bobrivers said:
I don't know much about City owners so I have no idea about their plans,etc etc.
Concerning Abramovich. You are right to a certain degree about unusual times and circumstances in late 80s-early 90s Russia when Roman made his fortune but they're not any more or less unusual then the times of wild capitalism in say, Europe or US. At the foundation of many wealthy dynasties of the Old and New World there's plenty of 'blood money' and first Morgans,Hearsts and Rockefellers had probably as guilty a conscience as the worst criminals of their times. Abramovich came from nothing, he lost both parents when he was very little and he started out from very modest means and ended up one of the richest men in the country. I'm sure he made some choices in his life and career that in the Western society can be viewed as unacceptable but it's easy to pass the judgment from afar when you don't have to live through those experiences yourself.
In any case, this is not the place to discuss Abramovich since it's irrelevant to the thread but I felt that I needed to make a comment.
Bob, I first came to Russia in 1983 as a schoolkid and have been coming back ever since. I worked here as a young corporate lawyer between 1996 and 1999 as well, which was a very, erm, interesting experience. I don't fully agree with everything you say above, but do recognise that it's a legitimate point of view. And I won't deny that Abramovich must have been very astute to rise in the way he did. As you say, though, this probably isn't the place to discuss it.