Introduction - issue 97

Energy in Russia, the subject of this issue of the Oxford Energy Forum, has this year returned to the forefront of debates among academics, policymakers, and those in the industry. Politics, never far from these debates, is a factor: as a result of events in Ukraine, the tension between Russia and the western powers has risen to its highest level since the Cold War. The editors have endeavoured to provide commentary on the political and economic context for energy developments, while also inviting recognized specialists to comment on the host of issues â from long-term upstream oil issues to Russiaâs domestic electricity market â that are sometimes neglected by big-picture analysis