Missiles on the Moon

By Robert Amsterdam | Published: October 12, 2007

Even if President Vladimir Putin is catching some flak for his decision to stay in power as prime minister, or is starting to sweat the spy war opening up underneath his feet, he certainly hasn’t lost his sense of humor. According to reports, he kept US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza […]

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RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – Oct. 12, 2007

By Citizen M | Published:

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin meet in the presidential residence in Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow October 12, 2007. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/KREMLIN (RUSSIA) A bill to put the country’s nuclear industry under a tightly controlled state corporation, labelled “dangerous” by the Communist party, has received overwhelming backing in its first reading in […]

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Changing the Language of Democracy

By James Kimer | Published: October 11, 2007

The Economist makes a long-overdue call to jettison the language of the democracy debate, and come up with new, more accurate terms to talk about freedom and governance. A good shorthand term for the free, law-governed and public-spirited countries of the world is badly needed, to replace the misleading and off-putting “West”, with its echoes […]

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Goulash State Corporatism – Hungary’s MOL in Checkmate?

By Robert Amsterdam | Published:

One of the more memorable Russia energy quotes I heard over the past year comes from the leader of Hungary’s opposition party, Viktor Orbán, who on the party’s 19th anniversary declared that “Those young people following us should not allow Hungary to become Gazprom’s most cheerful barracks after we freed ourselves from the fate of […]

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Audio: Speech at World Affairs Council San Francisco

By James Kimer | Published:

Yesterday Robert Amsterdam gave a speech followed by a Q and A session at the World Affairs Council in San Francisco, California. An audio recording of the event can be heard here.

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RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – Oct. 11, 2007

By Citizen M | Published:

Serena Williams of the US hits a return against Ukraine’s Tatiana Perebiynis during their Kremlin Cup tennis match in Moscow, October 11, 2007. (REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin (RUSSIA)) Russia’s Economic Development and Trade Ministry has suggested establishing a state agency whose sole purpose would be the worldwide promotion of Russia. Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov has appointed Vasily […]

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The Mutual Fears of Russia and China

By Robert Amsterdam | Published: October 10, 2007

This week I am in San Francisco, California for some meetings and speaking engagements on Russia-related issues. Among the people I have had the pleasure of meeting during this trip is Mr. John Kamm of the Dui Hua Foundation, an NGO dedicated toward improving dialogue between the United States and China, and helping to secure […]

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Cherkesov Unveils a Whale of a Fight among Kremlin Elite

By Robert Amsterdam | Published:

A critical article published in yesterday’s Kommersant by Viktor Cherkesov, head of Russia’s Drug Enforcement Agency, is making some waves, exposing like never before the hostilities and turf wars between different state security factions which threaten to collapse Putin’s supposed stability. Once again at the center of all the turmoil, Putin’s chief of staff and […]

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Spiegel Interviews Yakunin

By Robert Amsterdam | Published:

Der Spiegel has an interesting interview today with Vladimir Yakunin, a close ally of Vladimir Putin and head of Russian Railways, who strikes a rather defensive posture vis-à-vis relations with the West, squarely placing the blame for the deterioration of the relationship on the United States and Europe: SPIEGEL: What should the West do? Yakunin: […]

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RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – Oct. 10, 2007

By Citizen M | Published:

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy in his Datcha at Novo-Ogarievo near Moscow. Sarkozy urged Russia to build democracy ahead of talks with Putin on resolving East-West tensions over Iran and Kosovo. (AFP/Eric Feferberg) The State Duma has summoned Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov to report on rising consumer prices […]

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