What the Papers Say, May 28, 2013

Kommersant

1. Kirill Melnikov et al. report headlined "Itera dissolves in Rosneft" says that Itera, one of the first private energy companies in Russia, is being taken over by Rosneft. The state-controlled oil giant, which already has 51 percent of Itera, is buying the stake of the company's founder, Igor Makarov, the article says; pp 1, 9 (978 words).

2. Irina Nagornykh and Maxim Ivanov article headlined "Twice Russian People's Front" says a new name may be given to the pro-Putin movement at its congress in June: All-Russia People's Front for Russia; pp 1-2 (564 words).

3. Yevgeny Timoshinov and Yelizaveta Kuznetsova article headlined "Kazan speed" says a high-speed railway linking Moscow with Kazan may be built by 2018; pp 1, 9 (762 words).

4. Olga Shestopal article headlined "Electronic wallets being stolen from buyers" says that a lack of understanding between the Russian Central Bank and the State Duma is likely to make on-line purchases in Russia more risky; pp 1, 10 (878 words).

5. Maria-Luiza Tirmaste article headlined "United Russia in view of Alexei Chesnakov" says former senior member of United Russia Alexei Chesnakov, who has recently left the party, has written 12 articles analysing the problems of the party, p 2 (763 words).

6. Maxim Ivanov and Taisia Bekbulatova article headlined "Millions under suspicion" says recent public opinion polls have shown that Russians do not believe in the possibility of earning millions in a legal way in the country, therefore there is no consensus in Russian society on the planned amnesty for businessmen serving sentences for economic crimes; p 2 (477 words).

7. Yelena Chernenko article headlined "Afghanistan looks frightening" says the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is concerned about the planned U.S. troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan. The issue was the main topic on the agenda of the CSTO talks in Bishkek on 27 May, the article notes; p 8 (463 words).

8. Alexander Reutov article headlined "Palestine offered to speak for $4 billion" says Washington has promised generous investment to the Palestinian National Authority as they may urge it to start peace talks with Israel; p 8 (390 words).

Nezavisimaya Gazeta

1. Vladimir Mukhin article headlined "Afghan drug trafficking at gunpoint of CSTO" says Russia is developing measures to reduce drug trafficking from Afghanistan which is expected to grow after NATO troops leave the country. The measures are being discussed at the summit of the CSTO member states; pp 1, 5 (735 words).

2. Alexandera Samarina article headlined "People's Front has its own track" says the All-Russia People's Front, which is to get registered as a movement in June, expects to have a large faction of its candidates in the next parliament. Experts predict rivalry between United Russia and the All-Russia People's Front; pp 1, 3 (797 words).

3. Alexei Gorbachev article headlined "Germany being persuaded to accept Magnitsky List" says European deputies have started gathering signatures to impose sanctions on Russian officials suspected of violating human rights; pp 1, 3 (740 words).

4. Igor Naumov article headlined "Sapsan trains to head southwards" says President Vladimir Putin has told the government to estimate feasibility of the construction of high-speed railways in Russia; pp 1, 4 (717 words).

5. Yury Roks article headlined "To save Mikheil Saakashvili" looks at candidates to stand for president in Georgia this autumn; pp 1, 6 (824 words).

6. Vladimir Skosyrev article headlined "Chinese Navy makes neighbors nervous" reports on the Chinese navy exercise believed to be held in response to the USA stepping up military activity in the region; pp 1, 7 (561 words).

7. Editorial headlined "Five-year period of May decree implementation begins in Russia" compares Putin's policy with the Soviet-time five-year terms of planned economy; p 2 (530 words).

8. Viktor Litovkin article headlined "Russian Armed Forces on alert" reports on the largest exercises of the Russian Aerospace Defense Troops in the last 20 years; p 2 (786 words).

9. Tatyana Ivzhenko article headlined "Consortium for two" says Russia and Ukraine have come close to reaching an agreement on a gas consortium of the two countries; p 6 (1,094 words).

10. Yevgenia Novikova article headlined "Three countries of region involved in Syrian crisis" says Israel, Lebanon and Qatar have become involved in the Syrian crisis; p 7 (752 words).

Izvestia

1. Pavel Panov and Anna Moskaleva article headlined "Scientists to teach FSB to learn about bribes" says the Russian Language Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences is to help the Federal Security Service analyse conversations and blogs that may have information on bribery; pp 1, 4 (459 words).

2. Yury Matsarsky article headlined "Syrians need peace, not Assad or opposition" looks at the Syrian conflict; pp 1, 7 (723 words).

3. Nikita Mogutin and Dmitry Yevstifeyev article headlined "Yevgenia Vasilyeva could sell Vasilyevsky Island" says another case has been opened following the sale of a plot of land on Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg, which used to belong to the Defense Ministry; pp 1, 4 (629 words).

4. Yulia Tsoy and Anastasia Kashevarova article headlined "Audit Chamber to be entrusted with determining whether state projects are promising" says the presidential administration wants to give the Audit Chamber new powers: auditors will determine whether state projects are promising and feasible; pp 1-2 (647 words).

5. Alexei Pestov and Denis Telmanov article headlined "Women to be allowed to be called up of their will" says the State Duma wants to allow conscription of young Russian women of their own free will; p 3 (578 words).

6. Denis Telmanov article headlined "National Centre to control defense to be set up in Russia" says the Defense Ministry, the Emergency Situations Ministry, the Rosatom state corporation and some other bodies will be united by a single defense command centre in Russia; p 4 (478 words).

7. Yelena Teslova article headlined "They talk about dissolution of Coordination Council" says the members of the opposition Coordination Council may discuss its possible dissolution at the upcoming meeting scheduled for 15 June; p 2 (400 words).

Vedomosti

1. Yekaterina Sobol article headlined "Addition to Aeroflot" says officials are planning to merge Russia's largest airline Aeroflot with one of its rivals: Transaero, Sibir or UTair; pp 1, 12 (758 words).

2. Editorial headlined "They filmed for motherland" analyses the Russian authorities' policy towards the domestic film industry that is to provide patriotic education; pp 1, 6 (489 words).

3. Lilia Biryukova article headlined "They do not call aliens to front" says a new decision-making body for the pro-Putin movement, All-Russia People's Front, may be established at its congress in June; p 2 (500 words).

4. Another editorial headlined "Challenges of leadership" looks at recently drafted ranking of Russian cities, which took into account different economic and social aspects; p 6 (273 words).

Rossiiskaya Gazeta

1. Viktor Feshchenko article headlined "Foreboding trouble" says the CSTO is getting ready for worsening of the security situation in Afghanistan. The country will be the main topic on the agenda of the CSTO member states summit; p 8 (443 words).

2. Marina Aleshina article headlined "Nobody knows what to do" says the Syrian conflict risks growing into a fully-fledged war in the Middle East involving several countries of the region; p 8 (601 words).

Moskovsky Komsomolets

1. Natalya Rozhkova article headlined "No longer United Russia" comments on the decision of Alexei Chesnakov, a senior member of United Russia, to leave the party; pp 1, 4 (1,377 words).

2. Mikhail Rostovsky article headlined "Eaglet Medvedev learns to fly, but kite Putin does not go anywhere" says a recent NTV show has portrayed Medvedev as a successful politician despite his obvious failures; pp 1-2 (749 words).

RBK DailyNovye Izvestia

1. Alexander Litoy report "Who attacks whom" says that criminal proceedings have been instituted against Vadim Korovin, activist from the Russian federation of motorists, for "using violence against a traffic policeman". Korovin's associates say that the incident was made up; p 2 (600 words).

2. Alexander Litoy report "Sociologists against politics" says that the Sociological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences has sent a letter to the Prosecutor-General's Office in support of the NGO Levada Centre that can be recognized as a foreign agent; p 2 (300 words).

1. Anna Alexeyeva article headlined "Facing sentence" says that Vadim Korovin, an activist from the Russian federation of motorists known for his fight against privileges for officials' cars with flashing lights, is facing up to 10 years in prison, as the traffic police have accused him of hurting a policeman. The activist cannot prove his innocence; pp 1, 5 (567 words).

2. Yevgenia Zubchenko report "Analysis of imprisonment" says that there is very little hope that thousands of people convicted of economic crimes will be granted amnesty as Putin has criticized the draft amnesty for entrepreneurs proposed by Russia's business ombudsman Boris Titov; pp 1, 3 (750 words).

3. Yulia Savina article headlined "Curiae of contention" says that Moscow municipal deputy Maxim Kats has left the opposition Coordination Council. The organization needs a reform, the author notes; p 2 (676 words).

4. Vera Moslakova report "Walk away from here" says that the Russian authorities continue to stop opposition protests in a tough way. A total of 19 people were brought to police stations over the weekend for attempts to carry out unauthorized rallies to support people detained as part of the Bolotnaya case; p 2 (700 words).

Komsomolskaya Pravda

1. Viktor Baranets article headlined "Armed Forces start repelling attack from space" gives details of the Russian Aerospace Defense Troops' exercise; p 5 (574 words).

2. Olga Gopalo report "How crocodile from "Moydodyr' hurt Muslims" says that according to the website Islam.ru, a picture from the children's book "Moydodyr" insults Muslims; p 6 (650 words).

3. Alexander Khodyakin report "Europe under threat of strike" says that the Russian Federal Security Service has given information to five European countries about terrorist attacks that may be staged there; p 7 (400 words).

TrudKrasnaya Zvezda

1. Alexander Protsenko report "They take according to rank" says that civil servants' salaries rise twice as faster than other Russians' salaries, but quality of their work remains very bad; p 1 (950 words).

2. Sergei Rusev interview with Federation Council speaker Valentina Matvyenko who speaks about the state policy towards children; p 4 (2,300 words).

1. Viktor Ruchkin report "Waiting for 'impatient lion'" says that foreign ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states have supported the Russian-US initiative to hold an international conference on Syria; p 3 (1,050 words).

Tvoy Dzhen

1. Andrei Muravyev report "Armour, get harder!" says that Russian generals will get a supertank for emergency evacuation from nuclear and chemical contamination zones; p 2 (550 words).

2. Sergei Ivanov report "And now truth and only truth" says that Russian officials will be obliged to take lie detector tests as a measure to fight against corruption; p 2 (200 words).

Moskovskye Novosti

1. Anastasia Matveyeva report "Price for cooperation and development" looks at pros and cons of Russia's future membership of the OECD; pp B2-B3 (2,100 words).

Related articles:

• What the Papers Say, May 27, 2012
• What the Papers Say, May 24, 2012
• What the Papers Say, May 23, 2012