The defense ministers of Russia and Georgia, Gen. Igor Rodionov and Lt. Gen. Vardiko Nadibaidze, conferred in Moscow and finalized a program of Russian military assistance to Georgia. The program, including a timetable, envisages inter alia the transfer of Russian armored personnel carriers, artillery, firearms,... MORE

Final returns, issued yesterday, give South Ossetian Supreme Soviet chairman Lyudvig Chibirov 60 percent of the vote in the election to the newly created post of president of the republic. His opponents garnered 40 percent of the vote. Following his victory Chibirov came out for... MORE

Uzbek president Islam Karimov conferred with NATO secretary-general Javier Solana and other top officials of the alliance at its Brussels headquarters. The talks focused on Central Asian security, Uzbekistan's participation in NATO's Partnership for Peace program, the Central Asian Battalion (CAB) created by Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,... MORE

Moscow heightened its rhetoric yesterday over the FBI's well-publicized arrest of a former Soviet spy. A spokeswoman for Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) warned that a failure to release Aleksandr Galkin could result in an escalating cycle of retaliation that might harm bilateral relations. Galkin... MORE

Following talks yesterday in Moscow, the prime ministers of Poland and Russia, together with their deputies, signed a series of agreements aimed at liberalizing bilateral trade and settling debts. Although details were not made public, talks were also held on military technical cooperation. On the... MORE

Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov arrived in Tokyo today for a three-day visit that will include talks with his Japanese counterpart, Yukihiko Ikeda, and with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto. Both sides have expressed optimism that the visit will boost bilateral relations, and a Japanese government... MORE

Russia's new draft budget will be passed to the Duma for consideration on November 20. It contains a projected deficit of 3.5 percent of GDP, up from 3.3 percent in the original government proposal. Inflation, it is estimated, will run at an average annual rate... MORE

"Well informed" Russian Defense Ministry sources have said that Lt. Gen. Georgi Shpak, currently chief of staff in the Volga Military District, will soon be named the new commander of the Airborne Forces. He is a former paratrooper who once commanded the 76th Airborne Division.... MORE

The lower house of the Russian parliament, the Duma, has adopted in the second reading a federal constitutional law on the government of Russia. The law, passed 344-1 with one abstention, is expected to go to a third reading. All factions voted in favor except... MORE

According to Yuri Shevtsov, a leader of the "Honor and Motherland" movement set up by Aleksandr Lebed in October 1995, the movement now has 80,000 registered members and branches in 72 of Russia's 89 regions. The movement originally united officers -- active and retired --... MORE