Journalists of Radio Liberty Mikhail Sokolov and Viktor Rezunkov talk with Artem Tarasov. Mikhail Sokolov: The guest of the Moscow Studio Radio Liberty is Artem Tarasov, a well -known entrepreneur, president of Fide Comers. He arrived on Friday, April 14, from London due to the fact that on this day he was registered with a candidate for the governors of St. Petersburg. So, Artem Mikhailovich, why are you going to St.

Natalya Golitsyna, London: In the UK, Putin’s visit is called a “official working visit”, unlike the term “state visit” in such cases. Apparently, this is due to two circumstances. Firstly, Vladimir Putin officially has not officially took office - the inauguration ceremony was scheduled for May 7. Secondly, this visit will be unusually short. Putin’s aircraft will land in London on Sunday evening, but the entire program of a rich visit is assigned to Monday.

In this issue: - Pskov and Nizhny Novgorod are preparing to live without light and heat; - Ufa "Youth Gazeta" against the help of Chechnya to children; - Why do the khanty do not like geologists? - national consent "in Mordovian"; - 45 thousand residents of the Republic of Mari-El are looking for work; - Yekaterinburg: redistribution of property - and therefore, the authorities - continues; - Ivanovo: To whom it is beneficial for the city to remain dirty?

Moody's International rating agency announced a change in its forecast regarding the ratings of Russian debt obligations - from the "stable" to "positive". However, the ratings themselves still reflect a high level of credit risk for investors. In particular, according to Russian Eurobonds - 50%of the default probability. The price of Russian oil "Urals" on the International Oil Exchange in London decreased to the level of $ 19 per barrel .

Host of the "Liberty Live" program Vladimir Baburin: OSCE Chairperson Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who completed her tour of the North Caucasus, supported the call for an independent investigation into human rights violations in Chechnya. Yesterday she visited Chechnya and then met with the President of Ingushetia Ruslan Aushev.

Hasin Raduev, Ingushetia: Today, in the village of Khorsena, located about 13 kilometers west of Chateen, Russian units are conducting a special operation to search for weapons and militants - the so -called "laid". Yesterday, military intelligence found the base of the Chechen detachment here. The terrain around Khorsenia was subjected to massive aviation and artillery blows during the day. Now ground forces are directed to this area.

In New York, an annual literary evening was held, arranged by the local department of the Pen Center, on which two awards called "Freedom to write" were awarded. This award was established in the 87th year and is given to those writers whose freedom and life are in danger. Fourteen of the previous twenty laureates who were in prison at the time of his award were released for a short time.

Interview with President Chechnya Aslan Maskhadova Radio Liberty. Savik Shuster is talking with Aslan Maskhadov. Savik Shuster: Mr. Maskhadov, there were a kind of answers from the Russian authorities to your call to negotiations - they said that they would even be ready to negotiate with you if you gave them those people whom they consider criminals, that is, the chapters of detachments and formations? Aslan Maskhadov: There were no such ultimate statements to me.

Presenter of the Liberty Live program Vladimir Baburin: The chairman of the OSCE Benit Ferrero-Waldner, who completed the trip to the North Caucasus, supported the call to conduct an independent investigation of human rights violations in Chechnya. Yesterday she visited Chechnya, and then met with the President of Ingushetia Ruslan Aushev.

The French microbiologists from the Pasteur Institute and their English colleagues from the Senger center deciphered the structure of the DNA of the pathogen of Hansen's disease , better known as leprosy or lepre. The results will help the search for new methods of combating this serious and extremely contagious disease. The World Health Organization annually registers about eight hundred thousand new cases of leprosy.

In the south of Sakhalin, work continues to eliminate the consequences of a powerful cyclone. Until now, the city of Gornozavodsk and the village of Shebunino with the total population of more than three thousand people are still left without energy supply. In some settlements, the houses are flooded. There was a threat of ice congestion on the Susuya River. According to preliminary data, the damage amounted to 25 million rubles.

Interview with Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov to Radio Liberty. Savik Shuster talks with Aslan Maskhadov. Savik Shuster: Mr. Maskhadov, here were some kind of responses from the Russian authorities to your call for negotiations - they said that they would even be ready to negotiate with you if you handed over to them those people whom they consider criminals, that is, the heads of detachments and formations? Aslan Maskhadov: There were no such ultimatum statements addressed to me.

Hasin Raduev, Ingushetia: Separate skirmishes took place in Nozhai-Yurt, Sharoisk and Itumkalinsky districts. Russian units held planned reconnaissance events in the mountains. Having discovered Chechen bases, they moved back and aircraft and artillery blows were applied to the identified goals. Several times the Chechen formations fired at the outposts of the Itumkalin border detachment. In response, fire was fired from mortars and mountain guns.

Lev Roitman: A third of the inhabitants of Germany do not know at all that there is such a state of Latvia. In Russia, everyone and everyone is known about the existence of Latvia. But what does the average Russian know about Latvia?

Radio Liberty journalists Mikhail Sokolov and Viktor Rezunkov talk with Artem Tarasov. Mikhail Sokolov: Guest of the Moscow Studio of Radio Liberty is Artem Tarasov, a famous entrepreneur, president of the company FIDE Commerce. He arrived on Friday, April 14, from London due to the fact that on that day he was registered as a candidate for governor of St. Petersburg. So, Artem Mikhailovich, why are you going to St.