What the Papers Say, July 23, 2013

Kommersant

1. Kirill Melnikov article headlined "Released on private parole" says that the first deputy president of the Russian oil company Rosneft, Eduard Khudaynatov, may quit the company and establish his own one; p 1 (836 words).

2. Viktor Khamrayev et al. article headlined "At special anticorruption account" says that the government will control incomes and expenses of the leadership of 29 organizations financed from the federal budget; pp 1, 3 (909 words).

3. Yelizaveta Kuznetsova article headlined "Aeroflot returns to base" says that the airline company Aeroflot has given up a plan to transfer part of its flights from Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport to the Vnukovo airport; pp 1, 7 (614 words).

4. Alexandra Bayazitova article headlined "Lack of knowledge is force" says that the Supreme Arbitration Court will revise the existing mechanism of challenging pre-bankruptcy deals; pp 1, 8 (759 words).

5. Yulia Rybina et al. article headlined "Dagestani government does not make it to election" says that acting Dagestani head Ramazan Abdulatipov has dismissed the republic's government because none of the tasks set as far back as February have been fulfilled; p 2 (696 words).

6. Natalya Korchenkova and Sergei Goryashko article headlined "center TV does not find time for mayoral candidates" says that all Moscow mayoral candidates, except for acting mayor Sergei Sobyanin, have expressed willingness to take part in pre-election debates on the television channels Moscow 24 and Moscow Doveriye. Opposition politician Alexei Navalny wants to try to obtain free airtime for campaigning on the Moscow city government-controlled channel center television; p 2 (719 words).

7. Unattributed article headlined "Who else should be made open?" features experts' comments on the introduction by the Russian government of control over incomes and expenses of the leadership of state-run companies; p 3 (438 words).

8. Vladimir Vodo article headlined "Russian citizen permitted for export from Lithuania" says that Lithuania has satisfied the U.S.'s request to extradite Russian native Dmitry Ustinov, suspected of smuggling and money laundering; p 4 (376 words).

9. Oleg Rubnikovich and Vladimir Dzaguto article headlined "Money gone to gravel" says searches have been held within the framework of the fraud case against the hydropower company RusGidro; p 4 (300 words).

10. Olga Rannikh and Vladislav Trifonov article headlined "Former Tula Region governor imprisoned without bribe" says that former Tula Region governor Vyacheslav Dudka has been sentenced to nine years and six months for receiving a large bribe; p 4 (649 words).

11. Grigory Tumanov et al. article headlined "They strike Sergei Udaltsov with motor race" says that searches have been held in opposition activists' flats in Perm, Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk, which Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov, suspected of organizing the 6 May 2012 riots on Moscow's Bolotnaya square, has allegedly visited to train militants; p 5 (523 words).

Nezavisimaya Gazeta

1. Tatyana Ivzhenko article headlined "What is good for Gazprom, Americans do not like" says that President Putin will arrive in Kiev by the end of this week to take part in the celebrations of the 1,025th anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus. Putin is expected to meet his Ukrainian counterpart to discuss gas cooperation problems on the sidelines of the celebrations; pp 1, 6 (962 words).

2. Tatyana Dvoynova article headlined "Kind of election to be held in Vladivostok" looks at Vladivostok mayoral candidates and quotes experts as saying that the election results are predetermined; pp 1, 2 (509 words).

3. Alexei Gorbachev article headlined "Dissenters go to Yaroslavl with heavy artillery" says that the RPR-Parnas party will officially present a single list of opposition candidates for the Yaroslavl Region legislative assembly election to be held this autumn. Co-chairman of the party, Boris Nemtsov, will top the list; pp 1, 2 (662 words).

4. Ivan Rodin article headlined "Unadjusted social lift" says that a bill mitigating requirements for applicants for government service may be signed in August; pp 1, 3 (830 words).

5. Yevgenia Novikova article headlined "Bashar al-Asad and rebels in search for sponsors" says that Russia's financial aid to Damascus has topped the agenda of a meeting between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil in Moscow. Russia will most likely provide aid, a Russian expert said. Meanwhile, the Syrian opposition is looking for sponsors in Europe; pp 1, 6 (791 words).

6. Roza Tsvetkova article headlined "Navalny's new brand" says that in an interview with a Russian internet media outlet, United Russia lawmaker Yevgeny Fedorov has called opposition activist Alexei Navalny a "representative of the supreme power of the occupation regime" established in Russia by the U.S.; p 2 (710 words).

7. Editorial headlined "Split in elite as chance for opposition" says that given the unexpected release of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, many political experts and journalists are speaking about a conflict of interests and even a split in the ruling elite. The editorial also describes how the opposition could take advantage of this; p 2 (479 words).

8. Sergei Nikanorov article headlined "September surprises" looks ahead at the Sept. 8 regional elections in Russia and says that the elections will be an efficiency test of the authorities and the regional elite; p 3 (561 words).

9. Veniamin Popov commentary headlined "Morsi's overthrow is not end to Islamism" focuses on the military takeover in Egypt and says that it has opened up a new chapter in the history of Egypt and the entire Middle East as regards the rise of political Islam; p 3 (652 words).

Vedomosti

1. Bela Lyauv article headlined "Sergei Sobyanin to start with himself" says that acting Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin has instructed the city government to consider relocating part of its offices to "new Moscow", the districts outside the city center; pp 1, 4 (590 words).

2. Editorial headlined "Return of politics" says that given that opposition politician Alexei Navalny is back in the Moscow mayor election race, political developments are no longer predictable and the Sept. 8 election is intriguing; pp 1, 6 (408 words).

3. Lilia Biryukova and Maxim Glikin article headlined "Roizman becomes useful" says that the Sverdlovsk Region authorities will not prevent the Civil Platform's Yevgeny Roizman from running for Yekaterinburg mayor, as he may steal the votes from other opposition candidates; p 2 (687 words).

4. Alexei Nikolsky and Maxim Tovkailo article headlined "To serve until 65" says that the Defense Ministry has submitted to the government a bill to increase servicemen's retirement age to 65. The move will help save on pensions and various benefits, the article says; p 3 (405 words).

5. Maxim Tovkaylo and Filipp Sterkin article headlined "Yakunin to account for everybody" says the government has approved a list of state organizations having to account for their incomes and expenses. Russian Railways is the only large state company on the list; p 4 (200 words).

6. Editorial headlined "Life of others" says that the Russian authorities have recently toughened the migration policy, which resulted in the rise of xenophobia in Russian society; p 6 (356 words).

7. Alexei Savatyugin article headlined "Role of mega-regulator: What should super agency look like?" focuses on problems and challenges facing the new leadership of Central Bank; pp 6-7 (1,138 words).

8. The independent Levada Center pollster's expert Alexei Levinson article headlined "Fair election as dangerous tool" comments on the Moscow city authorities' intention to hold the fair mayoral election on Sept. 8; p 7 (461 words).

9. Timofey Dzyadko article headlined "Rosneft to wait until autumn" says that Rosneft cannot increase oil supplies to China at least until autumn because the State Duma has not yet ratified the relevant Russian-Chinese intergovernmental agreement signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in late June; p 11 (751 words).

10. Anastasia Fomicheva and Lilia Biryukova article headlined "Putin demands that RusGidro should spend wisely" says that Putin has met the head of the state-controlled RusGidro company, Yevgeny Dod, to discuss the company's projects in Russia's Far East; p 13 (529 words).

Izvestia

1. Alexander Yunashev et al. article headlined "Public Chamber demands salary" says that a number of Public Chamber members are trying to push through amendments which will raise the status of the organization and will make it possible for Public Chamber members to receive salaries; pp 1-2 (604 words).

2. Viktor Sokirko and Denis Telmanov article headlined "Military men prohibited from going to Egypt and Israel for vacation" says that the Defense Ministry has banned officials having access to classified documents from visiting Egypt and Israel over the volatile situation there; pp 1, 4 (540 words).

3. Svetlana Naborshchikova interview with the new director of Moscow's Bolshoi Theater, Vladimir Urin, headlined "'I do not hold on seat in Bolshoi, so I am free'", sharing his first impressions of the work in the Bolshoi Theater; pp 1, 5 (2,656 words).

4. Nikita Mogutin article headlined "Dagestani government dismisssed" reports on Dagestani head Ramazan Abdulatipov dismissing the republic's government; p 2 (300 words).

5. Petr Kozlov article headlined "ONF to test forces on tax holiday for businessmen" says that the All-Russia People's Front plans to collect signatures in support of a two-year tax holiday for small businessmen; p 3 (609 words).

6. Marina Davydova article headlined "Aide to Norwegian consul to be questioned on gay propaganda" says that an aide to the Norwegian consul-general in Murmansk has become a witness in an administrative case on gay propaganda among minors by four Netherlanders, who have arrived in Murmansk for a human rights forum of LGBT activists; p 4 (521 words).

7. Igor Yavlyanskyand Konstantin Volkov article headlined "Syrian Kurds oust Islamists from their region" says that clashes in northern Syria between Kurds and radical Islamists of the Syrian opposition are becoming fiercer and features a Russian expert's comment on the issue; p 7 (547 words).

8. Dmitry Drobnitsky article headlined "There is nothing to be done" looks at similarities and differences in the case of opposition member Alexei Navalny in Russia and the case of watchman George Zimmerman in the U.S.; p 9 (854 words).

9. Political analyst Gleb Kuznetsov article headlined "When captivity is better" contemplates Alexei Navalny's prospects in the Sept. 8 Moscow mayoral election and says that it would have been better for him to stay in prison than to be freed; p 9 (835 words).

10. Viktor Toporov article headlined "Second-order independence" contemplates the independence of Russian justice and says that opposition politician Alexei Navalny will most likely be imprisoned following a decision by a court of appeal; p 9 (774 words).

Rossiiskaya Gazeta

1. Vitaly Petrov article headlined "To East again" says Putin has met head of the RusGidro hydropower company Yevgeny Dod and said he is going to hold consultations on the energy sector of East Siberia and Far East; p 2 (300 words).

2. Yury Gavrilov article headlined "Firing range for sale" says that a new episode has emerged in the fraud case against the Defense Ministry's property relations department Yevgenia Vasilyeva; p 2 (416 words).

3. Vladimir Zhuravlev article headlined "Nobody gives command" says a presidential spokesman has denied reports that opposition member Alexei Navalny has been released on Putin's order; p 2 (200 words).

4. Political analyst Leonid Radzikhovsky article headlined "Defeat and victory" says that the Russian authorities' goal for the Sept. 8 regional elections is to win them and maintain stability in the country, ensuring legitimacy of the existing political system; p 3 (800 words).

5. Marina Aleshina and Anna Fedyakina article headlined "Heir does not reach Leo" says that the Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to the U.K. royal baby; p 8 (725 words).

6. Alexander Gasyuk interview headlined "Sky-view stroll" with Alla But (Bout), the wife of Russian businessman Viktor But (Bout) serving his prison sentence in the U.S. for arms trafficking. She speaks about the establishment of the Way Home fund that will focus on the defense of rights and interests of Russians imprisoned abroad; p 8 (668 words).

Moskovsky Komsomolets

1. Darya Fedotova article headlined "'Abortion would have been better for you'" looks at the first hearing of the case against Sergei Pomazun, charged with shooting six people dead in Belgorod in late April; pp 1, 3 (593 words).

2. Maxim Grigoryev article headlined "Three in prison truck, except beaten one" says that Dmitry Monakhov, an activist of the Moscow branch of the Solidarity opposition movement, detained during the 18 July unauthorized rally on Moscow's Manezh Square, has accused the police of beating him; pp 1, 2 (411 words).

3. Alexander Minkin article headlined "Fear in Russia" comments on a survey conducted by the VTsIOM public opinion research center to learn the main threats to Russia in the view of those polled, and says that the Russian authorities are to blame for these threats; p 1 (762 words).

4. Andrei Yashlavsky interview with journalist Glenn Greenwald, headlined "It is clear why Snowden decided to seek asylum in Russian Federation'", who speaks about his plans to publish a book on the basis of U.S. whistle-blower Edward Snowden's disclosures; p 1 (546 words).

5. Darya Fedotova article headlined "Edward Snowden becomes member of trade union and desired fiancee" says that U.S. whistle-blower Edward Snowden has been accepted to the Russian trade union of acting officers and veterans of the law-enforcement and security agencies; p 2 (380 words).

6. Vitaly Smirnov article headlined "Third force in elections " provides Russian political experts' comments on Moscow mayoral candidate from the A Just Russia party, Nikolai Levichev, and his prospects in the 8 September election; p 3 (785 words).

7. Alexander Nevzorov article headlined "Taste of rat" says that Russian history should not be taught at schools for the benefit of the state; p 3 (995 words).

8. Yevgeny Balabas article headlined "Gay propaganda found in forest near Murmansk" says that four Netherlanders have been detained on suspicion of gay propaganda in Murmansk. The foreigners arrived there to shoot a film about tolerance and human rights in Russia and interviewed a Russian gay as part of the filming; p 7 (480 words).

RBC Daily

1. Svetlana Makunina report "Zyuganov to bring million to Putin" says that the Communist Party is seeking resignation of the government and intends to collect one million signatures of Russians. The signatures are to back Communists' no confidence motion, newspaper says; pp 1-2 (650 words).

2. Ivan Petrov report "Hear woman" looks at the confrontation between the Prosecutor-General's Office and the Investigative Committee and at head of the Prosecutor-General's Office academy Oksana Kapinus's role in it; p 2 (850 words).

3. Alexander Litoy report "Murmansk court does not succumb to gay propaganda" says that a Murmansk district court has refused to hear the case of a Dutch TV crew that were making a film about Russian gays; p 2 (600 words).

Noviye Izvestia

1. Margarita Alekhina interview with Ilya Politkovskiy, the son of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya, killed in 2006, headlined "'My mother's case has not been investigated thoroughly'", speaking about the probe into his mother's murder; pp 1, 5 (842 words).

2. Vera Moslakova article headlined "If they only wish" says that the A Just Russia party wants the bill on granting amnesty to businessmen convicted of economic crimes to be amended; pp 1, 3 (794 words).

3. Vitaly Slovetsky article headlined "'They direct anger at foreigners'" says that a public opinion poll by the VTsIOM public opinion research center has shown that 35 percent of Russians consider migrants the main threat to Russia. Experts say that people are displeased with the situation in the country and vent their spleen against foreigners; p 2 (622 words).

4. Yulia Savina report "When mayor is not friend of governor" says that changes in municipal authorities continue and looks at resignation of the Tomsk mayor and at the mayoral election in Yekaterinburg; p 2 (800 words).

5. Sergei Putilov article headlined "There is still lot of credits" says that Russia will most likely give over $1 billion to Syria. It is not known what the money will be spent on and whether the loan will be paid off; p 3 (693 words).

Komsomolskaya Pravda

1. Yevgeny Arsyukhin report "'Our officials are beggarly'" quotes Labor Minister Maxim Topilin as saying that "officials are impoverished" in Russia; p 2 (350 words).

2. Dmitry Nadezhdin report "Russia is afraid of invasion of migrants most of all" looks at the results of a public opinion poll on the problem of migration in Russia; p 3 (350 words).

3. Boris Andreyev report "Americans give refuge to bandits from Russia" looks at the situation with fugitive U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden and says that Washington has more than once ignored Russia's requests to extradite criminals hiding in the U.S.; p 4 (900 words).

4. Alexei Tumanov report "Former governor sentenced to 9.5 years for bribe worth 40M rubles" looks at the jail sentence to former Tula Region governor Vyacheslav Dudka; p 5 (650 words).

5. Alexander Grishin report headlined "Lesson for others" looks at the verdict passed on Vyacheslav Dudka; p 5 (150 words).

6. Mikhail Kosov report "Nikolai Levichev's 'City of Justice'" looks at the election campaign of the mayoral candidate from the A Just Russia party, Nikolai Levichev; p 6 (750 words).

7. Irina Belova report "You will answer for vandalism" says that during a rally in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Moscow on 18 July, the building of the State Duma has been vandalized; p 7 (500 words).

8. Semen Shapkin report "They want to stop child pornography in Britain" says that as all Britain is waiting for the news about the royal baby, David Cameron has warned internet companies about the need to control spread of child pornography; p 4 (150 words).

9. Mikhail Smirnov report "What is Alexei Navalny guilty of?" looks at blogger Alexei Navalny's criminal case; p 11 (1,700 words).

Krasnaya Zvezda

1. Alexander Gerasimov report "Under al-Qaida's black flag" looks at Moscow's efforts to convince all the participants in the Syrian conflict that a military solution to the problem has no future; pp 1, 3 (1,300 words).

Trud

1. Pavel Orlov article called "Governor takes too much for his rank" looks at the verdict to former Tula Region governor Vyacheslav Dudka; p 2 (400 words).

2. Boris Zagoryansky report "Clear and present danger" looks at an All-Russia center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM) opinion poll on threats facing Russia; p 1 (550 words).

Tvoy Den

1. Nikita Mogutin report "Staff militants" says that according to Russian law-enforcement agencies, the U.S. has granted political asylum to two people suspected of terrorism; p 2 (550 words).

Moskovskiye Novosti

1. Anna Baydakova report "Clever voter: How to complain about violations" publishes advice to Russians on how to complain about violations of their voting rights; p 3 (600 words).

2. Lana Samarina report "Finance ministries and central banks deal with employment" looks at the financial G20 meeting in Moscow; p B2 (1,300 words).