A conference of the commanders of Russia's Military Districts and Fleets is to be held in Moscow tomorrow to discuss the reform of the armed forces. Both the defense minister, Gen. Igor Rodionov, and the chief of staff, Gen. Viktor Samsonov, will attend. A Defense... MORE

A project to build an oil pipeline from the Bulgarian port of Burgas to Alexandroupolis in Greece -- as a way of ensuring access for Caspian and Central Asian oil to Western markets -- may be abandoned. Instead, the upgrading of a Croatian pipeline, which... MORE

The Salamander company, Germany's leading producer of medium-priced shoes, has established its second joint venture in Uzbekistan and is preparing a third. Over the weekend it was announced that Salamander and Uzbekistan's light industry ministry have founded a factory in Chirchik, Tashkent region. It will... MORE

. Aleksandr Lebed still tops the polls as the politician most trusted by Russian citizens, despite the fact that his popularity has fallen since he struck up his much publicized alliance with former presidential bodyguard Aleksandr Korzhakov. At the beginning of September, just after Lebed... MORE

President Boris Yeltsin's declaration that November 7 is henceforth to be celebrated in Russia as the Day of Reconciliation and Accord got a mixed reception in Moscow political circles. Pro-government figures greeted the move enthusiastically but opposition figures were less keen. Agrarian party leader Vasili... MORE

A Communist-backed candidate has won the gubernatorial election in Kaluga oblast, south of Moscow. The Communist victory means that opposition candidates have now won more of this fall's series of regional governorships than they have lost. In the run-off held in Kaluga over the weekend,... MORE

Russia's first eurobond issue will be launched between November 21 and 25 and will be worth about $500 million, according to Russia's finance minister. (Interfax, November 9) Aleksandr Livshits said the government plans to make a small and cautious initial issue and to follow it... MORE

Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) warned again yesterday that it would retaliate if the U.S. refuses to release Vladimir Galkin, a former Soviet intelligence officer arrested in New York on October 29. While not specifying what actions the Russian agency might take, spokeswoman Tatyana Samolis... MORE

Following talks with his Iraqi counterpart in Moscow yesterday, Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov called for quick implementation of the UN's 1995 "oil-for-food" resolution. The plan provides for a partial lifting of sanctions against Iraq by allowing it to sell $2 billion worth of oil... MORE

The indefatigable mayor of Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov, has tasked his city planners with helping restore communal services to the quarter million inhabitants of Chechnya's war-devastated capital. Electricity supplies are being restored and street lighting turned back on. Luzhkov has promised flour, sugar, and oil from... MORE