The Moscow Times

An Opposition Stronghold at Chistiye Prudy

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Liana, a 23-year-old copywriter, turned to the woman sprawled out beside her sleeping on the mat where they had spent the night.

Who Is the Poet Looming Over the Protesters' Favorite Square?

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

The ordinary Muscovite would find it hard to say who Abai Qunanbayuli is and where his statue can be found in the city.

Dissecting the Ministry That Shoigu Built

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

The muscular firefighters in sharp uniforms chatted lightheartedly near a row of well-equipped Iveco firetrucks, ready at a moment's notice to drop the banter and race out to extinguish a blaze.

Region Considers Pursuing Prostitution Clientele

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Belgorod region Duma deputies hope to combat prostitution by putting forward a bill which would punish the client а, as well as prostitutes themselves, Moskovsky Komsomolets reported Friday.

Legislators Strike at Protesters' Pocketbooks

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

In a blow to the anti-government rallies, the State Duma is moving to introduce exorbitant penalties for protesters who defy the authorities.

Ilyumzhinov Discusses Unrest and Chess in Syria

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad will be hoping that third time's the charm after a visit from the head of the International Chess Federation and alien-spotter Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

12 Bodies Found as Search Teams Reach Crash Site

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Search teams have found at least 12 bodies on the steep slope of an Indonesian volcano where a Sukhoi Superjet crashed while demonstrating the plane for potential buyers from airlines.

Obama to Skip APEC Summit in Vladivostok

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

U.S. President Barack Obama will skip the APEC summit in Vladivostok in September, Vedomosti reported Friday, as Obama's spokesman insisted that there were no hard feelings about President Vladimir Putin's decision not to attend a G8 summit next week.

Rogozin Could Take Direct Control of Defense Orders

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Acting Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin could take defense tenders under personal control in a measure to facilitate the signing of state contracts.

Shoigu Inaugurated as Moscow Governor

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Sergei Shoigu, during his inauguration as Moscow governor on Thursday, promised to promote investment and raise the region's $10 billion budget.

O1 Properties Pulls IPO, Blames Instability on World Bourses

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Just three weeks after announcing its long-awaited initial public offering plans, O1 Properties, an owner of high-end office complexes in Moscow, is abandoning its IPO because of roiling stock markets.

Police to Investigate Beating of Pregnant Protester

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

(VIDEO) The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case Friday against a police officer after a video surfaced showing him kicking a reportedly pregnant female protester in Sunday's March of a Million protest event.

Protesters Battle for Toilets, Settle in at Mobile Camp

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Protesters have stuck out another night in a mobile camp at Chistiye Prudy, where they fought off an attempt to leave them without toilets and began settling into normal routines of exercise and cleaning, despite authorities stating they would clear the camp.

Fitch Ups Novosibirsk, Azerbaijan

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Fitch Ratings on Friday upgraded the Novosibirsk region's long-term foreign and local currency ratings to BB+ from BB and national long-term rating to AA(rus) from AA-(rus).

Mavrodi Under Investigation in Novosibirsk

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Founder of the MMM-2011 pyramid scheme Sergei Mavrodi is under investigation for "aiding and abetting illegal business activity," after the Novosibirsk prosecutor's office opened a criminal case in relation to the scheme.

Vnukovo Co-Owners Eye Domodedovo Construction

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Co-owners of Vnukovo Airport could invest in the construction of a second runway at Domodedovo Airport in return for land at Domodedovo for the construction of a new passenger terminal and fueling facility.

Mixed Results as Bolshoi Theater's 'Jewels' Debuts

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

No dance troupe in the world, even today's New York City Ballet, the company which George Balanchine founded in 1946 and led until his death 39 years later, is likely to do real justice to all three of the diversely styled ballets that the choreographer collectively titled "Jewels."

Rotenberg's Stroigazmontazh 2011Revenue Up More Than 50%

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Thanks to orders placed by Gazprom, Arkady Rotenberg's construction business is growing by leaps and bounds.

More Jewish Ghettos Than Previously Believed on Soviet Soil

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Even after decades of in-depth Holocaust research, excruciating details are only now emerging about more than 1,100 German-run ghettos in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe where the Nazis murdered hundreds of thousands of Jews.

Putin's Pseudo-Patriotism

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

The true patriotism of Russians has been cheapened and disfigured by the Kremlin and its loyal court journalists and political analysts. They have tried to inculcate in Russians the notion that those who criticize the United States are "patriots," while those who praise the United States are "agents of Western influence."

Mixing Messages

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

I'm a pretty upbeat person, someone who can usually find the sunny side of any situation - or at least the funny side. But I have to admit that the past few days have gotten even me down.

Putin Uses Judo to Keep the Opposition Down

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

As Vladimir Putin began his new term as president, he clearly demonstrated that he values continuity and stability above all else - at least, according to how he understands these concepts. That is why everything that happened in the days prior to and following his inauguration was largely predictable.

Regional Retail Market: Next Stop for Real Estate Investors in Russia?

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

After considerable growth of retail real estate investment deals in Russia in 2010-11, a major intrigue is the possibility of active expansion of institutional investment deals into regional markets. We already see that such high-quality retail assets as Karnaval in Chekhov and Victory Plaza in Ryazan are coming to the investment market.

Main Trends in the Moscow Elite Rental Market in Q1 2012

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Today we are facing an evident trend followed by almost all large companies: They seek to minimize their spending, irrevocably resulting in the reduction of expenses for employees' housing and a corresponding decrease of average demand budgets. This trend has led to the influx of young specialists without families. Thus the largest portion of requests is now concentrated in the segment of two-room apartments. In contrast, the demand for large apartments has decreased 50 percent.

Putin Warns Sochi Builders

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

2 More Regional Bosses Quit

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Real Estate Prospects in Russia Promising

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

The Russian real estate market was hit hard by the global economic crisis between 2008 and 2010. Growth has since returned to the market and looks set to continue, although global developments and local bureaucratic issues could create problems.

Consumer Prices Rise

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

For the Record

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Civil Code Draft Amendments. Land Plots for Construction Under Leases

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Under the proposed amendments to the Civil Code, a rather significant number of limited real rights are introduced, an exhaustive list of which is set out in Article 223 of the draft Civil Code (the "Draft Civil Code"). These restrictions include a right of permanent possession of land (Chapter 20); a right to develop land (Chapter 201); servitudes (Chapter 202); a right of personal use and enjoyment (Chapter 203); mortgage (Chapter 204); a right to acquire another person's immovable property (Chapter 205); a right to transfer property (Chapter 206); a right of operational management (Chapter 207); and a right of restricted possession of a land plot (Article 2971).

Polyus Sells Share Packages

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Main Civil Code Amendments Concerning Real Estate

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

The Civil Code of the Russian Federation has not undergone major revisions for more than 15 years. In that time, there have been fundamental changes to the economy and laws governing commercial activities. The need for amendments and updates to "the second most important law after the Constitution" has become obvious. These amendments are intended to improve the economy and investment climate in Russia.

VEB in Talks With Belarus

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Making Money With Today's Retail Model

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

What are the latest trends in the retail real estate market, and why are the regions still so challenging for many developers and investors?

For the Record

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400