Outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday promoted Leningrad region deputy head Alexander Drozdenko to the post of governor of the region and reappointed Buryatia governor Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn. Outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday promoted Leningrad region deputy head Alexander Drozdenko to the post...

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. Konsantin Lysenko Associate Director, Capital Markets CBRE, Russia After considerable growth...

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said he's willing to resign if Russia withdraws its troops from the two separatist Georgian regions that split off in the 2008 war between the two countries. TBILISI, Georgia — Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said he's willing to resign if Russia withdraws its troops from the two separatist Georgian regions that split off in...

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

Buryatia President Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn and Leningrad Governor Valery Serdyukov resigned Friday, the Kremlin said. This follows Thursday's resignation of Samara Governor Vladimir Artyakov as well as three other regional bosses last week, in what many are seeing as a Kremlin ploy to remove unpopular leaders before gubernatorial elections in October. Nagovitsyn, who led the autonomous Buryatia republic since 2007, will leave his post on Saturday. Serdyukov will...

A 46-year-old furniture magnate was killed with six gunshot wounds to the head and chest early Sunday as he arrived in his Mercedes at his home in the Moscow region. A 46-year-old furniture magnate was killed with six gunshot wounds to the head and chest early Sunday as he arrived in his Mercedes at his home in the Moscow region, investigators said. Two unknown attackers used their car to block the Mercedes...

The former head of the Leningrad region assembly was nominated Tuesday to become governor of the Karelia republic, a move seen as another attempt to replace a regional governor before direct gubernatorial elections go into effect this fall. The former...

The heads of Yaroslavl and Perm regions became the latest governors to be stripped of their duties by outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev, who has accepted resignations from a dozen regional chiefs since December. The heads of Yaroslavl and Perm regions became the latest governors...

What are the latest trends in the retail real estate market, and why are the regions still so challenging for many developers and investors? Natalia Tischendorf National Director, Capital Markets Department Jones Lang LaSalle, Russia & CIS What are the latest trends in the retail real estate market, and why are the regions...

The Kremlin on Thursday announced confirmation of three appointees to fill regional executive vacancies, Interfax reported. Yevgeny Kuivashev is taking the reins in the Sverdlovsk region, Sergei Yeroshchenko is the new leader of the Irkutsk region and Alexander Hudilainen takes charge in Karelia. All three have already assumed...

President Vladimir Putin on Friday appointed a confidant of billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov as the acting governor of the Irkutsk region, where the metals magnate has a large gold-mining operation and other businesses. President Vladimir Putin on Friday appointed a confidant of billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov as the acting governor of the Irkutsk region, where the metals magnate...

Former Regional Development Minister Viktor Basargin, who was appointed as Perm's next governor over the weekend, has promised to improve the region's infrastructure. Former Regional Development Minister Viktor Basargin, who was appointed as...

... split the country. KIEV — Ukraine's ruling party has triggered violent protests with a move to upgrade the official role of Russian, a sensitive issue opponents say will split the country. A bill by President Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions rekindled an emotional debate. Russian is the mother tongue of most people in the east and south, while Ukrainian, the state language, predominates in parts of the center and in the west. Fists flew among deputies in parliament Thursday, and...

The governors of the Samara and Leningrad regions resigned Thursday as the Kremlin pushed ahead with a campaign to replace unpopular regional leaders before the first direct gubernatorial elections this fall. The governors of the Samara and Leningrad regions resigned Thursday...

Sergei Shoigu, during his inauguration as Moscow governor on Thursday, promised to promote investment and raise the region's $10 billion budget. KRASNOGORSK, Moscow Region — Sergei Shoigu, during his inauguration as Moscow governor on Thursday, promised to promote investment and raise the region's $10 billion budget. The former emergency situations minister...

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). Fitch Ratings on Friday upgraded the Novosibirsk region's long-term foreign and local currency...

The Moscow Region Arbitration Court on Friday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Oblstroiuniversal against the Cadastral Chamber of the Moscow Region, a division of the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography...

... density of brown bears on Earth, the only geyser field in Eurasia and the tallest active volcano on the continent. For decades, the peninsula was shut by the Soviet government to protect its local military assets, but the Soviet collapse caused this region to open and brought in waves of outsiders. Perestroika prompted a massive exodus from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka's capital city, which more than half the peninsula's population calls home. Nearly 100,000 people have left since 1992. The...

... feverishly appointing new governors to avoid any unpleasant surprises at the ballot box. As a result, of the 11 gubernatorial elections originally slated for this year, only four will actually be held — in the Amur, Belgorod, Novgorod and Bryansk regions. These are all small regions where the Kremlin is confident that it has the situation under control. Almost 20 governors — about one out of every four — have been replaced since the beginning of the year. There were two motivations...

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov on Thursday dismissed his government in what appeared to be an attempt to avoid a possible reduction in federal subsidies, which the region heavily relies upon. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov on Thursday dismissed his government in what appeared to be an attempt to avoid a possible reduction in federal subsidies, which the region heavily relies upon. Kadyrov offered little explanation...