The chairman of Kyrgyzstan's State Committee on Religious Affairs yesterday expressed concern over Western missionary activities in the country. "Protestant" church groups distribute the Bible and other religious literature in an effort to "Christianize and baptize" Moslems in northern Kyrgyzstan, he said. Devout Moslems, he... MORE

After decades of isolation from the West, Russians have become enthusiastic tourists. Among European nations, Germans travel the most; 60 million went abroad last year. The British rank second with 28 million. But in 1995, Russia's 17 million tourists put the country on a par... MORE

The new Ukrainian Constitution, adopted overwhelmingly by the parliament June 28, bans foreign military forces and bases from Ukraine. However, an article in the constitution's section on "Transitory Stipulations" allows foreign forces already stationed in Ukraine to use their existing bases for a limited period... MORE

Estonia plans to declare ex-USSR passports invalid on Estonian territory as of July 12 and to issue resident alien's passports to the country's non-citizen population. Russia's Foreign Ministry has formally protested this. The ministry's memorandum claims that only 1,500 out of 335,000 applicants have received... MORE

Security Council secretary Aleksandr Lebed paid a visit June 29 to a Russian Airborne special forces regiment based in the Moscow suburbs. Accompanied by paratrooper commander Yevgeny Podkolzin, Lebed reportedly delivered some ten million rubles to the unit's commander, reportedly to be paid out as... MORE

In a letter of reassurance that could hardly have been much comfort to any of those concerned, Security Council secretary Aleksandr Lebed told military leaders June 28 that there would be no more personnel changes within the high command until after the July 3 presidential... MORE

Chechen field commander Shamil Basaev said today that he had opposed the armistice with Moscow, but that he was submitting to the resistance leadership's collective decision. Basaev said that Russian troops would only withdraw from Chechnya if forced out militarily. (Reuter, July 1). Russia's chief... MORE

Last week's vow by Aleksandr Lebed to save Russia from "foreign thieves" is ironic in light of the fact that theft is the crime most frequently reported by Western visitors to Moscow. According to the Moscow police, about 1,000 crimes against foreigners are reported in... MORE

A criminal investigation has been launched into the explosion that occurred June 28 on a crowded bus in the North Caucasus city of Nalchik. Six people were reported killed and 40 injured. (Nezavisimaya gazeta, June 29) Nalchik is the capital of the republic of Kabardino-Balkaria,... MORE

As Russian voters prepare to elect a new president, 48 percent of them say the high cost of living is their main worry. The threat of unemployment concerns 24 percent, with crime identified by 23 percent. In a poll in which respondents could list more... MORE