Russia

March 4, 2011

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – March 4, 2011

TODAY: Voina members attacked; Rogozin speaks out against Libya no-fly zone; United Russia unconcerned about unrest; Medvedev casts himself as a liberator; Tula governor to be sacked? Half of Yabloko’s election nominees banned.  Bolshoi...
March 3, 2011

Semantic Justice

It was reported earlier this week that the defamation case against Vladimir Putin, brought against him by Vladimir Ryzhkov, Boris Nemtsov and Vladimir Milov after he accused them all of having stolen ‘billions of dollars’ ‘in the 90s’, was thrown ...
March 3, 2011

Semantic Justice

It was reported earlier this week that the defamation case against Vladimir Putin, brought against him by Vladimir Ryzhkov, Boris Nemtsov and Vladimir Milov after he accused them all of having stolen ‘billions of dollars’ ‘in the 90s’, was thrown ...
March 3, 2011

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – March 3, 2011

TODAY: Sobyanin head of United Russia’s Moscow branch; Putin wins defamation lawsuit; Left Front protesters arrested; Japan will not investigate Russian flag claims; UK Prime Minister expresses concern over Magnitsky case; Orlov to stand tri...
March 3, 2011

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – March 3, 2011

TODAY: Sobyanin head of United Russia’s Moscow branch; Putin wins defamation lawsuit; Left Front protesters arrested; Japan will not investigate Russian flag claims; UK Prime Minister expresses concern over Magnitsky case; Orlov to stand tri...
February 27, 2011

Autocrats Buying Time

Clifford J. Levy has a good piece in the New York Times today on the resilience of authoritarianism in the former Soviet sphere.  The only thing I take issue with is that it seems like Levy’s takes it at face value when these leaders pr...
February 25, 2011

Grigory Pasko: Kulov and Me

Kyrgyzstan is currently undergoing the difficult process of a fundamental restructuring of the state’s administrative apparatus. The recently elected parliament is attempting to adopt new laws, for example, on the federal budget for current ...
February 24, 2011

Surreality TV

This article in the London Review of Books by television executive Peter Pomerantsev explores the challenges of corruption in the entertainment business as well as various reasons why attempts to adapt Western reality TV programs for a Russian aud...
February 22, 2011

Robert Amsterdam Interview with Diplomaatia

Below is an excerpt of a wide-ranging interview with Robert Amsterdam by the Estonian publication Diplomaatia: How did you end up doing what you are doing? How do people all over the world find you? I would have to say that in Thailand and Kyrgyzs...
February 22, 2011

Robert Amsterdam Interview with Diplomaatia

Below is an excerpt of a wide-ranging interview with Robert Amsterdam by the Estonian publication Diplomaatia: How did you end up doing what you are doing? How do people all over the world find you? I would have to say that in Thailand and Kyrgyzs...