Now that the Russian Constitutional Court has entered thepolitical fray in earnest, it will examine whether Yeltsin violatedconstitutional and legal procedures in rejecting legislation whichimposed a moratorium on unilateral cuts in the size of the BlackSea Fleet and in ignoring a Soviet-era law that gave... MORE

Having failedto raise anything like what was expected from privatization sofar this year, or to hold inflation at projected levels, the Russiangovernment is scrambling to find new funds to keep the budgetdeficit financed by non-inflationary means. Finance minister VladimirPanskov told Russian television July 31 that... MORE

Pilotsin the Caucasus Special Border District said that Chechen militantshad fired Stinger missiles at several of their planes withoutbringing any of them down, Interfax reported July 31. An investigationconducted by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reportedlyfound that "the Chechen militants are not skilled enoughin... MORE

In a transparent attempt at intimidation, representativesof the Moscow prosecutors office on July 31 visited Yelena Masyuk,the NTV journalist who interviewed Chechen commander Shamil Basayevthree weeks ago, NTV reported July 30. The prosecutors wantedto find out where the interview had taken place. Constitutional Court Gives... MORE

The Russian Constitutional Court said that one ofYeltsin's decrees that served as the basis for Moscow's introductionof troops into Chechnya was "basically constitutional,"but it refused to rule on three other decrees saying that theywere outside the competence of the court, Russian media reported.The court expressed... MORE

At their press conferencein Brunei, Russian foreign minister Andrei Kozyrev and US Secretaryof State Warren Christopher took sharply different positions onCroatia's dispatch of troops to help the Bosnian Muslims defendBihac against Serb attacks. Kozyrev said that the Croatians hadviolated an international border and should pull... MORE

Boris Yeltsinwill continue his convalescence at Barvikha near Moscow, Itar-Tassreported August 1. Yeltsin is improving, his doctors said, anddoing ever more work. Russian Aviators Say Chechens Have Stinger Missiles.

The two sidesexchanged lists of prisoners July 31. The Russian side said thatit had 1,325 Chechens in captivity and that it believed the Chechensnow held approximately 300 Russian soldiers, Interfax reportedJuly 31. The prisoners are expected to be exchanged this week.A working group for observing... MORE

Despite pastdifferences between the two men on the conduct of the Chechenwar, both Russian president Boris Yeltsin and his prime ministerViktor Chernomyrdin have approved all points of the Grozny accordsand expect the accord to hold, Itar-Tass reported August 1. MostRussian officials and media outlets echoed... MORE

The Russian press servicegave prominent coverage July 30 to the visit to the Pacific Fleetby Georgy Romanov, grandson of Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovichand a leading pretender to the Russian throne. By identifyingGeorgy as the "prince consort," Interfax appearedto back Georgy's claim. The Monitor is a... MORE