What the Papers Say, Oct. 14, 2013

Kommersant

1. Vyacheslav Kozlov et al. report headlined "Biryulyovo violent" reports on mass disturbances in the Moscow district of Biryulyovo following the murder of a Russian man. Nationalists claimed that the man was killed by a North Caucasus native, so their followers attacked a shopping centre allegedly employing labor migrants. Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev demanded that the Moscow police find the murderer and the ones who instigated the unrest; pp 1-2 (1,466 words).

2. Vladislav Novy article headlined "Arkady Rotenberg draws satellite map" says that business structures belonging to Arkady Rotenberg will invest $30 million in the Skaneks company supplying satellite maps to the Yandex search engine and the Rosreiestr agency; pp 1, 12 (586 words).

3. Yekaterina Belkina et al. report headlined "Forged money appear in cash dispensers" says four Russian banks have stopped accepting 5,000-ruble banknotes in Moscow due to an influx of forged money. The Central Bank claims that forgers make banknotes to be recognized as real one by cash dispensers; pp 1, 10 (561 words).

4. Sergei Goryashko et al. report headlined "Actions of fighters against migrants left without assessment" says that mass disturbances in Moscow have caught the authorities off guard. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called on the police to find the murder of a Russian man. The State Duma is going to discuss the situation at one of its meetings; p 2 (599 words).

5. Natalya Gorodetskaya and Vsevolod Inyutin article headlined "List of governors facing dismissals becomes open" says the rating of political survival of Russian governors developed by the St. Petersburg Politics Foundation has suggested that several governors will be dismissed by the end of 2013; p 3 (424 words).

6. Natalya Korchenkova article headlined "Human rights council prepares president for new amnesty" says the Russian presidential human rights council has approved a concept of a large-scale amnesty dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Russian constitution. The amnesty is likely to cover jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and opposition activists charged with Bolotnaya Ploshchad clashes with the police; p 3 (515 words).

7. Makhachkala-based Yulia Rybina article headlined "Experienced saboteur runs into response bullet" reports on the killing of the leader of Dagestan's saboteur and terrorist group in Khasavyurt; p 4 (513 words).

8. Sofya Samokhina report "Working version prepared for internet" says that both copyright holders and the internet industry are happy with amendments to the anti-piracy law; p 5 (800 words).

9. Dmitry Butrin article headlined "Russia added to world agenda" says the issues to be discussed by a meeting within the G20 framework include Russian domestic economy problems such as the pension system reform; p 6 (547 words).

10. Yelena Chernenko and Angelina Shunina article headlined "Yasir Arafat's death becomes scientific fact" says Swiss scientists have found traces of radioactive polonium on late Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat's personal belongings, so he must have been poisoned by polonium and died due to that; p 7 (582 words).

11. Olga Kuznetsova article headlined "U.S. to wait for verdict of elders" comments on the meeting between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Afghan President Hamed Karzai and says that they have failed to reach agreement on the future of the U.S. military presence in the country. The seizure of one of Taleban leaders by U.S. troops in Afghanistan without informing Kabul made the talks more complicated; p 8 (479 words).

12. Kirill Belyaninov article headlined "Parks and museums work in regular mode" says the authorities of some states have started financing some tourist attractions while the U.S. president and the Congress still cannot come to agreement over the budget; p 8 (644 words).

13. Sergei Strokan article headlined "North Korea to punish America" says Pyongyang has refused to reach a non-aggression agreement with Washington. On the contrary, North Korea threatened the U.S. with revenge strikes in response to a joint naval exercise including South Korean, Japanese and U.S. ships; p 8 (504 words).

14. Sergei Sobolyov report "Military's Zvezda succeeds" looks at the Russian Defense Ministry-controlled Zvezda TV channel and says that the channel's funding will increase in the future; p 12 (600 words).

Nezavisimaya Gazeta

1. Alexandra Samarina article headlined "Another initiative by Medvedev being cancelled" says the Interior Ministry will have a right to open criminal cases for tax crimes despite the fact that it was a part of the liberalization of the criminal code launched by Dmitry Medvedev during his presidency; pp 1, 3 (776 words).

2. Mikhail Sergeyev article headlined "Beijing moves Putin's project for Eurasian union aside in diplomatic way" says Beijing plans to include former Soviet republics in its economic project of Asian development. It will affect Moscow's plans to set up a Eurasian economic union; pp 1, 4 (955 words).

3. Ivan Rodin article headlined "Multi-party system being deprived of sense" says the State Duma is to consider a bill allowing only independent deputies to stand in elections of regional legislative assemblies and municipal councils; pp 1, 3 (688 words).

4. Sergei Kulikov article headlined "Audit Chamber scores goal to Economic Development Ministry" says the Economic Development Ministry wants to reduce the cost of construction of stadiums for World Cup 2018 and is against building the so-called commercial zones within the facilities. The Audit Chamber opposes the plans as they will make the stadiums lossmaking in the future; pp 1, 4 (591 words).

5. Vladimir Mukhin article headlined "Russian paratroopers to repulse separatists in India" provides an outline for the Russian-Indian military exercise Indra 2013 to be held close to the Pakistani border; pp 1-2 (538 words).

6. Yury Panyev article headlined "Drones entrusted with EU borders" says a new system of border monitoring is to start operating in the EU in December; it is expected to help reduce illegal migration; pp 1-2 (591 words).

7. Editorial headlined "Russian weapons for Latin America" says Russian arms manufacturers are facing acute competition with other suppliers from the U.S., France and even China on the Latin American market; p 2 (492 words).

8. Yekaterina Trifonova article headlined "Media and internet hamper fighters against terrorism" says the State Duma is drafting new amendments to the law on media to limit access to information on terrorist attacks; p 3 (617 words).

9. Vladimir Skosyrev article headlined "Karzai allows Americans to talk round himself" says the U.S. and Afghanistan have reached a basic security agreement. The U.S. troops will not leave the country completely. Article features a Russian expert's comment; p 6 (613 words).

10. Yevgenia Novikova article headlined "America notices jihadists' atrocities" says Human Rights Watch activists have published a report on atrocities of the Syrian opposition. The U.S. authorities have condemned the crimes. Meanwhile, the Syrian oppositions forces are divided over participation in the international peace conference on Syria; p 6 (557 words).

11. Yury Panyev report "Moscow's eastern azimuth" looks at the results of the APEC summit in Bali; pp 9-10 (1,200 words).

12. Yevgenia Novikova report "Libya is country without authorities" comments on the situation in Libya and says that its government is incapable of ensuring security in the country; pp 9-10 (900 words).

13. Alexander Zhebin report "Russia-North Korea: One does not choose neighbours" looks at Russian-North Korean relations; pp 9-10 (1,200 words).

14. Alexei Gorbachev article entitled "Freedom for sake of Olympics" says that a draft amnesty prepared by the presidential human rights council could rid the country of high-profile prisoners; p 3 (500 words).

Vedomosti

1. Olga Kuvshinova article headlined "Russia hides budget" says the share of classified spending articles in the Russian budget has grown by 44 percent in three years. A quarter of the budget spending will not be disclosed to the public in 2016; pp 1, 5 (715 words).

2. Vitaly Petlevoy et al. report headlined "Damage to philanthropist" says billionaire Suleiman Kerimov has decided to withdraw his funds from the Alrosa diamond manufacturer a month before the company's IPO; pp 1, 12 (496 words).

3. Editorial headlined "Constitutional pardon" comments on the plans of the presidential human rights council to carry out a large-scale amnesty to mark the 20th anniversary of the Constitution; pp 1, 6 (354 words).

4. Maxim Glikin article headlined "Person of week: Andrei Isayev" reports on an incident on board an aircraft with senior United Russia member Andrei Isayev and notes that the incident reveals the ruling elite's attitude to people; p 7 (354 words).

5. Another editorial headlined "In black-black town" comments on Russian TV channels' programming policy breeding irrational fear among the audience. Experts believe it makes people disbelieve in everything and focus on their demands rather than on social needs; p 6 (356 words).

6. Rinat Sagdyev et al. report headlined "Who spends president's money" says members of the Public Chamber, various councils under the president, trade unions and the Orthodox Church are the main recipients of presidential grants; pp 20-21 (2,055 words).

7. Svetlana Bocharova report "Biryulyovo violent" looks at violent protests against migrants in the Moscow suburb Biryulyovo; p 3 (500 words).

8. Konstantin Sonin report "Putin helps Ukraine" looks at Russia's stance on Ukraine's rapprochement with the EU; p 7 (500 words).

Izvestia

1. Andrei Gridasov and Pavel Kochegarov article headlined "They try to put out Biryulyovo with Volcano [security plan]" says the authorities have not drawn any conclusions from the growing dissatisfaction with crimes committed by migrants, so fresh public disturbances sparked in Moscow; pp 1, 4 (1,362 words).

2. Anastasia Kashevarova article headlined "Alexei Navalny receives two tickets for civilian life" comments on allegations that opposition activist Alexei Navalny has used illegal schemes to dodge the obligatory military service; pp 1-2 (545 words).

3. Natalya Bashlykova article headlined "All-Russia People's Front does not consider itself to be 'coloured' United Russia" says the All-Russia People's Front is more often positioning itself as an independent organization having no connections with United Russia. The parliamentary opposition believes the movement will compete with United Russia in the next parliamentary election; pp 1-2 (1,328 words).

4. Yelizaveta Mayetnaya interview headlined "Compulsory treatment for Kosenko is humane measure" with Tatyana Klimenko, aide to the health minister and legal psychiatrist, who justifies the obligatory psychiatric treatment sentence to Mikhail Kosenko, participant in an anti-Putin rally on Bolotnaya Ploshchad in Moscow; pp 1, 4 (961 words).

5. Yury Matsarsky article headlined "Barack Obama threatened with global economic catastrophe" says the World Bank has called on the U.S. president and the Congress to resolve the budget argument as political instability in the U.S. threatens the global economy, and features a Russian expert's comment on the issue; p 9 (590 words).

6. Maria Gorkovskaya and Darya Tsoy article headlined "U.K. prepares 'hostile environment' to illegal migrants" reports on a U.K. bill aiming to reduce illegal migration and scare Syrian refugees off; p 9 (572 words).

Rossiiskaya Gazeta

1. Natalya Kozlova report "Knife in heart" looks at the murder of a young Muscovite in Biryulyovo and says that the killer must be found and punished in accordance with the law; pp 1, 4 (1,800 words).

2. Tatyana Zykova report "Devil of banknotes" says that cash machines refuse to accept 5,000-ruble banknotes because of an influx of counterfeit banknotes; pp 1, 3 (550 words).

3. Vasily Mironov article headlined "To clean jackets" says potato prices have grown by 23.2 percent in Russia; pp 1-2 (450 words).

4. Tatyana Zykova report "U.S. announces deadline" says that default in the U.S. will increase capital flight in Russia; p 4 (500 words).

5. Maxim Makarychev and Alexander Samozhnev article headlined "To captivity by hitchhiking" says Russian photographer Konstantin Zhuravlev has been kidnapped in Syria. He is reportedly kept by rebels; p 8 (400 words).

Moskovsky Komsomolets

1. Kirill Saltykov article headlined "Biryulyovo riot, comprehended and merciless" reports on mass disturbances in Moscow caused by the murder of a young man; pp 1, 3 (700 words).

2. Irina Badmayeva article headlined "Employees against payment by the hour" says that most Russians oppose the Finance Ministry's idea to shift from fixed monthly wages to payment by the hour, as people believe employers will abuse the payment system; pp 1-2 (450 words).

3. Mikhail Zubov article headlined "There will be no amnesty for 'political' [prisoners]" says so-called "political prisoners" are unlikely to benefit from the planned amnesty; pp 1-2 (400 words).

4. Natalya Rozhkova interview headlined "Imprison impossible to pardon" with political analyst Stanislav Belkovsky who looks at the Russian opposition and at activist Alexei Navalny; p 5 (1,700 words).

RBC Daily

1. Stepan Opalev article headlined "'Volcano' in Western Biryulyovo" feature an extensive factual report on mass disturbances on nationalist grounds in the Moscow district of Biryulyovo following the murder of a Russian man; pp 1, 3 (700 words).

2. Alina Yevstigneeva article headlined "To catch up with the Czech Republic" quotes pundit Natalia Akindinova as saying that the unemployment rate in Russia, which currently equals to 5.2 percent, has begun growing for the first time since the beginning of the year and will soon reach 6.9 percent, like in the Czech Republic; pp 1, 3 (600 words).

3. Yulia Gallyamova article headlined "Don't mess with Batka [Lukashenko's nickname referring to Belarussian version of 'father']" says that Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko shed light on the Russian-Belarus potash conflict, hinting that Russian tycoon Suleiman Kerimov, who used to own 21-per-cent of stakes in the Uralkali company, should quit the auctioneers' council of the company; p 8 (600 words).

Noviye Izvestia

1. Sergei Putilov article headlined "Pension formality" says that a great variety of mutually exclusive initiatives from the government as regards the pension reform demonstrate that the authorities don't know how to conduct the reform; pp 1, 3 (1,000 words).

2. Anna Alexeyeva and Darya Kuzmicheva article headlined "Gathering with sad outcome" says that yesterday's mass disturbances on nationalist grounds in the Moscow district of Biryulyovo have been the largest event of such a kind since 2010. The mass rally has ended up with violence, the article says; pp 1, 5 (500 words).

3. Mikhail Nikiforenko article headlined "Masterminders stand up for prisoners" says that 28 Russian writers have signed an open letter demanding that all the Bolotnaya case defendants be released from jail; p 2 (400 words).

4. Maria Konstantinova article headlined "'It's my life'" says that jailed Pussy Riot band members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina have both written open letters slamming the penal system and the violation of prisoners' rights; p 5 (600 words).

Novaya Gazeta

1. Yulia Polukhina article headlined "Broad amnesty not for everyone" tries to predict whether the expected amnesty can set political prisoners free in Russia; p 1 (1,036 words).

2. Vera Chelishcheva article headlined "Former convicts allowed to 'strive for power'" looks into the decision of the Constitutional Court to allow people with criminal record to take part in elections, saying this is an attempt to improve the totalitarian image of Russia ahead of the Sochi Olympics; p 6 (500 words).

Komsomolskaya Pravda

1. Alexandra Krylova et al. article headlined "Mass disorders in Biryulyovo" features a report on report on mass disturbances on nationalist grounds in the Moscow district of Biryulyovo following the murder of a Russian man, as well as official comments of police officials and Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who demanded that those who took part in mass disorders be punished; pp 4-5 (1,200 words).

2. Vadim Alexeyev and Yelena Krivyakina article headlined "Russian traveller kidnapped in Syria" says that Russian citizen Konstantin Zhuravlev was kidnapped by Islamists in Syria, who accused him of working for Russian secret services; p 7 (350 words).

Tvoy Den

1. Andrei Valov article "To find and neutralize" says that R1m will be paid for any information about the alleged killer of 25-year-old Russian native Yegor Shcherbakov, who was murdered in Biryulyovo by a migrant worker. The murder was followed by mass disturbances on nationalist grounds; pp 1, 4-5 (700 words).