strow, in speaking to bartley you probably got the closest you can to the truth. i don't know the man but i doubt he's a fool and therefore knows he has little to gain from lies.
anythings possible though and things may not be even as bartley perceives them, who knows.
one possible explanation for the silence is that eka may be in a sensitive period if they are negotiating/finalising the purchase of the remaining 49% of chelyabinsk and if so would obviously not want to do or say anything to upset their counterparties.