Kommersant
1. Dmitry Butrin and Alexei Shapovalov article headlined "We Stand Too Fast" says that the Bank of Russia has surprisingly increased the refinancing interest rate by 0.25 percent. The move is meant to deal with economic problems expected in 2013; pp 1-2 (919 words).
2. Natalya Bashlykova and Maria-Luiza Tirmaste article headlined "Ryazan Region Beyond Competition" says that Igor Morozov, the nominee from the Patriots of Russia party, who is considered to be the front-runner in the gubernatorial election campaign in Ryazan region, has withdrawn for the benefit of the incumbent governor. Sources say it is the presidential administration that made this decision; p 1 (749 words).
3. Vladislav Novy and Anna Balashova article headlined "Ordinary Align With Principal" says that Megafon and Rostelekom, which paid $130 million for becoming the exclusive telecommunication partners of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, are facing rivals that are also seeking status of the Games' exclusive partner; p 1 (595 words).
4. Roman Rozhkov and Anna Zanina article headlined "Court Responds to Password" says the Supreme Arbitration Court is to make a decision on whether Internet users should be held liable if their online account login and password are used for unauthorized access; pp 1, 10 (589 words).
5. Alexander Reutov article headlined "U.S. Embassy Holds Closed-Doors Day" says the U.S. embassy in Yemen has been attacked by Muslims outraged by an insulting film about Prophet Mohammed. Guards managed to repel the attack by opening preventive fire; p 2 (469 words).
6. Grigory Tumanov article headlined "Prosecutor's Office Shows Protest Sentiments" says the prosecutor's office has challenged the verdict given in the case of Other Russia activist Taisia Osipova, convicted to eight years in prison for drug trafficking, and demanded that the verdict be decreased to four years; p 4 (430 words).
7. Vladislav Trifonov article headlined "Sergei Magnitsky's Diagnosis Clarified" says that the trial of Dmitry Kratov, the former deputy head of the Butyrka pre-trial detention center and the chief doctor of the center, where Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky died, has begun in Moscow's Tverskoi District Court; p 4 (672 words).
8. Pavel Tarasenko article headlined "European MPs Back Russian Deputy" says the European Parliament has passed a resolution harshly criticizing the Russian judicial and legal system. European parliamentarians believe a campaign to deprive A Just Russia Deputy Gennady Gudkov of his seat in the State Duma is an "attempt to intimidate the opposition party that backed the protest movement"; p 4 (568 words).
9. Mikhail Dmitriyev and Sergei Belanovsky article headlined "Risk Is Impossible Business" looks at the political risks the Russian authorities are facing now and says they cannot take radical measures to address them; p 5 (2,054 words).
10. Vladimir Dzaguto article headlined "Rosatom Misses Britain" says the state atomic energy corporation, Rosatom, has refused to participate in the Horizon project to construct a nuclear power plant in the U.K.; p 9 (477 words).
Nezavisimaya Gazeta
1. Alexandra Samarina and Ivan Rodin article headlined "Parliamentarianism in Our Way" says the State Duma will probably make a decision Friday on whether to strip A Just Russia Deputy Gennady Gudkov of his seat in parliament for combining deputy work with business activity. A Just Russia's leader Sergei Mironov is said to be the next target. Experts consider the developments to be a serious parliamentary crisis. The Kremlin wants to use the events to dissolve the lower chamber of parliament, the article says; pp 1, 3 (949 words).
2. Tatyana Ivzhenko article headlined "Crimea No Longer Wants to Join Russia" says a public opinion poll conducted by the company Research & Branding Group has shown that 38 percent of Crimea residents want to become a part of Russia, which is by 15 percent less than in 2011. Close to 40 percent of those polled back autonomous status for the republic; pp 1, 7 (915 words).
3. Nikolai Surkov article headlined "Anti-American Fever Shakes Islamic Countries" says that anti-American protests are gathering speed in the Islamic world: U.S. embassies have been attacked in Yemen, Tunisia, Iran and the Gaza Strip. The events have distracted attention from the Iranian nuclear program, the article says; pp 1, 8 (615 words).
4. Anastasia Bashkatova article headlined "Tariffs Ready for Yet Another Jump" says the Federal Tariff Service is seeking an additional increase in housing utilities bills, allegedly to compensate housing utilities providers for losses they incurred in 2012; pp 1, 7 (1,015 words).
5. Tatyana Dvoinova article headlined "President's Present Gets Into Wrong Hands" says that officials, their relatives and friends, but not volunteers who took part in the organization of the APEC summit in Vladivostok, went on a cruise promised them by President Vladimir Putin; pp 1-2 (693 words).
6. Alexei Gorbachev article headlined "March of Millions. Part III" looks at the preparations for the March of Millions set for Saturday in central Moscow. The opposition has drafted a new resolution, in which not only political but also social demands are mentioned; pp 1, 3 (699 words).
7. Alexandra Samarina article headlined "Prime Minister's Small Opposition" quotes Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as saying the jail sentence given to the Pussy Riot punk band members was a "scaring responsibility" and features an expert's comment on the issue; p 2 (491 words).
8. Editorial headlined "Moldovan Breakthrough" says that Russia has considerably improved trade relations with Moldova, whereas it is on the brink of a trade war with Ukraine. Russia's current approach to Moldova may pay desired dividends, the article says; p 2 (537 words).
9. Andrei Samokhin article headlined "Is Russian 'Occupy' March of [Foreign] Occupiers?" says that Runet bloggers have responded to Russian TV pundit Mikhail Leontyev's description given to the opposition's March of Millions protest set for Sept. 15 in Moscow. Leontyev called the Occupy movement a movement of "occupiers"; p 3 (404 words).
10. Oxana Skripnikova article headlined "Business and Parliament Incompatible Things" says that according to a public opinion poll conducted by the All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM), 71 percent of Russians think that business activity and work in parliament are incompatible and 61 percent of respondents back the stripping of A Just Russia Deputy Gennady Gudkov's Duma seat for combining deputy work with business activity; p 3 (385 words).
11. Andrei Melnikov article headlined "Tambov Deacon No Longer Awaits Anathema" looks at yet another scandal involving the Russian Orthodox Church; p 3 (663 words).
12. Yury Roks article headlined "Washington Advises Georgia Not to Rebel" says the U.S. mission to Georgia has already concluded that the parliamentary election in October will be democratic and fair. Ex-speaker of the Georgian parliament Nino Burdzhanadze said it was most likely that the country would remain under control of the "political animal"; p 7 (500 words).
12. Yury Paniyev article headlined "Strasbourg Blemishes Moscow's Reputation" says the European Parliament has passed a resolution that says the human rights situation in Russia has sharply worsened; p 8 (660 words).
Vedomosti
1. Maxim Tovkailo et al. article headlined "No Right to Purchase" says that the Economic Development Ministry has suggested authorizing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to directly regulate the purchase of assets by state-run companies and their subsidies. State-funded banks, the Central Bank and the Finance Ministry are critical of the idea; pp 1, 10 (884 words).
2. Olga Kuvshinova article headlined "Quarter More From Ignatyev" says the Central Bank has increased the refinancing interest rate by 0.25 percent despite economists' expectations; pp 1, 3 (562 words).
3. Yekaterina Sobol article headlined "Investor From Seoul" says that South Korea's Incheon International Airport may become a co-owner of a would-be airport holding company in the Far East; p 1 (443 words).
4. Editorial headlined "It Is Not Our Method" says that U.K. newspaper Financial Times has published an article on the APEC summit in Vladivostok that casts doubt on Russia's plan to shift its economic interests to Asia, and says that the implementation of the plan could be a difficult task and require better understanding of reasons behind Russia's stalling economic relations with Asian countries; pp 1, 4 (566 words).
5. Lilia Biryukova article headlined "Gudkov's 7 Minutes" looks ahead to Friday's session of the State Duma, where parliamentarians will consider whether to strip A Just Russia Deputy Gennady Gudkov of his seat in the Duma; p 2 (404 words).
6. Ksenia Boletskaya and Anna Shcherbakova article headlined "Russian Bloomberg" says that Russian TV channel RBC will launch a Russian-language version of U.S. TV channel Bloomberg in September 2013; p 7 (575 words).
7. Polina Khimshiashvili et al. article headlined "False Corruption" quotes experts as saying a letter describing instances of corruption in the Foreign Ministry published on the LiveJournal website will not affect the position of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov; p 2 (361 words).
8. Natalya Kostenko and Lilia Biryukova article headlined "Candidate Minimum" says that Igor Morozov, the withdrawn nominee of the Patriots of Russia party for governor of Ryazan region, may become a Federation Council senator; p (334 words).
9. Yelizaveta Sergina article headlined "Candidate Does Not Pass" says the presidential administration has not endorsed the candidacy of VEB Capital general director Yury Kudimov for the post of chairman of the board of directors of the Svyazinvest communications company and have recommended Alexander Trubetskoi for the post; p (324 words).
10. Maria Zheleznova article headlined "Protest Goes Left" says that socioeconomic demands have for the first time been mentioned in a resolution of a March of Millions protest rally. This will help to attract more people to the protest movement, the organizing committee says; p 2 (300 words).
11. Yevgeny Gavrilenkov article headlined "Fiscal Rule: Preparations for Unknown Crisis" criticizes economic measures being taken by the Russian authorities as part of preparations for an economic crisis; p 4 (1,157 words).
12. Editorial headlined "Live But Behave" says the Supreme Court has ruled to allow LGBT rallies to be held in public. It also endorsed some regional legislation that banned propaganda of same-sex relationships; p 4 (200 words)
Rossiiskaya Gazeta
1. Irina Krasnopolskaya interview with the head of the Federal Consumer Protection Service, Gennady Onishchenko, headlined "Vodka to Lose Its Mandate," in which he speaks about the state anti-tobacco and anti-alcohol campaigns; pp 1-2 (697 words).
2. Taras Fomchenkov article headlined "Diamonds to Account for" says that Russian state officials may be obliged to include information about cash assets and jewels, costs of tourist trips, education and medical services in their income and property statements; pp 1-2 (550 words).
3. Viktor Feshchenko and Vladislav Vorobyev article headlined "Revolution Breaks Through Into America" says the U.S. has sent two destroyers carrying 50 marines and Tomahawk missiles to Libya in response to the murder of the U.S. ambassador to Libya; pp 1, 5 (684 words).
4. Tamara Shkel article headlined "Deputies' Family Falls Out" says that State Duma deputies are collecting damaging information on each other following the campaign against Gennady Gudkov and his business; p 3 (600 words).
5. Vitaly Petrov article headlined "To Always Tell Truth" describes President Vladimir Putin's visit to Krasnodar region, during which Putin said he is against censorship in the mass media and the Internet, but that these sectors should be closely watched by society and the authorities; p 2 (924 words).
6. Sergei Toporkov article "Gudkov Reflects Parliamentarism" says that over 70 percent of Russians agree that work in parliament should not be combined with business activity; p 3 (300 words).
7. Yelena Yakovleva article headlined "Aikido for Believers" features specialists' comments on recent scandals involving the Russian Orthodox Church; p 6 (407 words).
Izvestia
1. Yelena Mikhailova article headlined "Prosecutor General's Office to Request Arrest of Berezovsky's Property Abroad" says the Prosecutor General's Office will ask some foreign countries for legal aid and assistance in seizing the assets of the exiled oligarch as part of the investigation of criminal cases opened against him; pp 1, 4 (493 words).
2. Yelizaveta Mayetnaya and German Petelin article headlined "Foreign Ministry Searches for Leaks of Information About Leadership" says an administrative probe has been launched in the Foreign Ministry to identify the authors of a notorious letter on corruption in the ministry. Meanwhile, some ministry officials interviewed by the newspaper denied they wrote the letter and said their signatures were forged; pp 1, 4 (863 words).
3. Viktoria Fedorova article headlined "Border Between Chechnya and Ingushetia to Be Established" says that special working groups for establishing the administrative border between Chechnya and Ingushetia have begun functioning in the republics; p 2 (604 words).
4. Anastasia Dulenkova and Polina Potapova article headlined "Federation Council TV Pushed Off to YouTube" says the Finance Ministry has rejected a request to provide funding for Federation Council TV; p 1 (300 words);
5. Viktoria Fedorova and Alexander Konovalov article headlined "Chesnakov Replaced With Morozov in Federation Council" looks at the gubernatorial election in Ryazan region, where, the article says, the Patriots of Russia candidate for governor will withdraw for the benefit of the incumbent government and will accept a proposal from United Russia to become a Federation Council senator; p 3 (489 words).
6. Yury Matsarsky article headlined "Moldovan Prime Minister Suddenly Recalls Russians" focuses on Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat's visit to Russia; p 5 (461 words).
7. Dmitry Runkevich article headlined "Pussy Riot Lawyers to Sue Arkady Mamontov" says that Pussy Riot lawyers are preparing a lawsuit against TV journalist Arkady Mamontov for his program "Special Correspondent" dedicated to female punk band Pussy Riot and their court case; p 7 (418 words).
8. Anna Akhmadiyeva interview with TV journalist Arkady Mamontov headlined "'No Paid Journalism. These Are My Views'," in which he speaks about his program "Special Correspondent" dedicated to punk band Pussy Riot; p 7 (1,236 words).
9. Political analyst Avigdor Eskin article headlined "Payment for Double Standards" comments on U.S. policy in the Middle East, focusing on its weak points in the light of the murder of the U.S. ambassador to Libya; p 9 (497 words).
10. Stanislav Khatuntsev article headlined "For What They Fight..." recalls attacks on U.S. embassies in Islamic countries and focuses on the Sept. 12 attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya, in the course of which the U.S. ambassador was killed; p 9 (714 words).
RBC Daily
1. Article by Sergei Mitrokhin, the leader of the Yabloko party, headlined "Deputies and Their Business" says that A Just Russia Deputy Gennady Gudkov may be stripped of his deputy seat at Friday's meeting in the State Duma. However, Yabloko has information about the business activity of 21 United Russia and Liberal Democratic deputies, who have not attracted the interest of either the Investigative Committee or the Prosecutor General's Office; p 4 (600 words).
2. Alexander Litoi article headlined "At Dutch Account" says that an NGO whose members are political emigrants from Russia has been established in the Netherlands. The organization will finance radical initiatives in Russia and organize rallies in the EU; p 2 (700 words).
Moskovsky Komsomolets
1. Marina Ozerova article headlined "State Duma Votes for Dirty Linen" comments on State Duma deputies' intention to strip A Just Russia Deputy Gennady Gudkov of his seat in the Duma, noting that they do not have any convincing evidence of him being guilty of illegal business activity; p 1 (1,119 words).
2. Olga Bozhyeva article headlined "Aircraft-Building Sector Not to Cross Itself Until It Thunders" says that Russia and Ukraine have finally agreed to launch joint serial production of the An-70 military transport aircraft in Kazan; p 1 (1,900 words).
3. Dmitry Sonin article headlined "Answer to Bergman" refutes information mentioned in an interview with Mikhail Bergman, the special presidential representative of the Dniester region, dedicated to the 1991-92 events in the Dniester region and Moscow; p 3 (372 words).
4. Stanislav Belkovsky article headlined "Putin — Navalny — Kadyrov" comments on State Duma deputies' intention to strip A Just Russia Deputy Gennady Gudkov of his seat in parliament and says the move fits the demands of the opposition mentioned during the December 2011 protests in Moscow and all opposition deputies should follow the example. Moreover, the move will help increase the number of participants in the Sept. 15 March of Millions in Moscow, the author says; p 3 (1,253 words).
5. Melor Sturua article headlined "Libyan Tragedy Spreads Over to Elections" says that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has taken advantage of attacks on U.S. embassies in Islamic countries to criticize his Democratic rival Barack Obama's foreign policy; p 3 (604 words).
6. Aider Muzhdabayev and Sergei Rogozhkin interview with Nizhny Novgorod Governor Valery Shantsev, headlined "Muscovite on the Volga," in which he speaks about his performance in the job over the past seven years; p 6 (6,134 words).
7. Mikhail Zubov interview with former Russian Vice President Alexander Rutskoi, headlined "'There Is No Honest Opposition Today'," in which he speaks about the current Russian opposition and the authorities; p 17 (1,416 words).
Novaya Gazeta
1. Andrei Kolesnikov article headlined "President Vladimir Putin's Speech Writers: 'What Are These 6 Years for?'" looks at proposals for the president's address to the Federal Assembly drafted by the president's Reference Service; pp 2-3 (1,800 words).
2. Pavel Felgengauer article headlined "Washington Prepares Pre-Election Strike Against Libya" looks at the anti-American campaign in the Middle East caused by an insulting film about the Prophet Mohammed; p 5 (500 words).
3. Nikita Girin article headlined "Autumn Offensive" looks ahead to Saturday's opposition protests in various Russian regions; p 4 (500 words).
4. Maria Yepifanova article headlined "37 Kopecks From Angry Townspeople" looks at the technical organization of the election to the opposition's Coordination Council; p 5 (800 words).
5. Irek Murtazin article headlined "Candidate for Cleaning" looks at Khimki acting Mayor Oleg Shakhov, who is running for a second term in the Oct. 14 election; p 6 (600 words).
6. Boris Zhilyayev article headlined "Telecommunications Sector to Be Done Away With?" contemplates prospects for the communications company Rostelekom in the light of President Vladimir Putin's personal meeting with Communications and Press Minister Nikolai Nikiforov; p 8 (1,100 words).
7. Alexander Rubtsov article headlined "Smell of Changes" laments that the authorities have focused on a hollow PR campaign and are playing people off one another instead of saving Russia and its people from at least a looming economic crisis; p 7 (1,000 words).
8. Nina Petlyanova article headlined "Devil's Work Again?" looks at a recent scandal in St. Petersburg involving the Russian Orthodox Church; p 10 (500 words).
9. Yulia Latynina article headlined "From Moon to Earth" ridicules the authorities' plans to set up a base on the Moon, noting that there are plenty of problems that need to be solved urgently in the main areas of life, such as health care, education, the law enforcement system and business activity; p 4 (600 words).
Komsomolskaya Pravda
1. Svetlana Kuzina interview with psychologist Yury Shcherbatykh headlined "Protesting Young People: Rebels or Psychopaths?" looks at an average protester and attempts to draw his portrait, pp 16-17 (1,800 words).
2. Alexander Kots interview with Arkady Mamontov in which the latter says that after a notorious documentary hinting that exiled tycoon Boris Berezovsky was behind the Pussy Riot performance at a Moscow cathedral he has started receiving threats, p 6 (500 words).
Sept. 14, 2012/BBC Monitoring/©BBC
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.