In June, Russia had thehighest inflation rate--6.7 percent--in the CIS; in July, Moscowpredicts that Russian inflation will be approximately 5.5 percent,Russian radio reported July 28. Meanwhile, Yeltsin economics advisorAleksandr Livshits told Interfax July 28 that one of the reasonsfor the recent slowdown in economic reforms... MORE

The security service of theAssociation of Russian Banks told Moscow's Echo Radio July 28

Acting directorof the Russian Central Bank Tatyana Paramonova said that on August1 Moscow will introduce new controls on capital movement in orderto reduce the flight of capital from Russia of some $300-400 milliona month, Russian radio reported July 29. She said that such capitalflight was... MORE

BorisYeltsin has issued a decree setting up new mutual funds in orderto attract cash now in the hands of the population, Russian radioreported July 28. Russians have been reluctant to put their moneyin such funds because of fears that they are no more than pyramidschemes... MORE

Former deputy defenseminister Boris Gromov confirmed that he is running for parliament,Moscow's radio Mayak reported July 28. Gromov is number two inthe election list of Duma speaker Ivan Rybkin's bloc, but thegeneral, who left active service because of his objections tothe Chechen war, said he... MORE

As of August 1, foreigners living in Moscow for more thanthree months will be required to present a certificate that theyare free of the HIV infection, Moscow radio reported

A spokesman for the law enforcement trade union said thatthe Russian foreign ministry was selling foreign passports tocriminals for cash and was dividing the proceeds with the interiorministry and the Federal Security Service, whose approval forsuch actions was also needed, Russian radio reported July 29.As... MORE

Theinterior ministry department in the Russian capital reported thisfigure to Interfax July 29. So far this year, 156 Moscow policemenhave been punished administratively for misdeeds. Repressed Peoples Unlikely to Get Territory Back.

Rossiiskiyevesti reported July 27 that the moratorium on territorialchanges necessary to restore the lands of peoples deported byStalin had lapsed on July 5 but that the provisions of this lawhad been rendered null and void by the 1993 Russian constitutionin any case. Consequently, Moscow is... MORE

Russia'spoor domestic record of controlling nuclear materials suggeststhat it should not count on being able to control any nuclearmaterials and equipment sold to Iran, Obshchaya gazeta (no.30) said. Any short term economic profits would be more than undercutby long-term political losses, the paper suggested. Moscow... MORE