On July 13 during a visit to Sochi the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev confirmed a successful live training launch of a strategic missile. He told Russian sailors that "the goal was achieved, and the missile's parts fell in the planned location." Although many Russian media... MORE

On July 6, the Russian ministry of communications posted its Order 65, on its official website (www.minkomsvjaz.ru). Effective as of July 21, the order decrees that Russian postal services must make available for inspection on demand to the Federal Security Service (the FSB, the main... MORE

On July 16-17, the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Turkey to hold talks on Middle East peace initiatives and discuss bilateral relations with Turkey. Abbas met President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. This came amidst speculation that he... MORE

Georgia continues to contribute to international security, despite the threats the country is currently facing. The Georgian government will send a contingent of 100 military personnel by the end of 2009 to join the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. In the near future... MORE

Whether by coincidence or design, Russian authorities are threatening to stop the Hungarian MOL company's oil extraction in Russia at the same time as Surgut Neftegaz appears to be forcing its way into MOL's ownership in Hungary (EDM, April 3, 6, 22, June 10, 24).... MORE

Since the meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in Moscow two weeks ago, President Dmitry Medvedev has been involved in a flurry of external activities from the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy to the informal gathering of several neighboring presidents at the traditional horse races... MORE

As the Turkish government has refocused on civilianization prompting tension with the country's politically powerful armed forces, a liberal think tank launched its second almanac recently, drawing a bleak picture of the country's controversial security sector before further democratization in this European Union candidate country."This... MORE

The inter-governmental agreement (IGA) on the Nabucco project, signed on July 13, depends existentially on Azerbaijan for start-up and first-phase gas supplies. Azerbaijan remains a staunch supporter of Nabucco and other components of the E.U.'s Southern Corridor project, but not an unconditional supporter to be... MORE

The wave of escalating operations by insurgents coupled with a number of high-profile murders and assassination attempts in June has pushed Russia into launching a campaign of pressure aimed at liquidating rebel fighters.Russia's campaign is manifesting itself primarily through methods and tactics employed to put... MORE

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has denied charges that he was involved in the killing of Natalya Estemirova, the Memorial activist who worked in the human rights group's office in Grozny and was kidnapped and murdered on July 15. Memorial chairman Oleg Orlov told Interfax that... MORE