With Russia on holiday break until after Russian Orthodox Christmas, this week's news is all business.

The lead story is energy: According to a report in the London-based newspaper The Financial Times, Russia's Gazprom is negotiating for a major stake in Nigeria's energy reserves. The talks, which a Nigerian official characterized as "mind-boggling" were confirmed to the paper by a Gazprom executive. Nigeria is Africa's biggest supplier of crude oil and unrest in the country was a key factor this past week in pushing oil prices above $100 a barrel on world markets. Nigeria also supplies liquefied natural gas to the U.S. and Europe.

Gazprom also seems to be a factor in colder climates. This week, President Vladimir Putin opened a ski center in Sochi, Russia whose development had been funded entirely by the energy company. According to news reports, the ski area has 18 trails, six lifts and rooms for more than 8,000 people. It will also be used for the 2014 Olympic Games, which will be held in Sochi.

The Russian space agency Roscosmos announced this week that Russia plans to launch 15 spacecraft this year. The launches will include five missions to send cosmonauts and supplies to the International Space Station. But the biggest group of launches will be reserved for six satellites that Russia is sending up to expand its home-grown global satellite navigation system, GLONASS.

A Russian fishing boat crew that had been stranded off Kamchatka Peninsula since October were found and rescued this week. The Associated Press reported that, according to the RIA-Novosti news agency, the eight men and three women had holed up at an abandoned military base after their boats collided.

And finally, if you are looking for an explanation of all the holidays that Russia is celebrating right now, read this story by RIA-Novosti. It tells you everything you need to know about why Russia gets two Christmases and two New Years.

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