September 21:
In a rare show of dissent, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev criticized President Vladimir Putin’s method of dealing with business leaders. At a speech in Sochi, Reuters reports, the former president referenced Putin’s speech in 2008, in which he promised to “send a doctor and a prosecutor” to the home of a billionaire steel and coal tycoon who was unable to attend industry meetings due to illness. Medvedev alluded to the speech, and said that “unequivocal orders are being made in different ways...I wish we [would] start learning to live in a different way.” The comment came only days after Putin criticized Medvedev’s government, accusing cabinet ministers of failing to act on his orders and criticizing its fiscal plans. Analysts remain torn over the subtext of the exchange. While some argue that it’s a sign of the growing rift between Putin and his former protégé, others claim the disagreement is engineered by party officials in order to give the illusion of plurality in the Kremlin.
The Russian parliament completed the first major step toward broadening the definition of high treason. One human rights advocate suggested the Kremlin is “again pulling down the Iron Curtain,” after it was revealed that a proposed amendment to the country's constitution will alter the charge to include those who undermine “constitutional order, sovereignty, and territorial and state integrity.” According to The New York Times, an additional amendment to the constitution would allow treason to include Russian citizens aiding foreign states or international organizations. Kremlin officials claimed the bill is essential because foreign groups “actively use” such organizations “as a cover.” The amendments are expected to pass through the remaining two readings, and be signed into effect by President Putin.
September 24:
As waves of rural migrants enter Tatarstan from Central Asia, fundamentalist supporters move with them, according to Rosbalt. Rais Suleymanov, head of the Volga Regional Center for Ethno-religious Studies, added that migrant fundamentalists are becoming more prominent in the rural villages of Tatarstan. He estimates as many as 23 of the Republic’s villages are comprised of migrants who profess “non-traditional” forms of Islam. Suleymanov warned that, if unchecked, the growing presence of fundamentalist Islam could escalate religious tensions and lead to strife between the various Islamic sects.
September 26:
Alexander Lebedev joined the ranks of former business tycoons arrested after running afoul of the Kremlin. Lebedev was charged with hooliganism and assault after punching a property developer while the two were on a television talk show last year, according to Voice of America. Like former oil tycoon Khodorkovsky, Lebedev is an outspoken critic of the Kremlin, and owns a stake in one of the only independent newspapers in the country, Novaya Gazeta. He claimed the arrest was spurred by Putin’s belief that the tycoon is funding the opposition in Russia, and, he added, “it is dangerous to back anything except Putin.” The charges against him could result in up to seven years in prison.
September 27:
Negotiations between Russia and China on a proposed oil pipeline stalled once more over price disputes. Reuters reports that Gazprom officials want China to pay up front for oil to meet 40 percent of the costs of building the pipeline, due to the lack of existing oil fields in Russia's Far East. Price has been the sticking point in negotiations since the beginning, as Gazprom refuses to accept China’s low price demands, insisting it can sell the same supplies to Europe for a higher profit. Analysts note, however, that the oil titan’s ongoing legal battles in Europe may force the negotiations to a speedier resolution as demand for Russian gas dwindles in the West.
In an editorial for the Financial Times, Anders Aslund suggested that Gazprom may be nearing its end—and that it may take President Putin down with it. He noted that the shale gas revolution in the West produced lower prices than Gazprom’s, which remain stubbornly linked to oil prices, while the U.S. became the global leader in natural gas production. Europe, experiencing soured relations with Gazprom, quickly bought into the Western supply, slashing the Russian oil company’s profits. Aslund argued that the company’s market value is further reduced by ongoing corrupt practices, which are estimated to drain it of up to $40 billion of its annual $46 billion profits through kickbacks and cheap sales to Kremlin allies. Given the Russian economy’s dependence on oil and gas revenues, Aslund concluded, Gazprom’s dissolution could become an impetus for drastic reforms.