PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - OCT 17
MOSCOW, Oct 17 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
VEDOMOSTI
www.vedomosti.ru
- Russia needs legislation offering guarantees to its military contractors in case they are killed, injured or taken hostage when taking part in Russian overseas missions, the daily says, noting that the government has introduced a draft bill into parliament on the subject.
- Russia's aviation authorities have selected Nordwind, a private airline, to carry out regular flights from Moscow to New York. The route was previously serviced by Russian airline Transaero, which went bankrupt last year.
- Oil giant Rosneft has sacked around 20 top officials at mid-sized oil firm Bashneft, which it acquired last week.
- A regional anti-monopoly watchdog has accused sugar producers in Tatarstan of price collusion, saying that the Union of Russia's Sugar Producers was involved in coordinating prices in 34 of the region's plants.
KOMMERSANT
www.kommersant.ru
- The Agriculture Ministry is suggesting the government invest up to 79 billion roubles ($1.27 billion) in the development of vineyards in the next eight years.
- Interest in taking a winter holiday in Europe this year has grown by 3-5 percent compared to last year, the daily says.
- Police have prevented the illegal outflow of 8 billion roubles ($128.56 million) abroad, the daily says. The money was transferred to two former top officials at chemical company Tolyattiazot who left the country and are suspected of fraud and corruption.
IZVESTIA
www.izvestia.ru
- The Finance Ministry has suggested cutting investment in the agricultural sector by 10 billion roubles ($160.71 million) in 2017, despite a government pledge to maintain state support at current levels, the daily says.
- Overall crime rates have sharply fallen across Russia so far this year, though alcohol-related crime rates have got worse, the daily says.
ROSSIISKAYA GAZETA
www.rg.ru
- Russia and Turkey are discussing the possibility of conducting trade in their national currencies, according to Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev.
RBC
www.rbc.ru
- The Transport Ministry wants Aeroflot to sell its subsidiary Rossiya airline to try to stimulate competition, the daily says. It says Aeroflot, the national flag carrier, is not interested in the idea.
($1 = 62.2255 roubles) (Reporting By Tatiana Ustinova; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
