Update: Russian Forbes Writer Recovering After Savage Assault Nov. 8 2010 - 4:03 pm On Saturday, I wrote about , a Russian journalist who was jumped outside his Moscow home and severely beaten by two unidentified assailants. Since then, a few people have asked me for news about his condition. I now have one, courtesy of Julia Ioffe, an American journalist based in Moscow. (She introduced me to Kashin during my visit there several months ago.) : Over the weekend, Kashin underwent a second round of surgery. Doctors say it was successful and, after removing the bone fragments in his cranial cavity, that they’ve ruled out brain damage. His broken leg has been set, as has his jaw, which was fixed in the first operation so he could breathe. The attackers also mangled Kashin’s hands, a detail that whoever ordered the beatdown didn’t like what he had been writing. Indeed, the assault on Kashin is part of a recent wave of violence against journalists (although it should be noted there is as yet no proof, only a strong suspicion, that Saturday’s crime was connected with Kashin’s work). What I didn’t realize when I posted my story was that Kashin, in addition to being a reporter for the newspaper Kommersant, is also a contributor to Forbes’s Russian edition. His stories can be found . It’s a strange coincidence, given that one of the most famous victims of Russia’s plague of anti-journalist violence also called Forbes Russia home. That would be its founding editor, , who was gunned down in 2004. His murder . US urges Russia to act over beating of journalist (AFP) – 9 hours ago WASHINGTON — The United States Monday condemned a savage assault on a prominent Russian reporter and urged the authorities to punish the perpetrators as it criticized the Kremlin's record on press freedom. "A free and independent press is central to a vibrant and well-functioning democracy," said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley.
The construction of Vietnam's first nuclear power plant could give Russia easy access to potential nuclear energy markets in South-East Asia (Nezavisimaya Gazeta) SOCIETY Video footage of the recent attack on Kommersant reporter Oleg Kashin has been posted on the Internet. Moscow police called it “interfering with the investigation.” (Vremya Novostei) Authorities in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Dagestan have set up a commission that would help former militants to adapt to peaceful life. The measure is expected to curb terrorist activities in the volatile region. (Rossiiskaya Gazeta) Spy Flap Lets Tbilisi Make Russia Look Foolish 09 November 2010 By For some time now, the activities of Russia’s intelligence operatives have been a source of material for jokes rather than spy novels. Their foibles have become something of a “What Not to Do” textbook for foreign counterintelligence. The FBI only recently deported 10 failed Russian spies, and now Georgian intelligence is having a turn at uncovering Russian operatives in their midst. Georgian counterintelligence announced the arrest of 13 Russian spies, including Georgian air force pilots who were accused of providing Moscow with secret information on the flight schedules, military preparedness and weapons systems of all 10 aircraft in the Georgian air force. The Georgian Interior Ministry says the other suspected agents — businessmen, four of whom hold Russian citizenship — gathered information about Georgia’s armed forces, including the weapons it received and security measures at important installations. In a video released by Georgian intelligence, a stereotypical double agent nicknamed “Enver” vividly tells the story of how he was recruited at a meeting with senior commanders of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service. It should be noted, however, that the job titles of the Russian officers mentioned sound a bit strange. For example, one officer was identified as “the regional head of military intelligence in Sochi.” Ordinarily, intelligence units are based in military staff divisions, not territorial designations. What’s more, there are a number of nonstandard job titles in the Georgian statement. The political motivation behind this incident is obvious. On one hand, Georgian counterintelligence has done its utmost to discredit people with ties to Russia. There are already indications that Valery Svarchuk — president of the Motherland Union of Russian Compatriots in Georgia and the recent recipient of the Pushkin Medal awarded by the Kremlin — had been scouting recruits. On the other hand, the announcement was
(Reporting by John Bowker; Editing by Andrey Ostroukh) Sale of 10% stake in VTB will be organized in accordance with Russian law Alfa Bank November 9, 2010 Various media sources report that the government has specified the main parameters of the sale of a 10% stake in VTB. The deal will be organized in accordance with Russian law and not UK law as previously rumored. Bank of America Merrill Lynch was named as the main organizer of the deal. According to the bank's CEO Andrey Kostin, the terms of the deal, including the price, should be finalized by the end of November this year. A change in legislation in May this year means that the deal is now possible under Russian law, as the obligatory offering of government assets through an auction or tender offer was canceled. The government is currently allowed to sell its assets directly to investors owing to the passing of a special Act. We believe that carrying out the deal in accordance with Russian law lowers risks. Leyla Sharifullina Vnesheconombank holding road-show for new Eurobond Vnesheconombank is holding road-show for a new Eurobond on November 8-9, according to Uralsib Capital. The issue details are not disclosed. The issue is planned as a benchmark and will be issues under Reg S and 144А rules. Issuer profile: Vnesheconombank (VEB) was founded in 1924 and is one of the oldest Russian banks well known to the world community. VEB is a specialized financial institution 100% owned by the state. VEB’s activities have been evaluated by the world’s leading rating agencies. The Bank’s short-term and long-term credit ratings are in line with Russia’s sovereign credit rating. Vnesheconombank auditor is Ernst & Young, one of the leading international auditing companies. During its multi-year activities the Bank established wide international ties and acquired a reputation of a first-class banking institution. Vnesheconombank gained unique experience in serving intergovernmental agreements, as well as large-scale projects implemented under interstate agreements and governmental programs. Vnesheconombank’s top priority task is to promote national interests. Since last year, by implementing the Government’s decisions in the field of promoting banking sector, VEB