Moscow Is Europe's Hottest Property

It looks like good news if you have money to invest but bad news if you are looking for a place to rent.

If you want more bang for your buck then the Moscow real estate market is the place to be, according to a Europe-wide survey of market players released Tuesday that put the city on top of the table for investment prospects.

But in the rollercoaster world of Russia's property boom not everything looks so rosy, as those polled also ranked Moscow the riskiest city to do business in.

Moscow's meteoric rise, up from 18th last year, is due in large part to investors turning away from Europe's traditional markets to tap into new opportunities, the annual report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Urban Land Institute said.

Click Here

This could help the economy of Russia by promoting tourism and the property market. The article says that it is risky to do business in Moscow, but if you are willing to take the risk, then there could be a big profit in store. Since the economy is one of the main issues that Medvedev wants and needs to focus on.

Grade This Post

Putin Insists on New Scenario for Russia

On February 8, after the Russian President finished his 45-minute address about the strategy of the Russian development before 2020 at the State Council’s enlarged meeting, analysts got confused in their comments. They varied from “Putin left his will” to “he will not leave at all.” Some said that “he first acknowledged arms race,” others believed that “he said nothing new,” etc.

Moreover, after the third part of the speech was said, it could be concluded that the only aim of the presidential address was to remind everyone of the terrible situation in Russia before Putin and the improvements achieved during his presidency. Afterwards, Putin promised that Russia would continue its development. He really specified plans and goals, but it was just a brief outline. The landmark speech lacked the list of mechanisms and resources required for achieving such goals. That is why Putin’s speech looked more like the final report of the past eight years with best wishes for the forthcoming 12 years.

However, Putin’s address was neither a report, nor a summary of the strategy before 2020. In fact the attendees at the Georgievsky Hall of the Kremlin (where Putin delivered his speech) heard the following: “You think that our situation is good and is going to remain such? But if we adhere to the present scenario, things will get worse.”

Click Here


Putin’s message in his address was unclear. What was clear was that the economy of Russia is not doing well. Putin reminded everyone how bad it was before he became president, but he noted it stagnation. He wants progress and growth for Russia. The quality of life for Russians is bleak, many do not live to be sixty. This article shows how difficult life in Russia really is.

Grade This Post

Gazprom Threatens Ukraine Gas Cut

"Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has warned Ukraine it will reduce its gas supplies from next Monday if a $1.5bn (£772m) gas debt is not paid off." They say that this would affect only 25% of the country's total fuel supply.


On Wednesday, Ukraine joined the World Trade Organisation after 14 years of negotiations. Russia is the world's only major economy not to be a member.


This leads to claims Gazprom is also being accused of making this warning for political reasons, but Mr Kochevrin, the Gazprom spokesman, insisted "We're a commercial company: our investors won't understand if our profits fall."


To read the full story, click here.

Lately, Russia's government and businesses have been uncomfortabley chaffing with its surrounding nations and the larger power of the world. Aside from negatively impacting the Ukraine, this act will most likely further the already declining international opinion of Russia.

Grade this post.

Volga road trip: A dying industry

This article is a bit different. It is about a road trip that a BBC news reporter, Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, takes through Russia in an old Russian car to a Volga factory. He reports on the conditions of Russia’s car industry.

"I am going to go out on a limb here and make a prediction. Russia's indigenous car industry is finished. It may take many more years to finally die, but die it will.

The reason is simple - Russian cars are awful."

He goes on to say:

I have now taken delivery of an eight-year-old 1.5-tonne black monster. A day of driving it around the snowbound streets of Nizhny Novgorod, and I think I can safely say it has gone straight in at No.2 in my all time worst car list. The Volga was, possibly, an OK car when it first came out. But that was in 1970. My Volga was made 30 years later, and it is essentially exactly the same car. And they are still making them today! Its the equivalent of Ford still building Cortinas, or Vauxhall still making Vivas!

Click Here

Grade This Post

This gives insight into Russia's economy. The car industry in Russia seems to be finished. The company that makes the Volgas is, however, privately owned and operated, which is better than some of Russia's other industries and companies. So I guess that any attempt at capitalism is better than no capitalism.