Trud on June 2 featured the following anecdote aboutlife in the Russian military. A draftee being examined by a militarymedical commission is asked whether he has any physical problems.The draftee says that unfortunately he suffers from nearsightedness.The doctors tell him: "That's no problem; we'll send... MORE

In an indication that he may in fact dismiss one or more ofthe power ministers as some in the Duma have demanded, Yeltsintold the Security Council June 29 that he would have to apportionblame for the Budennovsk disaster and be "tough" againstthose responsible, Interfax reported.... MORE

As the Groznytalks shifted from military to political issues, Russian negotiatorssaid that Moscow was willing to have representatives of the Dudayevforces in some future coalition government and even to considerallowing Dudayev to run for office. The Chechen negotiators saidthat they would like a delay in... MORE

A Duma effort to startimpeachment proceedings against Boris Yeltsin has failed, Pravdareported June 28. 170 deputies voted for impeachment, 56 votedagainst, one abstained, and 223 boycotted the decision, the papersaid. 300 votes were needed to force a hearing on the matter.The Communists, Zhirinovsky's nationalists, and... MORE

In a move that may offend Yeltsin,US Vice President Al Gore said on his arrival in Moscow June 28that "the more I work with Chernomyrdin, the more I am struckby his ability to make real achievements in a short period,"Interfax reported. More Regions Adopt Anti-Terrorism... MORE

Astrakhan,North Ossetia, and both Moscow and Saint Petersburg have increasedthe number and alert status of forces available to counter anyterrorist attack, Russian media reported June 27-28. But Moscowmayor Yuri Luzhkov said that the current concentration of anti-terroristtroops in his city would last less than a... MORE

In a statement to Moskovskie novosti (no. 44) that willdo little to calm the population, Col. Gen. Yevgeni Maslin, thedefense ministry official responsible for nuclear security, saidthat "the threat of nuclear terrorism in Russia exists."While he said that no nuclear weapons from the strategic rocketforces... MORE

Some2000 Cossacks are already guarding the city of Budennovsk, Interfaxreported June 28, and they plan a large rally there for July 1.Meanwhile, Russian justice minister Valentin Kovalev told Rossiiskayagazeta June 27 that "Cossack units will become a seriousfactor favoring stability" in the North Caucasus. How... MORE

Inwhat some will see as a threat, North Ossetian president AkhsarbekGalazov told Russian radio June 28 that resolving the Chechenproblem would be impossible without addressing all the territorialand political problems in the region. Chechnya is "only alink in an all-Caucasus chain of problems," he said.... MORE

BorisYeltsin has asked the Duma to extend the moratorium on borderchanges among the country's regions, Ogonek (no. 24) reported.The current ban on such changes runs out July 1; Yeltsin wantsit extended to January 1, 1997. Among the regions seeking bordershifts are South Ossetia and Ingushetia,... MORE