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Medvedev’s Government: A Vegetative Life

Details: 07 February 2013; Tatiana Stanovaya

A large-scale campaign directed against Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev is underway in the Russian media. It is difficult to say who is behind it—Medvedev’s opponents include the security services, liberals, Putinists, and even his own former backers. Tatiana Stanovaya, head of the analytical department at the Center for Political Technologies and an IMR advisor, ponders the Russian premier’s political future.

Details: Nation

Violated Rights: the 2013 World Report by Human Rights Watch

Details: 07 February 2013; Boris Bruk

Human Rights Watch has presented its 23rd annual World Report. The 665-page document assesses the situation in more than 90 countries. IMR Analyst Boris Bruk notes the increasing pessimism of human rights activists with the return of Vladimir Putin to the Russian presidency.

Details: Politics

Back in the USSR

Details: 06 February 2013; Ekaterina Mishina

Recent amendments to the Russian Criminal Code have significantly expanded the definition of “espionage” and “treason.” According to IMR Advisor Ekaterina Mishina, a prominent legal expert, the charge of “treason” can now be leveled against practically any Russian citizen.

Details: Economics

Leonid Grigoriev: Why Oil Prices Will Not Drop Below $80 Per Barrel

Details: 05 February 2013; Olga Khvostunova

Global energy analysts are revising their forecasts for the coming decade. Industrialization in developing countries, followed by a serious recession, a “shale gas revolution” in the U.S., the development of new production technologies, and the emergence of new market players have all led to a shift in the balance of forces. IMR’s Olga Khvostunova spoke to Professor Leonid Grigoriev, advisor to the director of the Russian Energy Agency, about the current situation and its implications for the Russian oil and gas market.

Details: Economics

How Gazprom Snoozed through the “Shale Gas Revolution”

Details: 05 February 2013; Olga Khvostunova

The "shale gas revolution" in the United States is changing the world’s energy map. The International Energy Agency’s latest predictions suggest that by 2035 America will have become the world’s largest gas producer, outpacing Russia. Until recently, Gazprom, Russia’s natural gas monopoly, has been skeptical about such forecasts. As IMR Analyst Olga Khvostunova points out, Gazprom’s lack of long-term vision can have negative implications both for the company and for the country.

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