Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
REBIRTH OF AGITPROP: RUSSIA’S SPENDING ON PATRIOTIC PROPAGANDA WILL TRIPLE
On July 18, the Russian government adopted a special federal program of patriotic education that will promote national and state values through the year 2010. The blueprint was reportedly lobbied by Russia's siloviki -- the omnipotent representatives of the defense and security agencies -- and... MORE
WITH PARLIAMENT IN RECESS, YUSHCHENKO MOVES TO ASSERT AUTHORITY
Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has used the past week, with parliament closed for summer recess, to assert his authority in key state institutions. Yet these latest moves have failed to dispel the growing opinion that Yushchenko is not making use of the extensive powers he... MORE
UZBEKISTAN’S RELATIONS WITH CHINA WARMING
Uzbekistan's relations with China have been developing at a much more rapid pace since its internal crisis in Andijan in May 2005. That renewed impetus towards building closer ties has been underscored by Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Wu Yi, who visited Uzbekistan for high-level talks... MORE
RUSSIA BOOSTING GAS EXPORT CAPACITY TO EUROPE
Russia's Gazprom is moving rapidly to preempt potential competitors on European markets, far outpacing the European Union's development of a supply-diversification strategy. Gazprom will soon complete the first trunk line of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline and is set to embark on the North European gas... MORE
RUMSFELD EXPECTED IN KYRGYZSTAN TO SETTLE BASE ISSUE
On July 20, Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Defense announced that U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is expected to arrive on July 25. Rumsfeld will discuss the future of the U.S.-led air base Manas with the new Kyrgyz leadership, in the wake of Moscow- and Beijing-inspired demands... MORE
KREMLIN GROWS WARY OF NORTH CAUCASUS GOVERNMENTS
On July 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin made an unannounced visit to the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, the very place where he began his climb to the presidency in 1999. In August 1999, Islamic militants from neighboring Chechnya invaded two districts of Dagestan, and... MORE
RUSSIAN TAKEOVER OF ARMENIAN POWER GRID PROMPTS CONCERN
Armenia is under fire from the United States and other Western donors over the legally questionable transfer of its electricity distribution network to Russia's Unified Energy Systems (UES). The deal could have far-reaching repercussions for the country's economic independence and hamper continued Western assistance to... MORE
MOSCOW BOOSTS SECURITY IN THE FAR EAST
From July 18 to 24, Russia is holding large-scale military maneuvers aimed at countering potential terrorist attacks in its Far East region. However, since terrorists have not yet really targeted Russia's Far East, the drill is understood to have other purposes as well. The drill,... MORE
RUSSIAN AND GEORGIAN MILITARIES BICKER OVER TANK MOVEMENTS
While the Russian military bases in Georgia are scheduled to close in 2008, their continued presence keeps the Georgian leadership on alert. Moscow appears to be using the bases to impede Tbilisi's efforts to bring stability to the country. On July 15, the Georgian military... MORE
RESOLUTION OF GONGADZE MURDER BLOCKED
Despite hopes to the contrary, the election of a new president of Ukraine has not sped the investigation into the murder of opposition journalist Heorhiy Gongadze. At the Davos World Economic Summit in January, President Viktor Yushchenko promised that the Gongadze case would be submitted... MORE