The headlines in The Economist, London’s City weekly reference, read on December 16th, 2006 : " Don’t mess with Russia ". A photomontage represents President Putin in Al Capone, a gas pump serving as a submachine-gun.

The inside article denounces Vladimir Poutin’s " gangsterism " that modifies the game rules so as to prevent the foreign oil companies from exploiting Sakhalin deposits and uses the country’s natural resources to develop Russia’s power.

Without fear of a self contradiction, The Economist also blames Russia for complying with the free market laws, but in the other situations: Moscow refuses to pursue the communist discounts and wants to charge Georgians and Moldavians, who turned their back on Russia to the benefit of the NATO, the international price for its gas.

The Economist also imputes to the Kremlin Alexander Litvinenko’s murder.

Finally, may we remind our readers that The Economist does not describe the invasion of the Iraqi oil fields as a "gangsterism", but as a " crusade for freedom ".