Badfood, poor clothing, poor housing, and the fact that many of themhave not been paid for at least four months mean that "Russiantroops will leave Chechnya with pleasure," Moskovsky komsomoletsreported on July 12. But even when Russian troops do leaveChechnya, the war may follow them.... MORE

The ConstitutionalCourt concluded that Chuvashia's president was correct in maintainingthat the Chuvash parliament could not unilaterally lower participationrequirements for elections there, and thus gave Nikolai Fedorovthe right to dissolve the parliament and call new elections, Russiantelevision reported July 11. This decision reverses the court'sfinding in... MORE

Presidential aide Georgy Satarov told Rossiiskayagazeta July 11 that he did not believe any of the electoralblocs was capable of attracting half the vote and that, as a result,smaller and extreme parties could hold the balance of power unlesscentrist groups learned to cooperate with each... MORE

According to aRussian interior ministry official, Russian forces lost 1846 killedin the Chechen fighting, with total Russian casualties being 8202,Novosti reported July 13. The interior ministry set Chechen lossesat 14,040. Moscow to Spend $1 Billion on Chechen Rebuilding.

Havinginitialed an interstate agreement on military-technical cooperationwith South Africa on July 12, Russian deputy premier Oleg Soskovetsproposed creating a joint commission for expanded military cooperationand was invited by South African defense minister Joe Modisseto visit South Africa. Finansovye izvestiya reported onJuly 13 that a South... MORE

Federation Council chairman Vladimir Shumeiko tolda Tbilisi press conference that Moscow had an economic interestin establishing military bases in the former Soviet republics,Interfax reported July 13. "Russian bases," he said,"help us to keep part of the market" in those countries. Russia to Expand Military Cooperation... MORE

The Duma has passed a billdeclaring that underground oil and gas belong to the state butthat their exploitation can be licensed to private companies,Kommersant-Daily reported July 13. The bill, which stillmust be passed by the Federation Council and signed by Yeltsin,removes one of the legal... MORE

For theRussian parliament to ratify START-II, three conditions must bemet, Duma defense committee chairman told Segodnya July13. They include: "unconditional implementation of the 1972ABM treaty, a time-table for the implementation of START-II whichcorresponds to Russia's economic possibilities, and the provisionof adequate funds for the maintenance... MORE

Ina decree issued from his hospital room where he is recoveringfrom heart problems, Boris Yeltsin set December 17 as the datefor Russian parliamentary elections, Interfax reported July 14.In the past several days, the Russian media have been filled withstories about how much the election campaign... MORE

After a one day breakfor consultations, Russian and Chechen negotiators will resumetalks on July 14. According to the Postfactum news agency, theRussian side believes a compromise has been found on the delicateissue of the status of Chechnya. Russian delegation member ArkadyVolsky said that the compromise... MORE