Drought-devastated Russia could extend a grain export ban into next year and may cut its 2010 beet sugar output, reflecting the dimming prospects for crops in the scorched Black Sea bread basket region.
Wheat markets raced to fresh highs on Thursday, with Chicago wheat trading limit-up, as Russia announced a halt to grain exports from next week in response to a drought that has withered crops.
Russia's worst drought on record has devastated crops in parts of the country and sent international grain prices soaring as markets have speculated on restricted supply from one of the world's leading exporters.
Russia plans its biggest sell-off of state assets since the early 1990s as it seeks to raise over $29 billion to plug budget gaps over the next three years, finance ministry sources told Reuters on Saturday.
Russian flagship airline Aeroflot expects to acquire 22 Boeing Dreamliners and 22 Airbus A350s by 2016 as it expands its fleet, CEO Vitaly Savelyev told Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was inspired by a tour of Silicon Valley on Wednesday and left determined to replicate the U.S. technology hub at home, despite pessimism that Russia could create a sufficiently open environment to nurture success.
A parliamentary group has given Russian schoolchildren a leaflet that prays for the foes of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his government partner, President Dmitry Medvedev, to be reduced to ashes.
Russia and Ukraine have decided to cooperate in oil and gas sector by allowing swap assets with each other. Speaking to newsmen here after meeting Russian president Vladimir Putin, Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych said, We could swap some assets with Russia to cooperate in oil and gas production in Russia,
Ukraine said it will press for changes in the natural gas price formula fixed by Russia's Gazprom and its Naftohaz Ukrainy national oil and gas company. Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said here, We have agreed that we will work on this, since the formula does not satisfy us.
President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday that Russia must move fast to create a home for innovative companies in high-tech industries, pushing a project he hopes can be a showcase of his presidency.
Austria signed up to build part of Russia's South Stream gas pipeline on Saturday, and visiting Prime Minister Vladimir Putin scorned the EU's rival Nabucco project as futile.
Russia expressed its willingness to extend help to Venezuela for the development of more oil fields, said Russian Prime Minister. Speaking here after talks with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, Russia on P M Vladimir Putin said Our partners have said they are ready to expand our partnership in the energy sector. If an agreement is reached, Russia will pay Venezuela an additional $1 billion bonus for oil field development.
Russia denied on Monday that its state-run United Aviation Corporation planned to bid for a $50 billion contract to replace the U.S. Air Force's fleet of air tankers, rivaling Boeing Co and Europe's EADS.
Russia is considering inviting India's state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp to develop oil and gas fields in Russia ahead of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to India.
President Dmitry Medvedev called on Russian Olympic officials to resign Monday after a poor showing at the Winter Games dented national pride.
Aksel Lund Svindal flashed down Whistler mountain to win the men's super-G Friday and deny American Bode Miller an elusive gold medal at the Winter Olympics as Norway stormed up the medals table.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko launched action on Tuesday to call rival Viktor Yanukovich's election as president into question.
International pressure for new sanctions against Iran grew on Monday after Tehran announced more moves to expand nuclear fuel production and enrichment plants, heightening Western fears it wants to make atom bombs.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told his ruling party on Friday it must pay more attention to ordinary voters, just days after one of the biggest opposition protests in a decade.
Russia's metals giant Norilsk Nickel expects to book a $2 billion net profit for last year after it ended 2008 with a loss of $449 million, Russian media reported on Saturday.
Russia on Friday arrested a former policeman who gained national attention by posting a video about police corruption on YouTube, investigators said.
Russia's UC RUSAL, the world's largest aluminum producer, raised $2.2 billion through its initial public offering and brought the debt-burdened company a step closer to being the first non-Asian firm to have a primary listing in Hong Kong.
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin warned Thursday Moscow will find alternative poultry import sources if the United States, Russia's top supplier, does not observe new safety rules.
