Not-so-almighty

Gazprom labours under the curse that its every move is interpreted as evidence that Russia, the back-to-evil empire, is making yet another power play to tighten its energy stranglehold over Western Europe. Vladimir Putin is to blame: he made the gas monopoly the arm and symbol of Russia’s new strength – including turning it at home into a media powerhouse buying up newspapers and TV assets to make sure the media remain under control. But Gazprom is also a company – a quoted one at that. And som...