A skyscraper Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary of Gazprom, wants to construct in Saint Petersburg in the face of opposition is set to be built after a key state body approved the plan, reports said Saturday. The design by UK-based international architectural firm RMJM is a 396 metre high twisting, glass needle which echoes the spires across the city of St Petersburg. RMJM beat off five other internationally-renowned architects for the commission to develop proposals for the tower in the historic heart of the city, close to the Bolsheokhtinsky Bridge and Smolny Cathedral but the soaring design created an outcry and opposition even from UNESCO who threatened St. Petersburg's World Heritage site status.

In a rare example of the state responding to public protest Russia’s President Medvedev has instructed the government to suspend work on the Moscow – St Petersburg highway that has already cut a swathe through the ancient Khimki forest north of Moscow. 

For the first time since the beginning of the economic recession, cement production in Russia boasted a positive growth rate in H1 2010. During the first six months Russian cement plants produced 21.4 million tonnes of cement, 10.9% more than during the equivalent period of 2009 (19.35 million tonnes), according to the Rosstat data. However, the Russian cement industry has not yet reached the indicators witnessed before the recession. It is forecast that by the end of 2010 overall cement production in Russia will reach 49 million tonnes, a 10-15% year-on-year increase. 
Cement prices in Russia have also increased slightly. At present, in August, one tonne of cement costs about RUB 3,000 -3,500 (€76-89), with the lowest price of RUB 2,500 (€63) was recorded in February-March 2010.

The first section of the “Adler – Alpika-Service” combined railway and highway was officially opened in Adler near Sochi. The first section of the combined road built by JSC Russian Railways, a Sochi 2014 General Partner, is 6 km long and connects the Imereti lowland with the existing highway to the mountain resort Krasnaya Polyana, bypassing the urban boundaries of Adler. The new road will provide circular movement around the airport, which, in turn, will greatly facilitate the organization of vehicular traffic at Olympic construction sites and ease congestion.