A brief look at what is in the Russian papers today

POLITICS

After two years of disputes and debates, the UN Security Council has finally approved a resolution on Syria. The first tangible result of Russian-US agreements, as articulated in the resolution, is that a team of UN chemical inspectors will arrive in Syria this week.

(Kommersant, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev publicly expressed his support for Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko’s initiative to reinstate the “against all” option in Russian ballot papers. Experts believe this has the potential to become an alternative to real opposition candidates.

(Kommersant)

The Russian prime minister, who is also the chairman of the ruling United Russia party, will hold two meetings with the party’s leadership this week, the first ahead of the party congress and the second when it closes on October 5. The congress is likely to focus on the results of the September, 8 elections.

(Kommersant, Izvestia)

ECONOMY

The US Defense Department officially notified Congress that its 800,000 civilian employees nationwide face unpaid leave or temporary layoffs if automatic spending cuts start on March 1.

(Kommersant, Vedomosti, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

OIL & GAS

Russian tycoon Mikhail Gutseriyev became the sole owner of the Russneft oil company after he had bought a two-percent stake held by Russia’s biggest lender Sberbank.

(Kommersant, Vedomosti)

Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin vowed to of buy out TNK-BP shares from minority shareholders in a deal estimated at $1.5 billion.

(Vedomosti, Izvestia)

VEHICLES & ENGINEERING

In a bid to support Russian carmakers amid a slump in sales, the Russian government may halt the purchase of foreign vehicles under the state procurement program from 2014.

(Kommersant)

DEFENSE

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu unveiled details about the planned creation of a National Defense Center, which will consolidate command over the country’s armed forces, especially the nuclear triad and rapid reaction forces. The project was first announced by Shoigu in July.

(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

SOCIETY

The signing of the controversial bill to reform the Russian Academy of Sciences into law by Russian President Vladimir Putin passed off relatively calmly, compared to this summer’s protests by academicians when the bill was heard in parliament. Although the bill has already entered into force, the reform has yet to begin.

(Kommersant, Vedomosti, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

Russia arrested all 30 Greenpeace activists over their action at the Prirazlomnaya offshore oil drilling platform in the Arctic last week protesting against oil extraction in the Arctic. The Russian investigative Committee considers the incident as an act of piracy.

(Kommersant, Vedomosti, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

Russia’s Channel One collected over 517 million rubles ($16 million) during its ten-hour fundraiser for residents of flood-hit Russian Far East.

(Kommersant, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

More than 18 million people, or about 12 percent of Russia’s population, have tried drugs at least once, the head of Russia’s Federal Drug Control Service, Viktor Ivanov, said

(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

SPORT

A ceremony to light the Sochi-2014 Olympic Flame took place in Ancient Olympia, Greece.

(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)