What the Papers Say, Sep. 18, 2012

Kommersant

1. Yelena Kiseleva and Khalil Aminov article headlined "Moscow Metro to Be Built in Kiev" says VEB (Vneshekonombank) is to invest $1.5 billion in the construction of new metro stations in Kiev; pp 1, 13 (738 words).

2. Arina Borordina and Ivan Safronov article headlined "Zvezda Does Not Shine for Public TV" says the Defense Ministry's TV channel, Zvezda, will not give its frequencies to the newly set up Public TV; pp 1, 3 (714 words).

3. Vitaly Gaydayev article headlined "Sberbank Fails to Get 100 Rubles [For Its Shares]" comments on the beginning of privatization of the Russian Savings Bank, Sberbank; pp 1, 10 (824 words).

4. Pavel Belavin article headlined "Line Drawn Under Russian Cinema" says the Culture Ministry is considering measures to increase the share of domestic films shown by Russian cinemas, which may be obliged to show a certain amount of Russian films; pp 1, 13 (670 words).

5. Sofya Samokhina and Maxim Ivanov article headlined "Protest Changing Ideological Tinge" says the number of leftists and national patriots taking part in opposition protests has slightly grown; p 2 (500 words).

6. Andrei Kolesnikov article headlined "Vladimir Putin Sees Sky in Straps" comments on President Putin attending the command-and-staff exercise Caucasus-2012; p 3 (1,084 words).

7. Ivan Safronov article headlined "Admiral Gorshkov Given 6 Months for Improvement" says Russia is expected to use asbestos as insulation for boilers aboard the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov sold to India to prevent failures of the boilers in future; p 3 (584 words).

8. Olga Allenova article headlined "Continuation Rejected" reports on political situation in Kazan where Rustam Minnikhanov replaced Mintimer Shaymiyev who headed the republic for over 20 years; p 4 (2,327 words).

9. Alexander Chernykh and Pavel Korobov article headlined "End of Film" says the Prosecutor General's Office wants to ban the controversial film insulting Islam which caused anti-U.S. protests in many countries; p 5 (599 words).

10. Oleg Rubinkovich article headlined "Duma Deputy Added to Case on Raiding" says that some documents have revealed the involvement of A Just Russia deputy in the illegal takeover of property belonging to the state in Moscow; p 6 (500 words).

11. Alexander Reutov article headlined "Naval Force to Be Shown to Iran" says 25 countries are taking part in a large-scale naval exercise in the Persian Gulf which aims to warn Iran against the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz; p 7 (541 words).

12. Ivan Safronov and Anna Pushkarskaya article headlined "Rosoboronzakaz Does Not Reach Ministerial Level" says that the director of Federal Service for Defense Contracts, Lyudmila Vorobyova, was dismissed although Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov would prefer her to stay; p 8 (600 words).

13. Dmitry Butrin and Yury Barsukov article headlined "Unveiled Stagnation" says that there has been no growth in Russian industrial sector over the past three months; p 8 (600 words).

Nezavisimaya Gazeta

1. Maria Bondarenko article headlined "Don Cossacks in March Regime" says Don Cossacks are ready to go to the Remontnensky district of the Rostov region to protect the local population from North Caucasus nationals. The local authorities are asking Cossacks not to get involved; pp 1 — 2 (818 words).

2. Artur Blinov article headlined "China Sends Thousands of Schooners to Disputed Islands" says the U.S.A. and Japan have signed an agreement to station another U.S. missile defense radar in Japan. The agreement was reached amid growing tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over the disputed islands; pp 1, 7 (571 words).

3. Alexandra Samarina article headlined "Kremlin to Deal With Public TV" says the presidential administration is to decide the future of the Public TV project at a special meeting later this week; pp 1, 3 (529 words).

4. Sergei Kulikov article headlined "Russia to Face Financial Trap" reviews scenarios for the Russian economy drafted by the Economic Development Ministry as the State Duma is to pass the next year budget in a fortnight; pp 1, 4 (758 words).

5. Tatyana Ivzhenko article headlined "Gas Crisis Beyond Schedule" says Kiev is expecting another round in the gas dispute with Moscow this year as Russia is likely to put Ukraine under pressure over economic integration; pp 1, 6 (895 words).

6. Tatyana Dvoynova article headlined "Reputation of APEC Summit Road Ruined by Landslide" says construction workers have not repaired so far the road in Vladivostok suburbs damaged by a landslide. The road was built specially for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit without sufficient financing; pp 1, 5 (703 words).

7. Editorial headlined "What Awaits Russian Science in Near Future" comments on the meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences and outlines development plans for the Russian science; p 2 (507 words).

8. Alexei Gorbachev article headlined "Punishment of 'Political Prisoners' Begins in Detention Center" says rights activists are afraid that members of the Pussy Riot punk group may face attacks by other prisoners in penal colonies. Meanwhile, one of those detained after the May 6 rally is losing his eyesight in a detention center; p 3 (706 words).

9. Vladimir Mukhin article headlined "Russia Demonstrates Muscles in South" says the Caucasus-2012 exercise watched by President Putin aims to ensure security of the Russian southern borders where Sochi Olympics are to be held in 2014; p 5 (757 words).

10. Darya Tsilyurik article headlined "Netanyahu Throws Iran Into American Elections" says Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is using American network TV interviews to call on the U.S.A. for a military intervention over Iran; p 7 (577 words).

11. Nikolai Surkov article headlined "Iran to Discuss Syrian Future With 3 Sunni Countries" says the foreign ministers of Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran are discussing the future of Syria at a special meeting in Cairo; p 7 (487 words).

Vedomosti

1. Olga Plotonova article headlined "Sberbank Brought to Stock Exchange" comments on the "privatization of the year," Russian Savings Bank, Sberbank's SPO; p 1 (800 words).

2. Anastasia Kornya article headlined "Secret of Investigator" says the editor-in-chief of the RIA-Novosti news agency, Svetlana Mironyuk, is facing a fine over the publication of personal data of a former Interior Ministry investigator; pp 1 — 2 (546 words).

3. Yelena Vinogradova et al. report headlined "Signs Off!" reviews new tough regulations for making street signs in Moscow which create serious problems for most stores in the city; p 1 (433 words).

4. Editorial headlined "Russia in the Manger" says the Russian government plans to develop the Far East by investing budget money into it, which may be less efficient than the attraction of foreign investors; pp 1, 4 (519 words).

5. Margarita Lyutova article headlined "Chance for Gazprom" says the investigation launched by the European Commission against Gazprom will not affect the latter's cooperation with Europe; p 3 (500 words).

6. Alexei Levinson article headlined "Our We: Maturity of Street Protest" says public opinion polls show that the Russian protest movement is not becoming less active; p 4 (418 words).

7. Another editorial headlined "Melting Pot of State Defense Order" comments on the dismissal of Rosoboronzakaz (Federal Service for Defense Contracts) head Lyudmila Vorobyova, which coincided with the failure of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov during sea tests; p 4 (272 words).

Rossiiskaya Gazeta

1. Irina Krasnopolskaya interview with Gennady Onishchenko, head of Rospotrebnadzor, a consumer rights watchdog, speaking on his work and consumer rights in Russia; pp 1, 11 (2,887 words).

2. Roman Markelov article headlined "First One Goes on Sale" says Sberbank is selling 7.6 percent of its shares; pp 1-2 (541 words).

3. Leonid Radzikhovsky article headlined "And Suddenly..." welcomes a bill banning Russian officials from owning housing and other property abroad; p 3 (867 words).

4. Tamara Shkel article headlined "30th" says a new committee dealing with mass media will be set up in the State Duma; p 5 (600 words).

5. Yevgeny Shestakov article headlined "Europe Clutches Its Head" says the West is giving up its tolerant attitude toward radical movements in Islam after a wave of religious protests swept across the EU; p 8 (706 words).

6. Vladislav Vorobyov article headlined "Do Not Rub Salt Into Tehran" comments on the beginning of a large-scale international exercise by the Iranian border; p 8 (565 words).

7. Veteran human rights activist Lyudmila Alexeyeva and senior deacon Andrei Kurayev discuss the initiative of billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov to create a religious code that would regulate relations between the church, society and government; p 12 (550 words).

Izvestia

1. Margarita Kazantseva article headlined "Gazprom Pipe to Go Through Resort" says Gazprom plans to lay a pipeline as part of the South Stream project in Anapa; pp 1 — 2 (600 words).

2. Burkhon Mukhtarov and Vladimir Voloshin article headlined "Money for Arming Armed Forces Spent Blindly" says the Audit Chamber has found violations in the implementation of state defense contracts; pp 1, 3 (700 words).

3. Yulia Tsoi and Anton Lednev article headlined "United Russia Member Knyshov to Follow in Gudkov's Footsteps" says some United Russia members are likely to be expelled from the State Duma over their business activity; pp 1, 3 (850 words).

4. Denis Telmanov article headlined "Rogozin Places His People" comments on a reshuffle in the government's military industrial block; pp 1, 3 (500 words).

5. Igor Yavlinsky and Yanina Sokolovskaya article headlined "Aggravation in Libya May Pose Harm to Our Convicts" says that the assassination of the U.S. ambassador complicates the work of the Russian Foreign Ministry, which has demanded the release of two Russians accused of working for the Gadhafi regime; p 5 (650 words).

Moskovsky Komsomolets

1. Marina Ozerova article headlined "Gudkov Still Allowed to Enter Duma" says former opposition Deputy Gennady Gudkov, expelled from the parliament by United Russia, has not decided yet whether to appeal to the Supreme Court or not; pp 1 — 2 (528 words).

2. Renat Abdullin article headlined "14 Minutes That Exploded the World" says the provocative U.S. film was used as a pretext for well-planned attacks on NATO and the U.S. in Afghanistan and Libya; pp 1 — 2 (751 words).

3. Zurab Nalbandyan article headlined "Prince William Gets Involved in War With Paparazzi" says Prince William is suing French journalists who published topless photos of his wife Kate Middleton; p 4 (448 words).

4. Irzhi Yust article headlined "Karl Stole a Balaclava From Klava" looks at the support movement of the Pussy Riot punk band in the Czech Republic; p 3 (800 words).

RBK Daily

1. Ivan Petrov article titled "Place of Investigation Not Subject to Change" says the Russian government has backed the idea of establishing a single Investigative Committee; p 2 (300 words).

2. Yulia Yakovleva article titled "Stars on a Civil Platform" says that several high-profile Russian media personalities announced plans to run for the opposition's Coordination Council; p 2 (350 words).

3. Yulia Kalachikhina article headlined "Obama's Trump Card" says the U.S.A. plans to complain about China's support for its domestic car industry to the WTO, which the U.S.A. considers illegal; p 4 (400 words).

Komsomolskaya Pravda

1. Special report by Darya Aslamova titled "Wahhabis Are Trying to Turn Tatarstan Into Part of Arab Khalifate" reports on the proliferation of radical Wahhabism in the Tatarstan republic; pp 1, 12-13 (2,000 words)

2. Dmitry Smirnov article headlined "Vladimir Putin: 'We Have to Keep Our Gunpowder Dry'" looks at the first day of the Caucasus-2012 military drills, which Vladimir Putin opened in the south of Russia yesterday; p 2 (550 words).

3. Viktor Sokirko article titled "Admiral Gorshkov Aircraft Carrier Fails Tests in Barents Sea" recaps on the failed sea tests of the Russian military vessel, which was supposed to be handed over to India in December; p 5 (300 words).

4. Alexander Kots article headlined "Gudkov Jr. Came to His Dad and Said: Become My Aide" says the A Just Russia party is currently deciding what to do with the Duma seat left vacant after Gennady Gudkov was stripped of his deputy status; p 6 (350 words).

Noviye Izvestia

1. Margarita Alyokhina article headlined "Those Who Stir Up Impunity" says that judging by a report by the Sova analytical centre, Russian law enforcement agencies are failing their fight with online extremism; pp 1, 5 (928 words).

2. Nikolai Snezhkov and Sergei Manukov article headlined "Sanctions Imposed, Customer Unknown" says the U.S. authorities are trying to find out who commissioned the scandalous anti-Islam film; p 2 (611 words).

3. Sergei Putilov article titled "We Have Arrived" analyzes the implications of the failed sea tests of the Russian aircraft carrier that was intended for the Indian Navy; p 3 (300 words).

Sep. 18, 2012/BBC Monitoring/©BBC

Related articles:

• What the Papers Say, Sept. 17, 2012
• What the Papers Say, Sept. 14, 2012
• What the Papers Say, Sept. 13, 2012