As part of the official program of Russia’s G20 presidency this year, young people from around the world will travel to St. Petersburg to take part in the Y20 Russia 2013 Youth Summit. 

The Summit, to be held from 18-21 June, in the run-up to the Saint Petersburg International Forum, will bring together 106 youth delegates from each of the G20 countries to discuss a broad range of issues, including the global economy, civil society, entrepreneurship, labor organization, and other topics of interest to the G20 nations.

Ford Motor Company announced plans last week to beef up its presence in Russia with the addition of a $274 million engine plant in Tatarstan, where it will produce three variations of its 1.6 liter Duratec engine beginning December 2015. The facility will be the first passenger-car plant in the region, and at least 30% of Ford’s vehicles manufactured in Russia will eventually be fitted with the Russian-made Duratec engines.

German car manufacturer Volkswagen is currently celebrating its longstanding and successful engagement in Russia with a new photo exhibition in Berlin.  “Drive East” by Volker Kreidler showcases the photographer’s journey from the German capital to Russia.

The Russian e-commerce market is expected to triple in volume by 2015, according to a forecast by Morgan Stanley.

A group of Russian explorers traveled from Russia’s northern coast to Resolute, Canada, by way of the North Pole – all in specialized amphibious vehicles.

The adventure, sponsored by the Russian Geographic Society, was part of the Marine Live-Ice Automobile Expedition, which uses specialized vehicles called Yemelya to cross frozen terrain.