov. 3.

Murder of Russian journalist remembered. (2008 Oct. 7). Agence France-Presse in Inquirer. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20081007-165159/Murder-of-Russian-journalist-remembered, accessed 2008 Nov. 11.

Russian opposition figures for movement to support constituion. (2008 Nov. 6). RIA Novosti. http://en.rian.ru/russia/20081106/118162025.html, accessed 2008 Nov. 11.

Schwirtz, M., & Cowell, A. (2008 Oct. 15). Toxins found in Russian rights lawyer’s car. New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/world/europe/16russia.html?_r=1&oref=slogin, accessed 2008 Nov. 11.

Stack, M. (2008 Oct. 16). Lawyer for Russian dissidents may have been poisened. Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-poison16-2008oct16,0,5763910.story, accessed 2008 Nov. 11.

Vorbieva, P., & Zhdannikov, D. (2008 Oct. 13). Russian shares loose gain, await state money. Reuters. http://www.forbes.com/reuters/feeds/reuters/2008/10/13/2008-10-13T165251Z_01_LD209760_RTRIDST_0_RUSSIA-MARKETS-UPDATE-3.html, accessed 2008 Nov. 3.

Weir, F. (2008 Oct. 21). Crisis spares Russia’s “average Joe.” Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1021/p06s02-wogn.html, accessed 2008 Nov. 3.

Weir, F. (2007 Jan. 23). Gazprom: Rising star in new Kremlin capitalism. Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0123/p01s03-woeu.html, accessed 2008 Nov. 3.

Zarakhovich, Y. (2008 Oct. 19). Murder, Russian style: Political assassination. Time. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1851854,00.html, accessed 2008 Nov. 11.