Putin touts Arctic Northeast passage

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called Thursday for "a zone of peace" in the Arctic as North Pole neighbours scramble to stake their claims to the region?s energy-rich seabed."We think it is imperative to keep the Arctic as a zone of peace and cooperation," Putin told international participants at the first Arctic Forum in Moscow, which stressed the eye-watering potential for offshore development."We all know that it is hard to live alone in the Arctic," Putin said.

While the collapse in China-Japan foreign relations (and subsequently, and much more importantly, trade) over a handful of islands in the East China Sea and strategically located near potentially vast maritime oil and gas reserves is by now well-known to everyone, what may come as a surprise is that while Japan is engaged in one mini cold war over disputed rocks with China, none other than Russia tested the waters overnight so to speak, with a fighter jet flyover above yet another set of disputed islands, the Kuriles located in the far north of Japan.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Vladislav Surkov — also known by his nickname, the "gray cardinal" — has formally stepped down today, the Moscow Times reports. 

A leaked video that show Vladimir Putin berating Russian officials during a meeting with cabinet ministers and regional leaders has shocked many in Russia, where Putin usually goes to great lengths to appear nonchalant and relaxed.

Europe will start receiving Russian natural gas via the Nord Stream pipeline being constructed under the Baltic in October or November, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday."The maritime part will be finished on May 15th. Thankfully there were no problems," Putin told a press conference during a visit to Denmark."In July the gas will be put into the pipeline and in October-November our European customers will get gas," he assured.