Gazprom Export chief Alexander Medvedev missed a board of directors meeting this week because he was at the finale of the championship series of Russia's Continental Hockey League, sources said.
Instead of attending a Gazprom board meeting on Wednesday devoted to plans for increasing exports to Europe, Medvedev was in Omsk for the seventh and final game in the KHL finals between Moscow Dinamo and the Omsk Avangard, several sources in the gas industry told Interfax.
In addition to heading Gazprom Export, Medvedev is president of the KHL.
Viktor Zubkov, a first deputy prime minister and the chairman of the state-run energy giant's board, reportedly asked why Medvedev's deputy was presenting in place of him at the meeting. When told that Medvedev had decided to attend the KHL match, Zubkov reportedly answered that while the heads of Gazprom were diehard fans of the Zenit football club, they did not miss board meetings.
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.