The Russian government has notbuilt any new ships or submarines since 1991, has reduced navypersonnel by 50 percent over the same period, and fails to payon a regular basis even those sailors who still serve, AdmiralIvan Kapitanets told a conference on the future of the... MORE

The FederationCouncil rejected a Duma-passed bill which would have establishedclear rules for the operation of local and regional governments,Interfax reported July 6. The senators took this step becausemany of them are regional officials who have benefited from theloose arrangements which have been in place up... MORE

The Russian prosecutorgeneral is currently interested in having the Duma lift the immunityof two Duma deputies, Sergei Stankevich and Sergei Mavrody, Russianradio reported July 5. The prosecutor's office said that Stankevichwould be tried for accepting bribes and Mavrody for tax evasionand obstruction of justice. Up... MORE

Fearingthat the new Russian tariffs on imported food will push up pricesfor all food 30 to 60 percent, Russian city officials pressedtheir case for some modification in the application of the tariffsat least for food destined to the country's largest cities, Interfaxreported July 6. Deputy... MORE

Moscow's decisionto maintain the ruble-dollar exchange rate within a fixed rangeis likely to lead oil and gas producers to sell more on the domesticmarket rather than to seek profits abroad, to hurt the export-dependentaluminum industry, and to hurt some other exporters as well, Moscowmedia reported... MORE

Reflecting a shift bybanks from currency speculation to long-term investments and awillingness of some Westerners to reenter the Russian market, portfolio investment in Russia rose to $200 million during May1995, Interfax reported July 6. More than half of the new fundscame from Russian sources. Deputy... MORE

Russiandeputy premier Oleg Davydov said that the London Club had agreedto reschedule Russia's massive foreign debt, but he acknowledgedto Interfax July 6 that no agreement had been signed. Among thedetails left to be worked out is the interest rate which Russiawill have to pay on... MORE

Russian consumersowe the country's electric power firms and thermal energy producersmore than 22 trillion rubles, and these firms in turn owe thesuppliers of oil, gas and coal more than 9 trillion rubles, Interfaxreported July 6. Unless this cash flow problem is resolved, oneor both of... MORE

Some 300delegates from ethnic Russian communities in the former Sovietrepublics met in Moscow July 6 to form a Council of Compatriots,Russian radio reported July 7. The new group, which will haveclose ties to the Duma, is to provide advice on how Moscow canbetter defend ethnic... MORE

In an open letter to the Russian government, the Fund forthe Defense of Glasnost has warned that Moscow must do more thansimply punish the murderers of journalist Natalya Alyakina, whowas killed while trying to cover the Budennovsk crisis; the governmentmust drop its hostility to journalists... MORE