Putin touts Russian investments during Azerbaijan visit

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited Azerbaijan and hailed the increasingly close economic ties between the two ex-Soviet neighbors.
Putin said during Thursday’s visit to Baku that Russian companies have created 700 joint ventures in Azerbaijan and their investments in the oil-rich Caspian nation have exceeded $1.5 billion.
Addressing a business forum with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Putin noted that Russia’s top oil company, Rosneft, is