Russian gas producer Itera and oil company Zarubezhneft have planned to jointly explore offshore sites in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea until 2012, said Itera Board Chairman Igor Makarov on Monday.

• October 5, 2010

The Kremlin stepped up its criticism of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Monday, shortly after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused the autocratic leader of creating ill-will between the two nations.

• October 5, 2010

Ukraine's nuclear power plant state operator Energoatom and Russia's Atomenergomash, controlled by the state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, have reached an agreement to set up a consortium to launch local production of equipment for nuclear power plants.

• October 5, 2010

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is planning to visit Russia, Belarus and Iran to reinforce ties with some of his close allies.

• October 5, 2010

Latvia’s Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis is seeking a cooperation deal with an opposition party backed by the country’s large Russian-speaking minority in a bid to broaden his government’s support base after a strong election win.

• October 5, 2010

Bulgaria should be able to start exporting electricity to Turkey end of October, the energy ministers of the two countries agreed in Sofia.

• October 5, 2010

Georgia is hoping to tap into its abundance of high mountains and fast-flowing rivers to transform the country into a regional hydro-electric superpower.

• October 5, 2010

Turkey will continue to extend support to Kyrgyzstan, the Turkish foreign minister has said, adding that his country favored peace and prosperity prevailing in Kyrgyzstan and in Central Asia.

• October 4, 2010