Many bankers havebeen killed in Russia over the last two years, but the executionof Yugorsky Bank president Oleg Kantor last week has become acause celebre because of Kantor's close links to Russian premierViktor Chernomyrdin, Radio Russia reported July 21. Another reasonis that the mysterious Felix... MORE

Former Russian interior and security ministerViktor Barannikov died of a heart attack, Russian radio reportedJuly 21. Barannikov, who was 54, had been close to Yeltsin, butin October 1993 he supported the Supreme Soviet against the Russianpresident. In a related development, investigators of the October1993 event... MORE

TheRussian government is not collecting the percentage of taxes itclaims to be, experts at the finance ministry told Russian televisionJuly 22. In fact, Moscow is taking in now about 55 percent, andnot the 95 percent, of what is owed that some officials had saidearlier. Moreover,... MORE

Two Russiansin five do not get enough calories or vitamins in their diet,Echo radio reported July 23. 40 Percent of Young Russians Prepared to Violate Law to Live.

Almost half of Russian young people say they will violatethe law if they need to in order to earn a living, Russian radioreported July 23. Did the Felix Group Kill Oleg Kantor?

Russian economics ministry experts told Interfax July 21 thatreal inflation will be 5 percent in August regardless of whatis officially reported. An article in the July 20 Trud suggeststhat the situation may be even bleaker. Raw materials prices areincreasing much faster than the consumer price... MORE

Officialsof the regional organization Siberian Accord want Moscow to handover 50 percent of the shares and profits in locally producedpetroleum in order to be in a better position to keep these assetsfrom falling into criminal hands, one of their number told InterfaxJuly 21. Finance Ministry:... MORE

The Russian finance ministry has urged thegovernment to force Russian businessmen to convert 100 percentof their hard currency profits into rubles, up from the 50 percentof such profits that they must convert now, FIA-Interfax reportedJuly 21. Such a requirement would increase the government's hardcurrency reserves... MORE

Duma speaker Ivan Rybkin'sleft-center electoral bloc, which had to register for the electionsbefore it even had a name, now consists of more than 50 politicalparties and public organizations, Russian radio reported July21. But the groups, who signed an agreement on that date, do notinclude any... MORE

Moscow mayor YuriLuzhkov has established a special television channel which hewill control, in order to help him win election to the positionhe was appointed to in 1993, Kommersant-Daily reportedJuly 20. In another move that may affect his election chances,Luzhkov's office announced that Moscow will have... MORE