 RFE/RL Russia Report 8/31/2010 7:29:46 PM A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about domestic and foreign-policy developments in Russia. For more stories on Russia, please visit and bookmark our Russia page . |
 The August 'Revolution' In many ways, Russian civil society came of age during this long, hot, and tumultuous August. How will the authorities respond? More  Is There A Foundation For Peace Between Russia And Georgia? In order even to begin thinking about possible solutions, one must first imagine a Russia that is capable of genuinely recognizing Georgia's right to choose its own government and its own political course. But no such Russia is anywhere in sight. More  Russian Rights Activist Battles On In Chechnya A decade after Russia launched the second war in Chechnya, supposedly to bring order to a lawless region, Chechens are still being abducted, tortured, and killed -- this time mostly by the Kremlin-installed authorities who are firmly in charge. Kheda Saratova is one of the handful of human rights activists left who continue to risk their lives in Chechnya. More  Kadyrov Is Warned: 'You Can Run, But You Can't Hide' Precisely what happened during the fighting early on August 29 in Chechen Republic head Ramzan Kadyrov's home village of Tsentoroi remains unclear. But the version promulgated by insurgency websites is far more credible than the contradictory accounts Kadyrov himself has given. More  Russia's 'Federation' Myth Having created a "management vertical" and having destroyed all vestiges of federalism and the first sprouts of local self-government, the Kremlin nonetheless must hang on to the old banner of the Russian "Federation." More  The Kaliningrad Syndrome By replacing Georgy Boos as Kaliningrad governor, the Kremlin appears to have defused a tense situation. But are more Kaliningrads waiting on the horizon? More  Interview: 'Merchant Of Death' Author Discusses Viktor Bout Viktor Bout has been accused by officials in the United States and Europe of being one of the world's most prolific arms traffickers, with a client list that allegedly includes the Taliban and Liberian warlord Charles Taylor. And few people are better acquainted with Bout's business dealings and relationships with both Russia and the United States than Douglas Farah. More  Profile: Viktor Bout, The 'Merchant Of Death' Suspected of arming terrorists and despots from Africa to Afghanistan, Soviet-born Viktor Bout allegedly spent over a decade fueling some of the world's bloodiest conflicts. Now, as he awaits extradition to the United States to face charges, many are asking how he evaded capture for so long and how he became the man dubbed the "Merchant of Death." More  Pressure On Abkhaz Leader Intensifies An Abkhaz weekly has accused the Georgian breakaway region's leader of considering new concessions to Russia, including allowing for the return to Abkhazia of thousands of Georgians who fled to the Russian Federation during the 1992-93 war and subsequently acquired Russian citizenship. More  The Wider Implications Of The Russian-Armenian Defense Deal Russia may soon be able to play a role it has always coveted, that of a principal security provider and peace guarantor in the former Soviet space. If its serious about exercising that role, it will need to refocus its strategy from an essentially negative one to a positive one -- conflict prevention and conflict resolution. More  A New August Surprise: Fires Show Russia's Better Side As Well Like many of Russia's natural disasters, the summer's fires have been compounded by a corrupt and negligent government. But this August surprise comes with a sweetener in the tail -- a massive outpouring of public support from ordinary Russians who have rushed to fill the gap left by floundering state officials. More |
