"Even those that puff up there chest and say we should have been more careful could not have predicted that the Gov would then cook a backroom deal with the fricken Russians."

That's about as odd as it gets Brit! Who brought Rusoro up on Stockhouse way way back and batted it around with that good ole GB? Ya me, out of the curiosity that they had properties up against LC. It was me who pointed out the connections Agapov had all the way to Putin and the cash they potentially had access to. Looong time ago

Then guess what? Was it Polyus that checked out the data room? Hmm, I think they're Russian, no?

Top it off with all the political leanings of our friend Chavez toward Castro/ Russia/China/Iran/North Korea throughout this play all the way to the latest BIT they just signed with Russia and then add the corruption, "facilitation payments"(that's a good one) that take place at liesure down there. Vz press has been pushing the Russian angle for how long now regarding this big gold mine coming on stream? Most Nort Americano's have been splitting the scene for some time as well, wonder why?

Don't forget that most all respected analysts and fund managers, some very respected ones at that have written off Vz as an investment option long before all this shit took place. You and most of us longs turned our heads too far from the seriousness of the political risk aspect of this situation, no doubt about it. But we were smarter than them with our intel that we assume they never did. Ya it would be hard to specifically peg the Russians with anything absolutely definite(lots of yak yak) as that would be impossible until something transpires but there has been an ugly stink to this for a good long time.

But it aint over yet, are we just assuming it will be Russian, geez?