Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
Russia Welcomes US Designation of Umarov as a Terrorist
Russia has welcomed the decision by the United States to designate Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov, the “Emir” of the so-called Caucasus Emirate, a terrorist. The US move came on June 23 –the eve of Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev’s, summit with US President, Barack Obama,... MORE
Gazprom’s Net Debt Disrupts Belarus-Europe Transit
Interrelated disputes over gas prices and transit fees have turned Gazprom into a net debtor to Belarus. As of mid-June, Gazprom’s net debt to Belarus reached $260 million in unpaid transit fees since November 2009. Gazprom itself acknowledged $228 million from this amount. Also by... MORE
Success Eludes the Presidential Envoy to the North Caucasus
Six months after Aleksandr Khloponin was appointed as the Russian president’s envoy to the specially created North Caucasus Federal District, it can be safely concluded that he has not brought anything new or particularly important to Russia’s troubled region. An attempt to shift Russia’s policy... MORE
Ukrainian Government Denies Accusations of Bias Against Opposition Journalists
Freedom of speech may be in danger under Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych. The pro opposition media are complaining of harassment despite the Yanukovych team’s assertions that everything is normal. Two opposition-leaning television channels, Channel 5 and TVi, have claimed that the Chairman of the Security... MORE
Rearmament Declared the Main Issue in Russian Military Reform
A reshuffle of top military personnel was announced this week in Moscow. Deputy Defense Minister and Chief of Armaments, Colonel-General (retired) Vladimir Popovkin (52), was promoted to First Deputy Defense Minister. Russian Defense Minister, Anatoliy Serdyukov, has eight deputies –two of them first deputies. President,... MORE
Videos Attest to the Involvement of Dagestanis in the Moscow Metro Attacks
On June 20, the Sunday Times published an article on the two Dagestani women suspected of carrying out the twin suicide bombings on the Moscow metro last March, Maryam Sharipova and Dzhanet Abdurakhmanova, and included videos on its website. Sharipova, 28-year-old teacher, and 17-year-old Abdurakhmanova... MORE
Gazprom Enlists More Western Allies in South Stream
On June 19, at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Gazprom announced the appointment of Marcel Kramer as chairman of the board and CEO of South Stream AG, the company designated to build and operate the pipeline in the Black Sea (the overland sections are separate... MORE
Gazprom Again Reconfigures the South Stream Project
Bulgaria’s suspension of the South Stream project on its territory is forcing Gazprom to reconfigure South Stream’s overall geography, with uncertain options and prospects (EDM, June 14, 18, 22). Gazprom is also reconfiguring the project’s technical and economic features. Moscow is enlisting influential allies in... MORE
The “Putinization” of Ukraine’s Security Forces
The “Putinization of Ukraine’s media policy” is taking place at the same time in Ukraine’s siloviki (security forces). Both steps lead Ukraine closer to Kuchma’s semi-authoritarian regime and Vladimir Putin’s “managed/sovereign democracy” in Russia.“Putinization” is occurring in both the Interior Ministry (MVS) and Security Service... MORE
Gazprom Play Map Games in the Balkans With South Stream
Romania’s economy ministry announced on June 16 that it had persuaded Gazprom to include Romania, instead of Bulgaria, in South Stream and other gas projects on Romanian territory. The Romanian ministry sounded self-congratulatory about replacing Bulgaria, following Sofia’s suspension of South Stream and other Russian... MORE