Yuri Skuratov, confirmed this week as Russia's new Prosecutor General, has his work cut out for him. Statistics released on Wednesday by the Ministry of Justice show that crime in the first nine months of 1995 has increased by 10 percent in comparison to last... MORE

With evident embarrassment, the Ministry of Justice and Central Electoral Commission revise their list of candidates for the Duma who have criminal pasts. The list which was distributed to the media on Tuesday contained 87 names. On Wednesday that was reduced to 79 individuals, after... MORE

Flanked by a small army of police officers and journalists, defense minister Pavel Grachev arrived at court on Wednesday morning to appear in his libel suit against Moskovsky komsomolets journalist Vadim Poegli. Grachev had initially declined to attend the hearing, but deferred to Boris Yeltsin,... MORE

Colonel Mikhail Bergman, a close associate of Lt. General (ret.) Aleksandr Lebed, is busy giving interviews in Russian media announcing that he has filed suit in a Moscow military court against Defense Minister Pavel Grachev for abusively ordering Bergman's removal as Tiraspol city commandant of... MORE

Thousands of workers and pensioners turned out for noisy demonstrations across Ukraine on Wednesday, calling for a return to socialism and the resignation of reform-minded President Leonid Kuchma. Four Killed in Belarus Military Plant Explosion.

Four people were killed in an explosion at a Belarussian plant specializing in dismantling artillery shells, a joint venture with Britain and the United States, the emergencies ministry said on Thursday. (See "In Perspective" item below.) Estonian Parliament Backs New Government.

Estonia's parliament on Thursday backed a new government formed by Prime Minister Tiit Vahi after his previous administration collapsed amid scandal. Vahi received 55 votes in favor of the new government, five against and 19 abstentions in the 101-seat house, his office said. Lebed.

Russia tested a new, high-precision short-range missile on Tuesday, Interfax news agency quoted military officials as saying. The press spokesman for the military complex said on Wednesday the test, part of a program to develop a single missile system for ground forces, had been successful.... MORE

Brazil and Ukraine are considering cooperating in space technology, including joint rocket launches from the Amazon, Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma said in Brasilia on Wednesday. Kuchma, on a state visit to Brazil, told reporters Ukraine could supply Brazil with advanced missile technology while Brazil offered... MORE

President Clinton on Wednesday night urged the Russian government to realize that the expansion of NATO into eastern Europe will benefit all countries of the region. "For Russia and all of her neighbors, this is a better path than the alternative," Clinton said during a... MORE