Is Russia plotting to bring down Opec?

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin's recent moves in the Middle East - to shore up Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria through deployment of combat aircraft, equipment, and manpower and buildout of air, naval, and ground-force bases, and the agreement last week with Iran, Iraq, and Syria on intelligence and security cooperation - could contribute to Russian efforts to combat the myriad negative pressures on Russia's vital energy industry.

LIVE BY ENERGY. . .

Energy is the foundation of Russia, its economy, its government, and its political system. Mr Putin has highlighted on various occasions the contribution Russia's mineral wealth, in particular oil and natural gas, must make for Russia to be able to sustain economic growth, promote industrial development, catch up with the developed economies, and modernise Russia's military and military industry.