Новости за 21.03.2017

David Rockefeller. / Photo: Getty Images

David Rockefeller is well known for his contacts with politicians around the world. He is believed to have personally met over 200 leaders of at least 100 countries. Add this to Rockefeller's participation in the secretive Bilderberg Group, his founding of the Trilateral Commission, and chairmanship of the Council on Foreign Relations for 15 years, and there’s fertile ground for speculation that the billionaire was involved in some kind of shadowy world government. Читать дальше...

Russia ranked 6th out of 30 European countries as the best place for international students, only giving way to Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, France and Sweden, according to the newly published Study.EU Country Ranking 2017.

Moscow’s Garage Museum has opened its first Triennial of Russian Contemporary Art. The exhibit, running from March 10 to May 14, serves as a survey of sorts, aiming to discover new artists of great originality inhabiting the country’s vast expanse – those outside its two main cultural centers of Moscow and St. Petersburg. RBTH reviews some of the triennial’s most interesting projects.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled to suspend results of three more Russian track and field athletes after re-tests of their doping samples collected at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London tested positive, the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) reported on March 21.

If things had turned out differently 200 years ago, Russians could today be spending their holidays in the Russian Autonomous Republic of Hawaii. While this might sound far-fetched, in fact, in the early 19th century the Russian Empire had a chance to take control of the Hawaiian Islands.

Sberbank is considering options for the fastest possible exit from the Ukrainian market, Head of Sberbank Herman Gref told reporters.

Since 2014, Moscow has modernized its entire range of armaments in the Crimea, from shore-based missile complexes and air defense systems, to ships and submarines equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles.

Russia’s total retail e-commerce sales reached 920 billion rubles ($15.7 billion) in 2016, up 20 percent from the previous year, according to a study (in Russian) by the Association of Online Retail Companies (AKIT), which unites the country’s largest e-commerce retailers. AKIT estimates the market will top 1 trillion rubles ($17.1 billion) in 2017.

A survey has revealed that few Russians are planning on improving their living conditions. Of those asked, only 21 percent said they intended to upgrade their house or apartment in the next three years. The majority (77 percent) have no desire to improve their residences, reports RBK Daily. 

The Kremlin expects that Russian singer Yulia Samoilova will have a chance to participate in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest set to be held in Ukraine’s capital of Kiev in May, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The Kremlin expects the French political establishment to achieve an understanding of the need to build dialogue with Moscow.

Growing military ties between Moscow and Bangkok will help strengthen regional security and stability in the Asia-Pacific, Russian Ambassador to Thailand Kirill Barskiy said on March 20.

Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada voiced a protest in connection with Russia's steps towards militarization of the Southern Kuril Islands, which Tokyo claims. The ‘Bal’ and ‘Bastion’ military division and anti-ship complexes were placed on the Kuril Islands last year and the whole process of militarization is likely to be completed this year.

Rodzianko, a wealthy landowner, whose estates were located in what is today eastern Ukraine, became a notable Russian politician several years before World War I when he was elected Chairman of the State Duma. He saw himself as a mediator between society and the tsar and aimed to obtain Nicholas II's approval on the formation of a government that would be responsible to parliament. Otherwise, he warned the tsar, there would be a revolution.

On Feb. 17, Rosneft Brasil (RNB), a subsidiary of Russia’s largest oil company, revealed plans to drill its first oil well in Brazil. Chris Einchcomb, Director for Upstream International Projects at Rosneft, spoke to RBTH about what the company is planning to find in Brazil, possible integration with its projects in Venezuela, and cooperation with U.S.-French service company Schlumberger (SLB).

Moscow’s District Military Court on March 21 sentenced Hasan Zakayev to 19 years in jail finding him guilty of his role in the 2002 terrorist attack on the Dubrovka theater, a TASS correspondent reported from the courtroom.

With just one year to go before Russia’s next presidential election, the electoral campaign, although not yet official announced, is already picking up pace. So far, all preparations for the election appear rooted in the premise that Vladimir Putin will win. Furthermore, according to sources representing regional elites, there will be high voter turnout, and Putin will win with more than 70 percent of the votes.  

Over the past weekend Tokyo hosted another round of high-level Russo-Japanese negotiations. On March 18, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and his Japanese counterpart Takeo Akiba discussed joint economic activity on the Southern Kuril Islands, which Japan claims.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is expected to go to Italy in April where he will attend a conference of G7 foreign ministers.