Kommersant
1. Boris Barabanov et al. article headlined "Extreme burn" describes the May 2 clashes between pro-Russian activists and Maidan supporters in Ukraine's Odessa, which has claimed the lives of 46 people; pp 1, 3 (1,502 words).
2. Yegor Popov and Denis Skorobogatko article headlined "Chinese to enter Crimea via bridge" says that China will become the first foreign country to invest in Crimea's economy through the construction of a bridge to the peninsula across the Kerch Strait. The move indicates the strengthening of relations between Moscow and Beijing, sources say, but experts forecast problems for Russian companies after Chinese companies come to Crimea; pp 1, 9 (867 words).
3. Olga Shestopal article headlined "Too national payment system" says that according to auditors, the Russian money transfer system Zolotaya Korona suits the development of the national payment system better than the universal electronic card, but also has certain obstacles; pp 1, 8 (592 words).
4. Maxim Ivanov et al. article headlined "Ukrainian events treated unofficially" looks at how Russian officials have reacted to the developments in Ukraine's southeastern regions. President Vladimir Putin has not commented on the issue in person, but received information without delay. Prominent politicians have limited themselves to emotional remarks; p 2 (614 words).
5. Kirill Belyaninov and Yelena Chernenko article headlined "Gas leaks through sanctions" says that the U.S. and Germany are ready to impose new sanctions against Russia over its stance on Ukraine and its support for pro-Russian activists in the country's southeast. But Washington is ready to take into account European partners' demands and not to restrict Russian gas supplies to the EU; p 2 (705 words).
6. Unattributed article in the column "Direct speech" headlined "What will force them to reconcile?" features comments by Russian politicians and experts on prospects for the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis; p 3 (536 words).
7. Sergei Strokan article headlined "Elections get under crossfire" says that a strong-arm operation in Ukraine's southeast has triggered a civil war in the country. Given this, the May 25 presidential election, which is meant to legitimize the Ukrainian authorities, makes no sense as the conflict will only deteriorate; p 3 (863 words).
8. St. Petersburg-based Anna Pushkarskaya article headlined "Constitutional Court asked to stop judicial reform" says that the Communist Party faction in the State Duma has asked the Constitutional Court to cancel the judicial reform, under which the Supreme Arbitration Court is abolished and the single Supreme Court is established, as, according to Communists, it is unconstitutional; p 4 (649 words).
9. Vsevolod Inyutin article headlined "Former deputy head of Agriculture Ministry has his charges tripled" says that yet another criminal case on charges of money laundering has been opened against former Deputy Agriculture Minister Alexei Bazhanov, targeted in the state-owned company Rosagroleasing fraud case; p 6 (582 words).
10. Ivan Safronov article headlined "Syrian Yak-130 included in plan" says that the Russian state arms export agency Rosoboronexport and the United Aircraft-Building Corporation have drafted a schedule to deliver Yak-130 trainer aircraft to Syria. The first batch will be supplied by the end of the year, the contract is to be executed in 2016; p 6 (461 words).
11. Yury Barsukov article headlined "Russia introduces new order in WTO" says that Russia has challenged the EU's Third Energy Package in the World Trade Organization. The move is unprecedented, but Russia's chances of winning are small, although the case may end in a compromise advantageous to Russia's gas giant Gazprom, the article says; p 7 (587 words).
12. Olga Kuznetsova et al. report "Donbass keeps controlling positions" looks at the situation in the southeast of Ukraine and says that "self-defense" detachments have said that Kiev's special operation in the region has failed; p 2 (900 words).
13. Tatyana Yedovina report "IMF explains economy through geopolitics" says that the Ukrainian crisis is slowing down the growth of Russian GDP; p 4 (500 words).
14. Roman Rozhkov et al. report "Program offensive" says that U.S. IT companies may stop cooperation with a number of Russian banks and companies that fall under the sanctions of the U.S. government; p 7 (500 words).
Vedomosti
1. Yekaterina Kravchenko et al. article headlined "Sanctions for election" says that the U.S. and Germany have promised to impose new sanctions against Russia if it wrecks the May 25 presidential election in Ukraine; pp 1, 14 (750 words).
2. Nikolai Epple and Maxim Trudolyubov article headlined "Delayed consequences" says that the political crisis in Ukraine has made actual the implications of the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 as regards the existence of Russia and Ukraine as independent states; p 1, 6 (500 words).
3. Dmitry Kamyshev and Ksenia Boletskaya article headlined "For seizing Crimea" says that President Putin has signed a decree on giving state medals and decorations to Russian journalists for "unbiased covering" of Crimean events; p 2 (700 words).
4. Polina Khimshiashvili and Alexei Nikolsky article headlined "Battle of Kulikovo" focuses on the developments in Ukraine's southeast, noting that the Ukrainian authorities' attempts to take the region under control have failed, though resulted in casualties. Russian military expert Mikhail Barabanov has said that the Ukrainian security forces evidently acted irresolutely because they continue fearing Russia's military involvement in the conflict; p 3 (750 words).
5. Svetlana Bocharova and Maria Zheleznova article headlined "Second one not given" says that the State Duma's legal directorate has criticized an initiative to oblige the Russians, who have foreign citizenship, to inform the Russian authorities about this a threat of prosecution; p 3 (450 words).
6. Margarita Papchenkova and Maxim Tovkaylo article headlined "Dispute for $30 billion" says that Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan have agreed to establish the Eurasian Economic Union in 2015 and outlines disagreements that existed between Moscow and Minsk on the issue; p 4 (900 words).
7. Vasily Kashin article headlined "Moscow does not want to meddle in conflict" says that the Russian authorities have evidently decided to stay away from the developments in Ukraine's southeast, explores the reasons behind the decision and looks at prospects for the conflict settlement; p 6 (1,100 words).
8. Mikhail Serov article headlined "Month for gas talks" says that the May 2 talks between Russia, the European Commission and Ukraine on Russian gas supplies to Europe have yielded no results, although the sides have promised to come to terms by June, otherwise gas supplies to Ukraine will be suspended, the article says; pp 11, 13 (800 words).
Izvestia
1. Konstantin Volkov article headlined "Requiem for victims" says that ceremonies to commemorate the victims of the Ukrainian authorities' "anti-terror" operation in the southeast of the country will be held on May 5 not only in Ukraine's Odessa, Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, but also in Moscow and Rostov-on-Don; pp 1, 7 (573 words).
2. Alena Sivkova article headlined "Ukrainian authorities to answer for Odessa tragedy before European Court of Human Rights" says that the Russian Public Chamber intends to file a lawsuit at the European Court of Human Rights, seeking punishment for the Ukrainian authorities for the massacre in Odessa and casualties in other Ukrainian cities; pp 1, 7 (934 words).
3. Vladimir Zykov and Taras Podrez article headlined "YouTube suffers due to 'pirates'" says that the company Video Kontent has filed a lawsuit against the video hosting YouTube over copyright violations; pp 1, 4 (732 words).
4. Anastasia Kashevarova and Ruben Garsya article headlined "Officials and deputies to report on loans" says that following a number of scandals involving State Duma lawmakers who have not paid off their loans, the presidential administration and the government have drafted amendments to the law on combating corruption, under which officials will be obliged to provide information about their loans as from 2015; pp 1-2 (614 words).
5. Natalia Bashlykova article headlined "Astrakhan region governor does not wait until Kremlin's decision" says that Astrakhan Region governor Alexander Zhilkin has announced his participation in the ruling One Russia party's primary elections to choose the candidate for the autumn governor elections. Zhilkin has not been appointed the acting regional head by the president. Experts are skeptical about Zhilkin's move; p 2 (786 words).
6. Alena Sivkova article headlined "Crimean parties merge with Russian ones" says that the Crimean branches of Ukraine's party for the protection of Ukrainian pensioners and Ukraine's International Party have held talks with the Russian Party of Pensioners and decided to join the latter's ranks en masse; p 3 (577 words).
7. Svetlana Povoraznyuk article headlined "RBK to get rid of Daily" says that the RBK media holding company may rename the daily newspaper RBK Daily into RBK this summer; p 6 (677 words).
8. Alexandra Bayazitova and Alexei Krivoruchek article headlined "State Duma offers Kiev to exchange defense enterprises for debts" says that State Duma lawmaker Oksana Dmitryeva has asked Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin to offer Ukraine to pay off its gas debt by transferring Ukrainian defense enterprises to Russia's ownership; p 8 (720 words).
9. Petr Kozlov article headlined "Advanced payment for gas to be introduced for Ukraine as from June 1" says that the trilateral gas talks in Warsaw have been fruitless. Following the meeting, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has said that as from June 1, gas supplies to Ukraine will be provided on the pre-paid basis; p 8 (792 words).
10. Avigdor Eskin article headlined "How to combat neo-Nazism in Ukraine" looks at the Russian authorities' stance on the developments in Ukraine and suggests alternative steps that may be taken in response to the West's support for "Banderites' atrocities"; p 9 (700 words).
11. Yegor Kholmogorov article headlined "Not to be victim" criticizes Russia's stance on clashes between pro-Russian activists and the Ukrainian security forces in Ukraine's southeast; p 9 (1,091 words).
12. Ukrainian pundit Oleh Bondarenko article headlined "Slovyansk's conclusions or tank men as counter-elite" draws conclusions from the Ukrainian authorities' operation in Slovyansk and tries to guess who in Russia can fight back Ukrainian neo-fascists; p 9 (727 words).
13. Maxim Sokolov article headlined "When ghetto burns" says that the May 2 massacre in Odessa will go down in the history of Europe as an evil day; p 9 (477 words).
14. Yelena Malai report "Life sentence for damage to sovereignty" says that a State Duma member from United Russia has drafted a bill on amendments to the Criminal Code that reinstate the Soviet-time responsibility for actions that "damage sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country"; pp 1-2 (700 words).
15. Irina Nenasheva report "Foreign travel limited for staff of prosecutor's offices" says that traveling abroad has been limited for the staff of Russian prosecutor's offices; p 4 (300 words).
16. Taras Podrez report "Head of Yandex.Ukraine openly supports Nazis" says that the head of the Ukrainian branch of the Russian search engine Yandex has openly backed the actions of "Ukrainian defenders of Maidan", as a result of which more than 40 people have died in Odessa; p 7 (700 words).
Rossiiskaya Gazeta
1. Taras Fomchenkov article headlined "Money today, gas tomorrow" says that if Ukraine does not pay its gas debt by May 7, Gazprom will demand advanced payment for gas in June; pp 1, 4 (921 words).
2. Yury Snegirev article headlined "Exactly at 0400" shares the journalist's impression of the armed clash between pro-Russian activists and the Ukrainian security forces in Ukraine's Slovyansk on May 2; pp 1, 3 (1,070 words).
3. Galina Bryntseva interview with Russian president's special envoy Vladimir Lukin, headlined "Mission possible", who speaks about the release of OSCE military inspectors seized by "people's militia" in Slovyansk on April 25; p 2 (777 words).
4. Kira Latukhina article headlined "Election is absurd now" says that the Russian authorities have been outraged by the latest developments in Ukraine and certain countries' approval of Kiev's activities; p 2 (556 words).
5. Galina Sinakh article, which publishes a reader's appeal to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, headlined "'Do not you feel ashamed for your silence?'" criticizes the West's stance on the latest developments in Ukraine and on Russia's position on the issue and calls on EU leaders to stop the war there; p 3 (503 words).
6. Vladislav Rilsky article headlined "Business class for chancellor" says that the German business community has opposed the introduction of new sanctions against Russia; p 4 (413 words).
7. Igor Dunayevsky article headlined "Game with zero result" reports on a meeting between the German chancellor and the U.S. president in Washington. The Ukrainian crisis and economic sanctions against Russia topped the agenda of the meeting; p 4 (422 words).
8. Anna Roze article headlined "Angela's behavior" says that U.S. President Barack Obama has managed to win over German Chancellor Angela Merkel as regards the Ukrainian crisis and anti-Russian sanctions. Having neutralized Merkel's opposition, Obama has obtained a free hand in NATO and the EU, the article says; p 4 (679 words).
9. Igor Chernyak article headlined "Twenty-five minutes with Fidel Castro" reports on Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's Latin American tour; p 5 (1,018 words).
10. Andrei Vasilyev report "May.Blood.War" looks at the situation in Ukraine and says that "militants from the Right Sector have burned alive people in Odessa"; pp 1-2 (600 words).
Novaya Gazeta
1. Olga Bobrova report from Odessa headlined "Odessa met dawn at Kulykove Pole" looks at moods in the city on the following the death of a large group of pro-Russian activists; pp 2-3 (800 words).
2. Pavel Kanygin article headlined "Roadblocks sprouting up like mushrooms after rain" summarizes developments in east Ukraine's Slovyansk and Kramatorsk over May 2-3; p 3 (450 words).
3. Yulia Polukhina article headlined "'And people ran to donate blood in morning...'" features comments by eyewitnesses of opposing political views on the May 2 fire at Odessa's trade union building; pp 4-5 (1,192 words).
4. Olga Bobrova interviews with the head of Ukraine's Kherson Region administration and acting Kherson mayor, headlined "Everything is Ukrainian in Kherson", speaking about their views of the region's future in the vicinity of Russia given that the region is strongly backing the Ukrainian authorities; pp 6-7 (1,424 words).
5. Vasily Zhrkov op-ed headlined "War for status quo" argues that the April 17 Geneva agreements on the Ukrainian crisis settlement have failed; p 7 (541 words).
6. Yulia Latynina article headlined "Special operation same as state" argues that Russian special services have not had a hand in clashes between pro-Russian activists and Maidan supporters in Ukraine's Donetsk region; pp 8-9 (2,324 words).
RBK Daily
1. Katerina Kitayeva and Sergei Sobolev article headlined "America not paying" says the sanctions-hit Bank Rossia will not be able to receive dividends from a major media asset due to international sanctions; pp 1, 5 (400 words).
2. Ivan Petrov et al. article headlined "Donbass not conquered" says that the Ukrainian army is unable so far to take the situation in the country's southeast under control. The article also features comments by Russian experts and politicians on the issue; p 2 (1,400 words).
3. Anastasia Mikhailova article headlined "Where Russians feel bad" says that a research conducted by the independent pollster Levada Centre has shown that Russians would be happy about their country's expansion and the establishment of the Eurasian Union, but oppose the use of force and annexation of territories. They also think that Russians are being oppressed the most in Ukraine and the Baltic States and the least in Central Asia; p 3 (500 words).
Komsomolskaya Pravda
1. Alexei Pankin article headlined "World information war I has begun" analyses media coverage of recent armed conflicts, claiming that a new propaganda war of unprecedented scale has begun; pp 1, 8 (1,200 words)
2. Nigina Beroyeva article headlined "They shouted: 'burn, Russians', but Ukrainians burned' details the May 3 Odessa fire and current moods in the city; p 2 (400 words).
3. Yelena Chinkova article headlined "Obama threatens Russia again" says the U.S. has convinced Germany to introduce tougher sanctions against Russia; p 3 (300 words).
4. Yegor Kholmogorov article headlined "We have no choice" calls for "punishment for the sadists who brought back the ovens of Holocaust in Odessa"; p 4 (300 words).
5. Alexander Kots and Dmitry Steshin article headlined "Donbass not giving up without fight" chronicles clashes in east Ukraine's Slovyansk and Kramatorsk on May 2-3; p 5 (700 words).
6. Alexander Kots and Dmitry Steshin article headlined "We were ordered to shoot to kill" features interviews with two former Ukrainian servicemen who defected to the pro-Russian forces in Slovyansk; p 6 (500 words).
Tvoi Den
1. Alexei Bulatov op-ed headlined "Regular fascism" reacts to the recent developments in Odessa slamming the Ukrainian authorities and Russian liberals; p 2 (300 words).
2. Mikhail Dolgov article headlined "Complete Rogues!" is claimed to be a first-hand account of the May 3 fire in Odessa; pp 2-3 (200 words).
3, Sergei Ivanov article headlined "Science of killing" claims that Ukrainian servicemen "are trained to shoot at women before they are sent to the southeast"; p 4 (50 words).
4. Anton Stepanov article headlined "Nothing holy" claims that Ukrainian national guard fighters beat up a nurse in Kramatorsk when a checkpoint near the town was stormed; pp 4-5 (300 words).
Zavtra
1.Alexei Fefelov interview with leader of the "Donbass people's militia", Igor Strelkov, headlined "New Russia on fire"; p 1 (150 words).
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