Archive

December 30, 2009

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – Dec 30, 2009

TODAY: Medvedev outlaws pre-trial arrest for tax evasion suspects, fires another senior prison official in wake of Magnitsky report; Putin’s concerns that missile defense will jeopardize replacement START treaty rebuffed by the US; the Prime...
December 29, 2009

China’s Influence in Russia’s Border Regions

The topic of Russia and China’s neighboring border regions is quite fascinating … we often hear about Moscow’s concerns about its Far East, the relative lack of influence the central government has out there against the surging e...
December 29, 2009

The Oversight Commission Report on Magnitsky

The news of the first independent report to examine the death of Hermitage lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who spent a year in prison without charges while being denied medical treatment, has shocked the Russian public and become a major matter of concen...
December 29, 2009

Yanukovych Argues the Benefits of Authoritarianism

The Kremlin-backed Ukrainian political candidate Viktor Yanukovych has given a pretty saucy interview to the AP, sharing his distasteful view of the fruits of democracy, arguing for a clampdown on freedoms and political sovereignty, and a closer a...
December 29, 2009

Sobesednik Interview with Khodorkovsky

The following is a translation of an interview with Mikhail Khodorkovsky published in Sobesednik by Elena Skvortsova. The court – an appendage of the “vertical” – On December 3, Vladimir Putin spoke out about the YUKOS case...
December 29, 2009

Energy Blast – Dec 29, 2009

Much talk today on the Ukraine-Russia gas spats; RFE/RL reports that the Slovak government has warned that a gas row between Russia and Ukraine could endanger supplies to the EU.  Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin has affirmed however that Ru...
December 29, 2009

Today in Russian Business – Dec 29, 2009

Vladimir Putin has declared that $700 million will be pumped into upgrading two shipbuilding yards in an undertaking with foreign partners.  The Prime Minister also announced that the government has a $5 billion project for buying up civilian...
December 29, 2009

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – Dec 29, 2009

TODAY: Official report condemns circumstances of Magnitsky death; Youtube policeman arrest warrant released; child laborers freed from sweatshop; Pikalyovo-style road blockers to face jail under new bill.  Medvedev talks of reform.  Tbil...
December 28, 2009

Russia Attacks Its Only Honest Cop

For some time now I’ve been following the interesting story of the Russian police major Alexei Dymovsky, who became an overnight internet celebrity last November after posting YouTube videos denouncing the plague of corruption within the cou...
December 28, 2009

Video: Fareed Zakaria and Dmitry Medvedev

This clip isn’t exactly new, but Mr. Zakaria adds some additional commentary, such as why there is such a renewed level of attention given to Russia’s role in the world, and whether they want to cooperate or “be a spoiler” ...