Russia's fledgling economy was rocked by its third crisis in eight months. On May 27, the Central Bank hiked interest rates to a dizzying 150 percent to defend the ruble from forced devaluation. This was the worst crisis the economy had so far endured and... MORE

This past fortnight was an eventful one, as Russia was shaken by a financial crisis and a miners strike, while maverick general-turned-politician Aleksandr Lebed emerged as an election victor. Moscow, meanwhile, won full membership in the Group of Eight. But that event was overshadowed by... MORE

Russia's new government assumed final shape under the leadership of Prime Minister Sergei Kirienko. The key players in the restructured cabinet were three deputy premiers, two of whom were holdovers from the previous government. First among equals was Boris Nemtsov, who regained oversight of energy... MORE

Russia finally got a prime minister on April 24 when the State Duma voted by 251 to 25 to confirm President Boris Yeltsin's choice for the post, Sergei Kirienko. Many of the 450 deputies candidly admitted that they voted less for the thirty-five-year-old Kirienko, about... MORE

There was growing disquiet in Moscow as the awareness sank in that, when he sacked the entire government of Viktor Chernomyrdin on March 23, President Boris Yeltsin had no idea with what or whom he was going to replace it. On April 10, Russia's State... MORE

The Fortnight in Review It was an exceptionally eventful fortnight in Moscow, as Russian President Boris Yeltsin dismissed his cabinet and maneuvering began over the naming of a new government. The Russian capital also played host to a pair of high-level diplomatic events: a tripartite... MORE

The Fortnight in Review The past fortnight was a busy one for Russian foreign policy makers. On March 10, Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin arrived in Washington for several days of talks on trade and on Russian-U.S. disagreements over Moscow's cooperation with Iran. Then, on March... MORE

The Fortnight in Review Russia: Rybkin Joins the Government President Boris Yeltsin brought his close ally Ivan Rybkin into the government as Deputy Prime Minister responsible for CIS affairs. The appointment, announced on March 2, seemed designed to set Russia's relations with the CIS on... MORE

The Fortnight in Review Yeltsin Delivers State-of-the-Nation Address President Boris Yeltsin delivered his annual state-of-the-nation address to parliament on February 17. Yeltsin used the occasion to express guarded support for the continuation of market reforms. However, he offered only a qualified endorsement of the embattled... MORE

The Fortnight in Review The past fortnight saw Moscow fight to maintain its role as a key player in the latest Persian Gulf crisis, while, at home, Russian President Boris Yeltsin moved at last to shore up the authority of the government's leading reformers. The... MORE