The times are interesting both politically and economically in Russia. Prime Minister Putin recently traveled to a small town to demand a local business pay wage arrears to employees after protests erupted. This highlights a disconnect between state and local economies, governments, and businesses which are short of cash, and the central government which still has a large surplus of cash. To highlight the dissatisfaction of Moscow, President Medvedev warned governors that failure to meet economic challenges could result in their dismissal. This is a situation well worth watching and we will keep you updated.