Economy of Russia

Simeon Djankov, who last year joined Russian VTB bank's Supervisory Council, is now stepping down, Russian media reports suggest.

The report is run by Russian daily Kommersant [RU], in an article that gives a summary of recent moves by foreign nationals to quit high-profile positions at Russian bank as the country's financial system is suffering from the impact of Russian sanctions.

The European Commission has sent a statement of objections to Gazprom, accusing the Russian company of abusing its dominant market position and breaching EU antitrust rules.

Ir also says that Bulgaria is among the most heavily affected countries by what it describes as disputable practices on behalf of the Russian energy giant.

The visit and high-profile meetings Gazprom chief Alexei Miller had in Athens on Tuesday failed to deliver a final - and much-coveted by the government - deal for a pipeline carrying Russian natgas from the Turkish border through Greece.

Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukaev has said there was no legal obstacle before Turkey and Russia about conducting trade with each other's currencies, noting Russia might sell gas and make investments on the Turkish Lira. 

"Russia to allow Greece to bypass food import ban"

MOSCOW -- Greece and Russia are planning a joint venture in Russia that would allow Greece to sell its agriculture products in Russia.

Moscow last year banned import of food from the EU in response to western sanctions targeting Russian economy and officials.

The anti-terrorism squad arrested two people on Thursday as part of its ongoing investigation into an alleged plan to help members of the urban guerrilla group Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire escape from jail.

Officers arrested a 27-year-old man, thought to be an Albanian national, and his 24-year-old wife.

Greece's energy minister said on Tuesday that major Russian firms will take part in a Greek tender for deep-sea oil and gas exploration, after the cash-strapped country extended the bidding process by two months.

Russia?s Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of gas producer Gazprom, has asked the government for 198 billion rubles ($3.3 billion) in financial aid, the daily Kommersant reported on March 6.

Ever since Moscow was hit by sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, Russian companies have struggled to raise financing because Western markets are largely closed to them.

Russian firearms maker Kalashnikov Concern aims to concentrate on its markets in the Middle East and Africa and diversify its product range to offset the impact of Western sanctions, its chief executive has said.

Customs police at Athens International Airport on Monday confiscated a cardboard box containing a Kalashnikov assault rifle which appeared to be a collector?s item, a non-operational weapon.

The weapon had been carefully wrapped in aluminum foil in an apparent bid by the sender to get it through the airport?s X-ray machine, according to a statement by authorities.