Word: kremlins
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...kick off promisingly when Gazprom, Russia’s Kremlin-owned energy monopoly, interrupted Ukraine’s natural gas flow through the ironically named “Brotherhood” pipeline. Ever since the downfall of the USSR, former satellite Soviet republics have benefited from heavily subsidized gas prices. Wanting to update Ukraine’s access to “international standards,” Gazprom raised the price of gas from $50 per thousand cubic meters to $230. The more than 400-percent increase was cleverly couched in the Western language of free trade and open international...
...worthy of the leadership of the G-8, which it will take for the first time this year. But no one will be giving him the benefit of the doubt after the dramatic resignation of his economic adviser, the outspoken liberal reformer Andrei Illarionov, 44. The economist, a Kremlin maverick, fought to curb state interference in the economy, particularly in the energy sector. But with Moscow tightening its grip on oil and natural gas, Illarionov was recently stripped of a key post with the G-8 and had his staff cut. Illarionov implies he had been under pressure to keep...
...Illarionov?s decision to resign comes at a moment when the Kremlin is escalating its intention to dramatically hike gas prices in Ukraine by as much as a fourfold increase. On Saturday (December 31), Putin made Ukrainians another offer: Sign on the new price now, start paying three months later. Unless they accept the offer, which they hardly can, Putin ordered Gazprom to turn off the tap at 10 a.m. on January 1. On Saturday (December 31), Illarionov told TIME: ?Over the last 48 hours things between Russia and Ukraine have been developing under the worst possible scenario...
...Illarionov?s recent criticism of Putin had put him in the cross hairs, and he was being eased out of office. He was stripped of his crucial job as Russia's envoy to the G-8, and his Kremlin staff had been gradually reduced. But it was Illarionov who took the final step to resign this week. In a lengthy interview with TIME, Illarionov sat down to discuss his decision to leave office, the tense situation in Ukraine and his harsh criticism of the current administration...
...TIME: The Kremlin says it just charges market prices...