The September 1 terrorist attack in Russia's North Ossetian town of Beslan has not led the Kremlin to reassess its stance on neighboring Georgia. Moreover, many Russian policymakers and analysts have begun to search for traces of Georgian involvement in the Beslan tragedy. Russian attempts... MORE

Led by the Jamestown Foundation, a group of international analysts and journalists held in-depth talks recently in Sukhumi with self-styled "prime minister" Raul Khajimba, "minister of foreign affairs" Georgii Otyrba, and other Abkhaz representatives. The Sukhumi leaders are citizens of Russia and seem imbued with... MORE

Russians are still in shock and mourning over the vast human tragedy in Beslan, North Ossetia. However, a number of observers, including both supporters and critics of the Kremlin, are saying that the terrorist attack there could present a challenge to the legitimacy of President... MORE

Russia's President Vladimir Putin urged a radical restructuring of the country's security system after the hostage crisis in North Ossetia ended in a major bloodbath. But some influential analysts argue that the Kremlin's policies in the Caucasus need to be drastically changed to prevent a... MORE

After four massive terrorists attacks against Russian civilians in ten days, culminating in the horrific attack on schoolchildren in Beslan, Russian President Vladimir Putin finally acknowledged the deficiencies in the nation's law enforcement and security machinery and vowed a major overhaul. In a televised address... MORE

As the death toll in Beslan climbed past 350, Russian President Vladimir Putin broke his silence on September 4 in an address to the Russian people. During his televised speech, Putin showed no sign of revising Russia's security policies in Chechnya and seemed to utilize... MORE

Russian special forces on September 3 took control of Middle School No. 1 in Beslan, North Ossetia, which was seized by gunmen on September 1. Fighting broke out in the early hours of September 3 after the hostage-takers agreed to allow the removal of the... MORE

Two leading Russian journalists have apparently become victims of the events in North Ossetia. Novaya gazeta correspondent Anna Politkovskaya became seriously ill following a flight on the evening of September 1 from Moscow to Rostov-on-Don. From there, she had planned to travel together with Leonid... MORE

During August simmering tensions within the Russian government surfaced, with ministers trading recriminations in public view. Some see the dispute as politics as usual, the struggle for power between rival factions. Others, such as Nikali Vardul, see a profound rift between liberals, philosophically committed to... MORE

The Secretary-General of the World Trade Organization, Supachai Panitchpakdi, made a landmark visit to Kazakhstan on August 25. Panitchpakdi hailed Kazakhstan's efforts to join the WTO and positively evaluated the reforms carried out by the government, particularly in updating its foreign trade rules in accordance... MORE