Guardian Journalist Faces Early Departure

By Citizen M | Published: February 16, 2011

Yesterday, the Guardian sought clarification on the visa status of its Russia reporter, Luke Harding, whose Kremlin-critical stance and Putin-irking work with Wikileaks saw him deported at the beginning of the month.  It seems they may have their answer.  From Ria-Novosti: Luke Harding, the Moscow correspondent for the British newspaper The Guardian, said on Wednesday […]

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

By Citizen M | Published:

TODAY: International focus at Lavrov-Hague meeting; Russian FM warns Britain on encouraging democracy abroad; new hotline to be set up.  Ring in about corruption; Gorbachev denounces diarchy; Left Front leader on hunger strike; policeman charged with abuse of protesters. Military helicopter crash grounds fleet; airport bomber did not serve in Interior Ministry troops, says spokesman […]

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Should Britain Reset Relations With Russia?

By Citizen M | Published: February 15, 2011

A somewhat heterdox argument today from Mary Dejevsky in the Independent, who has taken Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Westminster, as well as the events in Egypt as the chance to reflect upon the past twenty years of Russia-Britain relations.  In the article quoted below, she argues the case that pragmatism should predominate when […]

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Court Aide Braves Authorities on Khodorkovsky

By Citizen M | Published:

Today a dramatic new twist in the Khodorkovsky trial emerged.  Natalya Vasilyeva, a disillusioned court aide to judge Viktor Danilkin, who recently handed down a 14-year sentence to the Yukos founder and business and partner Platon Lebedev, has reportedly told the press that Danilkin was coerced into handing down a strictest sentence by higher-ranking officials […]

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RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – Feb 15, 2011

By Citizen M | Published:

TODAY: Khodorkovsky verdict rigged says judge’s assistant; Guardian seeks clarification on Harding’s status; defamation suit against Putin thrown out of court. Russia-Britain relations under scrutiny as Lavrov prepares to meet Hague; Kremlin asserts Kuril sovereignty with missile plan; Wikileaks offers insight into NATO’s view of Russian army; Dubrovka hostage crisis inquiry to be reopened; walking […]

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RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – Feb 14, 2011

By Citizen M | Published: February 14, 2011

TODAY: Activists held at Moscow protest rally; Luke Harding returns to Moscow; Lavrov begins British visit; son of Khodorkovsky lobbies for father at Grammy awards.  Nemtsov takes on Moscow judge over chair issue; policeman handed down 12 years for murder of journalist.  Georgia sells idea of united Caucasus; Medvedev lauds multiculturalism; anti-authoritarian art group Voina […]

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Boris Nemtsov vs. the BBC

By Citizen M | Published: February 8, 2011

Boris Nemtsov appeared on the BBC’s HardTalk last night, delivering a scathing rebuttal to presenter Stephen Sackur’s insistence that Nemtsov’s call for sanctions against Russian leaders was improbable. In his defense, Nemtsov brought up the ongoing Western sanctions and harsh rhetoric against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.  As Nemtsov indicates, Sackur’s position reflects the bizarre Western bias, which upholds […]

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Wikileaks: ‘Tactical Ad-Hocery’ in Georgia

By Citizen M | Published: February 7, 2011

Here’s an excerpt from another new Wikileak-ed document from 2008, released over the weekend, which contains some opinions from the American Embassy in London regarding Russia’s military involvement in Georgia.  The document, sent to Washington, speculates that Russia didn’t have a clear plan, and might come to regret its support of Georgia’s breakaway states: The UK […]

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Television Time for Opposition Leaders?

By Citizen M | Published:

Did you know that Garry Kasparov has been banned from appearing on Russian television due to state censorship?  Well, that could all be about to change, after Vladimir Posner, the host of the television show Vremena, asked Prime Minister Vladimir Putin directly about getting some opposition leaders to appear on Russian television’s mainstream Channel One […]

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Trident Info Offered in START Deal

By Citizen M | Published:

The Telegraph is reporting on a new Wikileaks cable (the full text of which is here), suggesting that Russia’s approval for the new START treaty was given on condition that the US release information on the Trident nuclear missiles it had delivered to Britain.  Such an agreement ‘risks undermining Britain’s policy of refusing to confirm […]

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