Russian Press at a Glance, Wednesday, April 13, 2011

POLITICS

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday he and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will decide within a "fairly short time" which of them will run for president next year. (Kommersant)

The European Court of Human Rights has declared Russia's law on political parties draconian and ruled that the 2007 dissolution of the opposition Republican Party was unjustified. (Kommersant, Vedomosti)

WORLD

Belarusian police said they have arrested three suspects following a blast that tore through a crowded subway station in the capital Minsk on Monday, killing at least 12 people and injuring 192. The opposition fears the tragedy could be used by the authorities to launch a clampdown on voices of dissent. (Vedomosti, Kommersant)

Japan on Tuesday raised the severity level of the accident at the Fukushima-1 plant from the current 5 to the maximum 7, the same as the Chernobyl disaster was given in 1986. (Vedomosti, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin has stepped down as chairman of the board of directors of Russia's state-controlled oil giant Rosneft in line with the recent initiative by President Dmitry Medvedev to remove government officials from the boards of state-run companies. (Vedomosti)

State-run Russian Helicopters plans to place Global Depositary Receipts representing existing shares in both London and Russia to raise $500 million. (Vedomosti)

The International Monetary Fund says inflation in Russia has slowed down only temporarily and recommends that the Bank of Russia make its monetary and borrowing policies more stringent. (Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

Russia may reduce prices for air travel on internal connections by 20% through abolishing the value added tax on sales of airline tickets. (Izvestia)

BANKING

A Moscow court on Tuesday removed Bank of Moscow president Andrei Borodin from his position. Borodin’s lawyers said they will appeal the decision. (Kommersant, Moscow Times, Vedomosti)

Russia’s Sberbank is planning to acquire a subsidiary of Austria’s Volksbank, which serves clients in nine East European countries. (Vedomosti)

DEFENSE

The Russian military plans to station the bulk of combat aircraft at selected air bases in strategic locations throughout the country to make the protection of the Russian airspace more effective. (Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

SOCIETY

The units of the Moscow military garrison will hold the first rehearsal for the annual Victory parade on Red Square on Wednesday night. The event could trigger major traffic congestion on the streets of the Russian capital despite the late hour. (Kommersant)  

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