By John Helmer in Moscow In 1930, at the start of the Great Depression, a story was published in the US with the purpose of convincing children that if they worked hard, they would be rewarded. That idea being none too original, it turns out that the tale of the small anthropomorphic locomotive, who pulls […]

by Editor - Friday, March 27th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia’s steelmakers have a better chance to lift output and revenues on a recovery in export demand, especially in the China market, than on reviving domestic demand for steel. This forecast, issued in a steel sector report of March 24 by Troika Dialog investment bank in Moscow, flatly contradicts the […]

by Editor - Thursday, March 26th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Denmark-based fleet operator Norden has hit United Company Rusal, the Russian aluminium monopoly controlled by Oleg Deripaska, with claims for shipping contract violations since last September. The liabilities total $98.3 million. Court documents break publicly for the first time the code of silence which usually covers Russian commodity trades, the […]

by Editor - Wednesday, March 25th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Despite a brace of judicial rulings from the English courts against blackening reputations as a business tactic, United Company Rusal has reacted to the defeat of its candidates for the Norilsk Nickel board with this blistering ad hominem attack: “Moscow, 8 July 2008 – UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium […]

by Editor - Saturday, July 12th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow Oleg Deripaska is not having a good week. On Monday, he revealed he was at maximum stretch to garner just enough shareholder votes for two seats on the Norilsk Nickel board, plus a seat for his highly unpredictable and unreliable shareholding ally, Mikhail Prokhorov. On Thursday, Justice Christopher Clarke issued […]

by Editor - Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
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By John Helmer Sterlite Gold reveals $140 million payday from Russian-funded Georgian gold miner. It has been a mixed week for Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili On September 26 he took to the podium of the UN General Assembly in New York to accuse Russia of interfering in his country’s internal affairs, and acting in “reckless […]

by Editor - Monday, October 1st, 2007
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