[jsn]

the tin foil folks here in russia think that google has (cough) somehow persuaded the regulators to block the deal, because google thinks they can acquire the same company (or, in fact, some other company) for a much lower price in a few months, when the crisis takes its toll on russian economy.

sounds unconvincing to me, though. i suppose google could just walk away instead, citing the general uncertainty in the markets.

[skalpelis]

Well, given it's Russia, it is very much likely that someone in the food chain just wasn't, ahem, compensated to their liking.