Some Russia News from The Economist

TNK-BP falls foul of the law, again

WHEN Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president-elect, gave a speech extolling the benefits of the rule of law earlier this month, some optimistic souls declared that things were looking up for business in Russia. Pessimists responded that Mr Medvedev would have neither the inclination nor the authority to reverse Vladimir Putin's enthusiasm for meddling in the private sector's affairs. The debate continues, but a series of setbacks for TNK-BP, Russia's fourth-biggest oil producer, has given the pessimists lots of ammunition. . . .



Russia's secret satellite snoopers

IF YOU use Google Earth to follow the A-212 road west out of Pskov, shortly before you reach what was until 1940 the Soviet border with independent Estonia, your eye may be caught by a curious black oval to the north of the road.

Look closely, and it turns out to be the shadow cast by a large satellite dish. At maximum resolution the image (pictured) is striking. The biggest dish is nearly 20m in diameter. A second one is about 10m, and five smaller ones are nearby. A shadow cast by a large wire antenna on two radio masts is also visible, as well as shiny new guard houses and an administration block, surrounded by a high concrete wall.

The installation has been built recently. (Your columnist visited the area in 2002 and nothing was visible then). What is it for? . . .



How a takeover battle provides a test case for Russian capitalism

THE drama surrounding Norilsk Nickel, the world's largest nickel producer, has all the elements of an airport thriller: billionaire oligarchs invading the French resort of Courchevel; models flown in from Moscow; wads of cash flying like confetti; all-night discos, magnums of champagne and buckets of caviar; and the whole thing topped off with a police raid. The scene then shifts to the Arctic city of Norilsk, built by slave labour under Stalin, and the nickel giant that generated all this wealth, now at the centre of a takeover battle. The Norilsk saga is being closely watched because it is a test of how the rules of business in Russia are changing. . . .


As Vladimir Putin stands aside (sort of), how much has he to do with Russia's booming economy—and how long can it last?

. . . The emergence of genuine businessmen like Mr Bulanov, and their acceptance in society generally, may be Russia's biggest achievement—and one reason why the economy is growing at 7% a year. But this has nothing to do with Vladimir Putin, who is standing aside as president this week. Mr Bulanov is no fan of Mr Putin; he prefers freedom to fear and corruption. “The only things that will stop me”, he says, “are a bullet or a prison cell.” The future of Russia will be determined by the contest between men like him and the machinery of the state. . . .