POLITICS
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev paid a visit to Far East to see how the region prepares to host Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in 2012. The president criticized the preparations and urged the local authorities to speed up all works.
(Kommersant)
Vladimir Putin gave a cryptic hint as to his possible participation in the 2012 presidential polls, saying that he would need to “wash” himself after the elections.
(Kommersant, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, The Moscow Times)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attended a meeting of the State Duma international committee that discussed protection of Russian nationals’ rights abroad.
(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
In an interview with Vedomosti daily Russian tycoon and leader of Right Cause political party Mikhail Prokhorov speaks about why he abandoned business and about his political ambitions.
(Vedomosti)
ECONOMY BUSINESS
Customs offices on the world’s longest land border, between Russia and Kazakhstan, will be closed indefinitely starting Friday as a new international free-trade zone comes to fruition.
(The Moscow Times)
Expert RA rating agency found that large corporations in Russia are the least involved in research and development. Foreign corporations finance more than 65 percent of their countries’ total RD compared to 20 percent for Russian corporations.
(The Moscow Times)
ENERGY
Russia’s gas export monopoly Gazprom boosted gas exports to Europe by 26 percent year on year in the first half of 2011, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said.
(Nezavisimaya Gazeta)
DEFENSE
Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said the ministry will provide extra safety measures at the country’s arms depots following last month’s incidents.
(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
The Russian Navy is planning to test launch the Bulava ballistic missile from the Alexander Nevsky strategic submarine later this year.
(Nezavisimaya Gazeta)
WORLD
Ninety nine people have been hospitalized in Athens in clashes between police and demonstrators protesting an unpopular government austerity program.
(Nezavisimaya Gazeta)
TRANSPORTATION
Reconstruction of landing stripes in the Moscow Vnukovo airport has been completed. The airport becomes fully operational again starting Friday.
(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
MOSCOW
Authorities of the Russian capital and the Moscow Region will soon begin talks on the expansion of the Moscow borders into the region, as was earlier proposed by President Dmitry Medvedev.
(Kommersant)
CULTURE
The founder of Moscow’s famed Taganka Theatre, Yuri Lyabimov, once again confirmed his intention to quit the theatre he had led for nearly half a century due to a row with actors over pay.
(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
SPORTS
Russia’s Maria Sharapova is on her run for another Grand Slam trophy as she defeated Germany’s Sabine Lisicki 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the Wimbledon finals.
(Kommersant, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
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