Page 24 - RUSRptOct18

Russia and Turkey on September 17 agreed to create a demilitarised buffer zone in Syria's Idlib region to separate Syrian government forces from rebel fighters holed up there. “Radically-minded” rebels would be required to withdraw from the zone by the middle of next month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said following a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Neither Putin not Erdogan explained how they planned to differentiate “radically-minded” rebels from other groups opposed to the Damascus government. It was also not immediately clear how much of the city of Idlib woul be included in the zone.
Russian industrial majors such are reportedly willing to join the metals and mining companies that have been "encouraged" by the government to channel excess profits to large-scale national investment projects , Vedomosti daily reported on September 2. Reportedly TMK pipe maker, Polymetal silver and gold miner, Uralchem fertiliser major, as well as Russian Railways, Russian Grid, and Rostelecom integrated telecom major will join the working group on investment organised by the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) along with a dozen metals and mining companies. Investment in Russia is under par due to the poor business environment and political risks. Rather than improve that environment the Kremlin, impatient for results, has engaged in a little arm-twisting instead and the oligarchs have responded. During the meeting with presidential aide Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and representatives of the 14 metals, mining, and chemical companies on August 24, Belousov said he did not see the sense in raising taxes, but announced that the companies had agreed to the proposal to participate over the next six years in investment projects .
Communist protesters took to the streets to protest against a regional run off vote they claim was stolen by the Kremlin due to highly unusual voting patterns were reported in the final stages of the vote counting that saw their candidate loose by a whisker at the last minute. The protestors claim the vote was rigged in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok following the loss of their candidate in gubernatorial elections to the incumbent from the ruling United Russia party. The region was one of four regions where the race went into a second round as part of last week’s region wide elections for local government. No candidates secured an all-out majority on election day September 9. Preliminary results of 100% of the votes counted published on September 17 put Andrei Tarasenko of the ruling United Russia Party ahead of the Communist Party’s Andrei Ishchenko by 1.49%, or 7,650 votes, reversing a 3-point lead he had enjoyed over Tarasenko with 95% of the votes counted a few hours earlier. “Resign! Resign! Resign!” an estimated 500 people chanted outside the Vladivostok administration building.
Ukraine has secured a "significant victory" in the English Court of Appeal court in its fight to annul a $3bn bond debt owed to Russia , Ukrainian Finance Ministry said in a statement published on September 14. The bond was issued by ousted president Viktor Yanukovych and bought by Russia, shortly after Ukraine refused an offer to sign the Association Agreement with the EU and threw its lot in with Russia instead. The decision sparked the Euromaidan protests that ended with a change in government. The new government has maintained the bond was forced on the government and has refused to pay it off. The statement followed an earlier court ruling that Ukraine must pay out on its defaulted $3bn Russian debt . "The decision to reverse summary judgment and permit Ukraine to argue its case before the court of first instance represents a significant victory for Ukraine," the ministry
24 RUSSIA Country Report October 2018 www.intellinews.com