* Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted the UN Convention against Corruption to the lower house of parliament for ratification
* Gazprom said the Russian energy giant and Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) were hoping that Russia and South Korea would soon sign an intergovernmental agreement on supplies of natural gas
* Gazprom Deputy Board Chairman Alexander Ryazanov said Georgia and Russia would continue talks in the first quarter of 2006 on long-term Russian natural gas supplies
* Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said Georgia would buy Russian natural gas at the price of $110 per 1,000 cu m in 2006
* Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said upcoming amendments to Russian legislation would not change the status of foreign non-governmental organizations in Russia
* The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade said the annual inflation rate in Russia for 2005 was expected to stand at 11-11.2%
* Head of the strategic air command Lieutenant General Igor Khvorov said Russia was planning to test launch more than 10 cruise missiles next year
* The Financial Times reported Donald Evans, a former U.S. secretary of commerce, rejected a top managerial position with state-run Russian oil major Rosneft
* A Russian cargo ship arrested by the North Korean authorities on December 5 set course for the Pacific port of Vladivostok
