Russia: Tomsk governor briefs Putin on 'stability' in the region

Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the general economic and social situation in the Tomsk Region by Governor Sergei Zhvachkin, in Moscow on Tuesday. Governor Zhvachkin said the word “stability” summed up the situation in the Tomsk Region, before explaining that Gazprom has turned to the region to purchase equipment. The gas giant has bought around 4.3 billion roubles (€68 million; $75 million) worth of hardware from the Tomsk Region with an additional eight-billion rouble deal (€127 million; $139 million) having just been signed. Zhvachkin said that this was profitable for the company because it saves it between 12 and 26 percent on imported equipment.