Local residents describe their regionas "the Chechnya of the Far East" because of the enormousdestruction that earthquakes and other disasters have visitedupon them and because of the failure of Moscow to do anythingabout it, Russian television reported August 20. The residentshave refused to send local... MORE

Untilthe current generation of political leaders passes from the scene,the internal administrative divisions of the Russian Federationcannot be change, Federation Council chairman Vladimir Shumeikotold Moscow radio August 18. Arguing that "politics is theart of the possible," Shumeiko suggested that all plans fora radical redivision of... MORE

Russian deputy premier Oleg Soskovets told the Associationof the North Caucasian Republics that they must develop theireconomies without expecting much help from Moscow, Russian televisionreported August 19. The meeting was notable for two other reasons:first, it accepted Chechnya's Salambek Khadzhiyev as a member;and second, it... MORE

TheIngush parliament passed a resolution August 18 demanding thatMoscow introduce direct federal rule in North Ossetia's Prigorodnyregion, Russian radio reported the same day. Only such a stepwould allow Ingush refugees to return to their homes there insafety, the Ingush leaders said. Kamchatka Residents See Themselves... MORE

Yeltsinaide Georgy Satarov told Russian television August 17 that hedid not see any "light at the end of the tunnel" ofChechnya. Instead, he said that the tragedy of this situationis that it is not defined by a choice between two alternatives:war or negotiations. This is... MORE

Russia'sprosecutor general has charged the producers of the "Puppets"television program with tax evasion, Moscow's Echo radio reportedAugust 18. The show is already in legal difficulties for itssatirical representations of Boris Yeltsin and other Russian governmentleaders. Bus Hijacker Charged and Accomplices Sought.

A 23-year-oldman who seized a bus and its passengers in Russia's Kemerovo regionAugust 17 has been charged with terrorism, Russian televisionreported August 18. Police officials said that the explosivesin his possession could have blown the bus to smithereens andsaid they were searing for possible accomplices... MORE

GrigoryRogozin, deputy chief of Aleksandr Korzhakov's Presidential SecurityService, has been named to the organizing committee of the RussianFinancial and Stock Communications Committee by Boris Yeltsin,Segodnya reported August 18. His appointment will increaseYeltsin's control of this body. Firmer Ruble Undermines Oil Industry Profitability.

Anofficial of Lukoil told Russian radio August 19 that "thechief cause" of the oil industry's falling levels of profitabilitywas the hardening of the ruble against Western currencies. GennadyTerentiev, Lukoil's chief advisor on price policy, said that Russiacould no longer expect to earn profits from the... MORE

Citing Westernnews accounts, the Russian media gave prominent coverage to thestory of the 24-year-old Petersburg computer hacker who brokeinto the computers of New York's Citibank and transferred threemillion dollars to his accounts. Russian television on August18 suggested that this crime showed that Western bank accountswere... MORE