Russia: Moscow's Grip on Caucasus Energy Tightens

Under a deal signed between Russia and Azerbaijan on June 29, Russia will pay Azerbaijan $350 per thousand cubic meters of natural gas — the highest price Russia has paid for natural gas from the Caucasus or Central Asia. Moscow hopes the deal will choke off other potential export routes for Azerbaijani natural gas, as control over energy exports to Europe is one of Russia's most powerful political levers.