Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

RFE/RL Russia Report 11.09.2012 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 .

 

EU Concern At Russia 'Intolerance' The European Union's foreign-policy chief, Catherine Ashton, has criticized Russia for what she calls a growing "intolerance of any expression of dissenting views." More   Moscow Again Moves To Rein In Kadyrov Presidential envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District Aleksandr Khloponin has intervened to put a halt to the escalating war of words between Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and his Ingushetian counterpart over the disputed border between their respective republics. More   Interview: Does Revelation Of U.S. 'Cover-Up' Of Of Katyn Change Perception Of Massacre? New evidence appears to lend weight to the belief that the U.S. administration helped cover up Soviet guilt for the 1940 Katyn massacre of Polish officers. RFE/RL talked to George Sanford, a professor emeritus of East European politics at England's University of Bristol, about what effect the revelation might have. More   Czech Leader Draws Fire Over Pussy Riot, Dalai Lama Remarks Embattled Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas has ignited a firestorm with remarks belittling "Dalai Lama-ism" and Russian anti-Kremlin critics Pussy Riot and suggesting that principled stands in foreign policy create "artificial problems." More   Interview: Robert D. Kaplan On How Geography Affects The Fate Of Nations From Iran's glorious past as the ancient world's first superpower to Russia’s present and continuing obsession with protecting its territory, acclaimed American journalist and author Robert Kaplan’s latest book, "The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us about Coming Conflicts and the Battle against Fate" traces the history of the world's hot spots through their geographic advantages and disadvantages. More   Russian Schoolgirl Teaches Instructor, Media A Lesson Russia has its share of endemic bullying. In the military. At police stations. And yes, at school. But a viral video of a pig-tailed pupil kicking her teacher in the groin after she's berated in front of the chalkboard and her peers isn't one of those instances. More   U.S. 'Covered Up' Soviet Role In Katyn New evidence appears to lend weight to the belief that the U.S. administration helped cover up Soviet guilt for the 1940 Katyn massacre of Polish officers. More   Putin: Trade Key To Global Recovery Russian President Vladimir Putin has told a summit of Asian-Pacific leaders in Vladivostok that increasing trade is the key to improving the faltering recovery of the global economy. More   Those Crazy Russians (And Brazilians, And Americans, And...) While it's "just what you might expect," I'm sharing "The World In 2 Minutes: Russia" anyway. Because it's funny. And the Russians who posted those videos to the web thought so, too. More   Lost In Translation: Russian TV Misquotes French Singer On Pussy Riot A Russian television channel has apologized to French singer Mireille Mathieu for severely distorting her remarks on the Pussy Riot case. More   Rare Birds 'Died' In Russian Leader's Latest Wildlife Mishap Russian President Vladimir Putin's well-publicized stunts involving wild animals have often gone awry. Now reports say his latest -- involving a flight with endangered cranes -- can be added to the list of wildlife mishaps. More   Who Is Chopping Down Russia's Crosses? The Russian Orthodox Church says it is under siege following a spate of attacks on crosses. The Moscow Patriarchate blames the incidents on an alleged anticlerical campaign launched by the opposition. But some Russians have a very different explanation. More   Muslim Film Festival Opens In Kazan The International Festival of Muslim Cinema opened in the capital of Russia's Tatarstan Republic on September 5. The festival, scheduled to last until September 11, will screen 40 films from 28 countries including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Russia. RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service video More   Gazprom Rejects EU Antitrust Probe Gazprom has responded to an EU antitrust investigation, saying it "scrupulously abides by all the provisions of international law" and national laws where it does business. More   Undoing Medvedev Reform, Putin Proposes Raising Retirement Age For Officials To 70 According to the Kremlin, Russia needs to take measures to "maintain leading, high-quality personnel in the civil service." More   'I Want You To Off Azimoff!' -- East European Stereotypes On U.S. TV Many Americans get their knowledge of foreign countries from film and television, Let's just agree that all on-screen East European men are rogue security officers-turned-gangsters and East European women are prostitutes, or seductive spies at best. So this gives me, a confessed television addict, a chance to recall some stereotypical portrayals of Eastern Europeans on American television. I limited my quick survey only to television shows, because film -- well, the list would be simply too long. More   Krymsk Flood Survivors Say Aid Efforts Insufficient Survivors of the recent flooding in the Kuban region of southern Russia are expressing growing disappointment with the authorities' efforts to deliver aid. More