Russia's federal government succeeded in collecting 30 percent more tax revenue in October than in September, officials said. The government is particularly gratified since all the revenue came in the form of hard cash, not credit notes as in the past. Nonetheless, only 16 percent... MORE

A Russian newspaper suggested yesterday that a meeting of government and military leaders held November 12 in the Russian White House had been marked by a civility and pragmatism little in evidence during several other encounters between these two groups in recent days, or, for... MORE

Over the next several days a document could be signed that reflects the new political realities between Moscow and Grozny. According to Security Council Secretary Ivan Rybkin, the document will speak of military cooperation between Russia and Chechnya, and a declaration will be adopted stating... MORE

The Russian Duma yesterday adopted a resolution that described Moldova's Transdniester region as a "zone of special strategic interest" to Russia and that requested the executive branch to "permanently station" Russian troops there. The Duma also asked the government to negotiate and conclude agreements on... MORE

Ukrainian first deputy prime minister Vasyl Durdinets, First Deputy Defense Minister Col. Gen. Ivan Bizhan, and other participants in the negotiations with Russia on the Black Sea Fleet have in recent days revealed some of the differences that have again led the talks into an... MORE

Belarusan president Aleksandr Lukashenko yesterday delivered an address in the Russian Duma at the Duma's invitation. In his remarks, Lukashenko presented himself as a champion of Belarus-Russia "integration," which, he said, should lead to "unity" and "unification." Lukashenko made thinly disguised pleas for Russian economic... MORE

Duma Defense Committee chairman Lev Rokhlin has dismissed a recent government decision that raises defense spending in the draft budget slightly -- to 102.8 trillion rubles. Rokhlin said his committee will press instead for the army to get the 160 trillion rubles that it had... MORE

In an interview to appear today in the Russian magazine Itogi, Security Council secretary Ivan Rybkin repeats an earlier call for Russia to seek membership in NATO -- in both its military and political structures. (Interfax, Reuter, November 12) Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov had... MORE

The World Wildlife Fund warns in a report published this week that sturgeon species, from which caviar is obtained, are on the brink of extinction because of aggressive fishing by Russian and Iranian trawlers. The report says up to 90 percent of caviar is now... MORE

The Japanese government is joining Germany and France to help Russia build a plant that will turn weapons-grade plutonium into fuel for nuclear power plants. The facility is expected to be able to process one metric ton of plutonium each year once it becomes operational... MORE