Medvedev

In “Gorbuntsov case” it is worth questioning Mr A.Melnichenko, Forbes list, who was head of Conversbank (Moscow) and lives in London. Suggest 4 more witnesses: A.Egiazaryan, former MP, gangster, now hiding in USA (can be contacted through Department of Justice). Defrauded 2 Russian banks – Mosnatsbank & Unicombank for approximately $1,2 bln – and laundered funds through bank Louis D’or, Barbados (now liquidated). Knows a lot.

Billionaire Alexander Lebedev encapsulated the difference between Russia's sovereign democracy and the plain old democracy put into practice since the days of Aristotle by writing these words on his blog after Vladimir Putin declared victory in the presidential election: "We know the results of the election, but we have no idea about Russia's future after the election."

A week ago, a burly Russian tycoon named Alexander Lebedev made the news after he punched a burlier Russian tycoon, Sergei Polonsky, in the face. All that right on a national TV show in front of an audience of millions. Some people say Mr. Polonsky was asking for it. They could be right. In 2008, Mr. Polonsky, then one of Europe's youngest billionaires, proclaimed that anyone who failed to make a billion dollars was a loser. One can understand the desire to punch him in the face, but Mr. Polonsky's reaction was full of indignation and chagrin. He immediately complained to the Holy Trinity of the Russian power system: Putin, Medvedev and Patriarch, after which he posted the photos of his bruised face and torn jeans on Twitter.

Vladimir Putin could follow the path of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev or Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe unless he can open up Russia's political system and fight rampant corruption, according to tycoon Alexander Lebedev.

Business tycoon Alexander Lebedev has told Sky News Russia's current leaders have "not always been good" for the country and should run against each other in the next presidential elections.

In a move reflecting the increasing significance of the Sergei Magnitsky case to UK-Russia relations, UK Prime Minister David Cameron has expressed his concern over the lack of progress with the Russian investigation into the torture and death in police custody of Sergei Magnitsky, an anti-corruption lawyer working for the UK investment firm, Hermitage Capital.