The Moscow Times

On Dec. 30, 2011, the Finance Ministry issued letter No. 03-08-13/1, changing the authorities' view of what constitutes a beneficial owner as well as how eurobond interest is taxed.

Telecoms operator VimpelCom Ltd. said it was seeing signs of a turnaround in its core Russian business, and it had a good chance of winning one of the next-generation 4G licenses to be awarded by the government.

The government doesn't spend enough on infrastructure projects because it doesn't believe in the effectiveness of such investment.

Visitors to Moscow's bars and restaurant will soon enjoy a smoke-free environment, thanks to new rules in the works as part of the city's ambitious plan for development through 2025.

Danish brewer Carlsberg renewed hopes for a recovery in its crucial Russian beer market Wednesday, after the first quarter of the year saw a rise in its market share, sending its shares up more than 3 percent.

Amid a state crackdown on smoking, the country's top addictions doctor said Friday that long-time smokers cannot be cured and should not be "treated like animals" as they indulge in their habit.

Gazprom could have to put on ice its plans to develop more Arctic fields in light of a proposal that the Cabinet backed earlier this week to raise taxes on the industry.

The Finance Ministry’s latest proposals on luxury taxes put the rate for real estate at 0.05 percent to 0.3 percent, while owners of cars with engines of 410 horsepower or more will also be paying more — a rate that will affect less than 2 percent of all cars in the country.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said his stint in the job sometimes felt like getting an education, as he bid farewell to his Cabinet on Wednesday at its final session.

In 2011, Russia completed negotiations regarding its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Membership of the WTO will give Russia the advantages of being able to play a role in setting world trade rules, of Russian manufacturers not seeing their goods discriminated against on foreign markets, and of trade disputes between Russia and other partners being able to be resolved using procedures within the WTO framework.

Gazprom earned nearly $45 billion last year, up 35 percent and beating market expectations thanks to rising production and prices — figures that show why it has become such a tempting tax target.

Two members of the female punk band Pussy Riot who face up to seven years in prison on charges of hooliganism for an impromptu performance at a Moscow cathedral asked the president on Friday to examine the legitimacy of their case.

Outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev, who is set to become the next prime minister, signaled in a speech Tuesday that taxes would not increase in the near term.

There have been thousands of articles written and endless airtime given to Russia's World Trade Organization accession after 18 years of negotiations. There is a prevalent misconception that it is a done deal, that Russia is now a member of the WTO.