#Russia: Most Russians Support #FoodImportBan, Poll Shows

Most Russians support the ban on some foreign food imports imposed by President Vladimir Putin this month in retaliation to Western sanctions over Ukraine, a survey published Friday showed... (Read more)

External Expansion, www.externalexpansion.net,

#Denmark: Drop in Russian Beer Sales Hurts Carlsberg

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  Carlsberg's full-year net profit was expected "to decline by mid- to high-single-digit percentages."
  
  Photo: Carlsberggroup.com

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Beer sales in Russia, Ukraine and other Eastern European countries are down and expected to keep falling as political tensions weigh on the region's economy, brewer Carlsberg said Wednesday... (Read more)

External Expansion, www.externalexpansion.net,

Guerra delle sanzioni: la Russia contro Coca Cola, McDonald's e Apple

Continua la rappresaglia di Putin alle sanzioni occidentali: saracinesche abbassate per i quattro fast food della capitale. Mosca ora pensa di proibire il consumo di bevande straniere nelle occasioni ufficiali e di tagliare i tablet o gli smartphone della società della Mela in possesso dei funzionari pubblici: al loro posto solo Samsung.

MILANO - Mosca pensa di colpire al cuore il capitalismo americano nella guerra delle sanzioni che si è scatenata come corollario della vicenda ucraina. Tra le rappresaglie alle restrizioni che hanno colpito personalità finanziarie e grandi industrie, disposte da Usa e Ue, la Russia mostra i muscoli contro simboli dell'industria Usa quali McDonald's, la Coca Cola o la Apple... (Leggete tutta la storia qui)

External Expansion, www.externalexpansion.net,

 

Germany Puts Curbing Russia Ahead of Commerce

BERLIN — Over recent months, something significant has happened in Europe: In the crisis over Ukraine, Germany has assumed leadership not just in its familiar fashion of trying to coax Russia away from belligerence and bluster, but also in standing firm and imposing sanctions on Moscow even if they hurt German business.

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External Expansion, www.externalexpansion.net,

St. Petersburg Watchmaker Counters Sanctions by Refusing to Sell Abroad

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  The Petrodvorets Watch Factory, famous for its nostalgic Soviet-style brands, said that it had decided to "answer to the decadent Western countries."
  Photo: Raketa.com

Russia's oldest and largest mechanical watchmaker says it will stop selling its most prestigious self-winding watches abroad as long as the "decadent" West continues to impose "unfair" sanctions over Russia's involvement in Ukraine...

 (Read more)

Russian Foreign Ministry Slams EU For Lifting Ukraine Military Export Ban

The European Union applied "double standards" in lifting a ban on military exports to Ukraine, in a move that could contribute to internal repression in the conflict-torn country, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a strongly worded statement...

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EU, US extend sanctions on Russia over ‘Ukraine violence’

Co-ordinated approach targets trade, energy, banks, technology, arms and finance sector

The new round of sanctions targets Russian oil, rather than gas, outlawing exports of oil exploration equipment to Russia. About 30 per cent of the European Union’s gas supply comes from Russia.Photograph: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

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Europeans Debate Tougher Sanctions on Russia

BRUSSELS — European Union foreign ministers met on Tuesday to endorse a schedule of tougher sanctions against Russia over the downing of a Malaysia Airlines jet in eastern Ukraine. But they were unlikely to impose the measures immediately for fear of jeopardizing an independent search of the crash site and possible Russian help in quelling the rebellion in Ukraine, according to officials...

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Stronger EU sanctions against Russia unlikely, Flanagan says

Minister for Foreign Affairs says supply of arms by Moscow ‘undermines democracy’

German minister for foreign affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier (L) speaks to media as he arrives for a Foreign Affairs Council meeting at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Photograph: Julein Warnand/EPA

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Russia Moves to Increase Productivity by 50%

In an effort to transform Russia's oil-dependent economy into a sustainable engine of growth, the government has unveiled a series of legal and financial measures aimed at fulfilling President Vladimir Putin's ambitious pledge to increase Russia's labor productivity 50 percent by 2018...

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Russia Says BRICS Development Bank Ready to Launch

The St. Petersburg Times. Published: July 10, 2014 

Leaders of the BRICS nations will launch their long-awaited development bank at a summit next week and decide whether the headquarters should be in Shanghai or New Delhi, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said Wednesday...

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Russia: Ukrainian Gas System Unlikely to Find U.S., EU Investors

Ukraine's move Friday toward attempting to sell nearly 50 percent in its gas pipeline system to EU and U.S. investors does not mean that Western buyers will rush to take up the offer, as the system's value depends on a steady supply of Russian gas, energy analysts told The St. Petersburg Times...

By Ivan Nechepurenko. The St. Petersburg Times. Published: July 5, 2014. (Click here to complete new)

Ukraine-EU Economic Accord Marks a Turning Point

Peterson Institute for International Economics. Anders Aslund — June 27, 2014
(Click here to original interview)
Anders Åslund explains why Putin's threats of retaliation against Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia will hurt the Russian economy and its reputation among potential investors.

Russia Will Defend Economy Against EU Agreements, Says Spokesman

The St. Petersburg Times. June 27, 2014. (Click here to original new)

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia will take measures to protect its economy if it suffers any negative impact from the agreements Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine signed with the EU on Friday, RIA Novosti reported....

Putin Eases Restrictions on Foreign Workers

The St. Petersburg Times (Published: June 24, 2014 (Issue # 1816) (Click here to original new) Russian IT companies will now have an easier time employing foreigners. Photo: Intel Free Press / Flickr President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Monday simplifying the process for foreign journalists and IT specialists to work in Russia, a statement on the Kremlin’s website said. Previously, to gain the status of a highly qualified specialist, a journalist was required to earn a salary of at least 2 million rubles ($59,000) per year. The new law reduces this sum to 1 million.

Bill Gives Visa, MasterCard Reprieve Until Oct. 31

Visa and MasterCard together process about 90 percent of payments in Russia. Photo: Maxim Stulov / Vedomosti THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES (June 26, 2014) (Click to original new) International payment systems Visa and MasterCard could get a reprieve until Oct. 31 on a security deposit of up to $2.9 billion that the Russian government has demanded they pay if they are to continue operating in Russia. According to a draft bill by the Finance Ministry published Wednesday on the government's legislation portal, payment systems operating in Russia can be freed from the obligation to pay a security deposit until Nov. 1 this year — on one condition. To receive the exemption, the companies will need to stop providing information about money transfers carried out in Russia to clearing centers abroad.