RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – May 18, 2011

By Citizen M | Published: May 18, 2011

TODAY: Medvedev to hold major press conference; election strategy to be revealed? Music critic faces up to two years in jail for Agata Kristi ‘poodle’ insult; gay rights march banned; Khodorkovsky demands criminal investigation into judge. Results of Libya talks remain cryptic; fire in Moscow highlights perilous living conditions of workers Today President Medvedev will […]

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RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – May 17, 2011

By Citizen M | Published: May 17, 2011

TODAY: Opposition festival of resistance to take place today; will Mikhail Prokhorov make a difference to the Right Cause? Russia criticizes Minsk’s draconian treatment of opposition; Sochi posters cause a stir. Khodorkovsky’s prison attacker claims to have been forced; Yukos lawyer attacked. Could Russia negotiate Libyan ceasefire?  Moscow peeved over missile defenseAccording to the Washington […]

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Russian Fears For Fate of Afghanistan

By Citizen M | Published: May 16, 2011

As the US gears up for withdrawal of its its troops from Afghanistan, which will begin in July, RFE/RL quotes Frants Klintsevich, who served as a colonel during the Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980s and now heads up Russia’s Union of Afghan Veterans as saying that ‘as soon as the Americans and Europeans […]

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Prokhorov Ready for Right Cause

By Citizen M | Published:

Intriguing news has been confirmed this morning: multi billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov is interested in becoming the leader of the Right Cause party, the political organization which, in November 2010, called for a second term for President Medvedev.  The news must come as a major boost for the President, given that much analysis of recent weeks […]

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RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – May 16, 2011

By Citizen M | Published:

TODAY: Medvedev challenges Putin in verbal address; Russia’s richest man to enter politics? Foreign Ministry dismisses Amnesty International rights criticisms; Khimki forest activists detained at demo. Belarus jails presidential candidate; Japan takes issue with Vice PM’s Kuril visit; Lavrov affirms opposition to foreign interference in restive Middle East; anti-Semitic text deemed ‘educational’; Sochi countdown‘A person […]

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Medvedev On the Margins?

By Citizen M | Published: May 13, 2011

President Medvedev’s non-committal comments regarding Vladimir Putin’s All Russia People’s Front at a radio interview yesterday confirmed to some minds the evidence of a breach between the Prime Minister and the President as the 2012 elections loom.  Which of the two men will run for president has been a primary topic for Russia analysts in […]

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RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – May 13, 2011

By Citizen M | Published:

TODAY: Medvedev’s first comments on Putin’s popular front; President agrees on security and economic cooperation with Pakistan; an obstacle for START?  Amnesty attacks Russia rights failings; nationalist group legalized; economic criminals to receive clemency? Putin reaches idol status President Medvedev has spoken for the first time about Vladimir Putin’s All-Russia Popular Front, (seen as a […]

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Victory for Putin Means Defeat for Veterans

By Citizen M | Published: May 12, 2011

In light of Monday’s Victory Day celebrations, opposition leader Garry Kasparov has penned a piece for the Other Russia describing the strategic, cynical employment of the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany to cement the political ends of the ruling elite over the last forty years.  According to Kasparov, Putin’s regime, under which the […]

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Political Vehicles

By Citizen M | Published:

Who could fail to appreciate the delicious ironies offered up by Vladimir Putin’s trip to the Lada plant in Tolyatti yesterday?  The Prime Minister’s taste in cars has always been ostentatiously jingoistic.  Last summer saw him smashing Russia’s reputation for dodgy gear boxes and creaking ignition with a highly-publicized four-day drive across Siberia in a […]

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RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – May 12, 2011

By Citizen M | Published:

TODAY: Anti corruption blogger will not seek parliamentary immunity in criminal probe; receives support of Kirov Deputy Governor; Khimki activists arrested; Putin guarantees state housing for WW2 veteran. Medvedev sees bin Laden death as beneficial; new arms for the Kurils; NATO chief asserts need for cooperation with Russia; prosecutors arrested; days of spam mail numbered. […]

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