Page 29 - bne IntelliNews Country Report: Russia Dec17

2.12 Politics - misc
Eugene Kaspersky of Kaspersky Lab cyber-security major said he would quit Russia if ever pressured to spy on his clients by security and intelligence services. Earlier this year Kaspersky Lab denied claims that it closely cooperates with Russian intelligence.
Fresh Russian connections in the administration of the US President Donald Trump were revealed in the Paradise Papers . US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross has was found to have a stake in shipping company Navigator through a chain of offshore investments, that is co-owned by Putin’s son-in-law and his petrochemical company Sibur.
Nato member Turkey expects to receive a first advanced S-400 anti-aircraft missile system from Russia in 2019, the country’s Defence Minister Nurettin Canikli announced on November 22. The agreement for the procurement of the missile system was signed and two S-400 systems, with one being optional, could be procured as part of the agreement, Canikli told parliament’s Planning and Budget Committee, Hurriyet Daily News reported. Nato was outraged that Turkey, a Nato member, would buy non-Nato compatible missile system from Russia.
Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, who is close to Russia's President Vladimir Putin, has been accused of attempting to bribe the leaders of Montenegro’s Bosniak party to back the pro-Russian opposition Democratic Front (DF) in its efforts to form a government after the October 2016 general election in Montenegro, Izvestia.ru revealed on November 29. The DF is at the centre of the scandal over an alleged coup attempt ahead of the election. Two of its leaders are due to stand trial on suspicion of helping to plot the coup, which would have seen the DF seize power on election day with the help of Russian intelligence agents and Serb paramilitaries.
Veteran Russian tycoon and senator of the Republic of Dagestan Suleyman Kerimov was detained by police in the French Riviera on November 20, Tass reported, citing a representative of French embassy in Russia. Reportedly Kerimov was detained in Nice on tax evasion charges, according to the BBC. Previously local press reported that Kerimov is the actual owner of the Hier villa on the Antibes acquired by Swiss real estate family heir Alexander Studhalter for €35mn, while the actual cost of the villa is estimated at €150mn.
Czech President Milos Zeman once again broke ranks with other European leaders and the Czech government by visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin and calling for sanctions to be dropped. Zeman– who has made defending Russia as well as vilifying Islam his main themes – is leading a huge delegation of Czech businesses to Russia, travelling on a four-day trip in three airplanes.
In the latest tit-for-tat measure the Russian State Duma, the lower chamber of Parliament, threatened to ban Google from collecting any advertising revenue in Russia in response to the online giant’s plans to "de-rank" RT and Sputnik in news search results. Piotr Tolstoy, the Duma's deputy chairman, said that Russia could issue a complete ban on Google and
29 RUSSIA Country Report December 2017 www.intellinews.com