Leadersof the communist-allied Agrarian Party will use demonstrations,strikes and other measure to advance their agenda, Segodnyasaid June 27. Claiming that the current government was simplyfollowing "the demands of Western monopolies," the Agrarianssaid that they would push for a radical shift in Moscow's line:an end to... MORE

North Ossetianpresident Akhsarbek Galazov elaborated on his call--first madelast week at a Vladikavkaz conference on interethnic problems--fora general Caucasus-wide meeting on regional issues, Segodnyareported June 27. Galazov said that such a meeting should be chairedby Boris Yeltsin and should deal with disarming illegal armedunits, the... MORE

Without waitingfor the Federation Council and Yeltsin to approve a Duma-passedmeasure that establishes firmer rules for foreign investors, Exxonand the Japanese Sodeco oil companies will sign an agreement todevelop a major oil field off Russia's Sakhalin Island in thePacific, Russian radio reported June 26. Ruble's... MORE

As the ruble hasstrengthened against the dollar, Russians have exchanged theirdollars for rubles and then quickly spent the Russian currency,Pravda reported June 24. As a result, total savings inthe country are down, but retail sales rose 15.3 percent in May. Drug Use Rising in Russia.

More than one Russian in tenhas tried drugs and more than one in 100 is now a regular user,Itar-Tass reported June 26. The number of drug users in Russiais expected to double, the service said. As a result, drug-relatedcrime is rising rapidly: there were 74,000... MORE

Moscow media--includingthe June 24 Segodnya--have given prominent coverage toan American decision to refuse an immigrant visa to Russian singerIosif Kobzon because of the latter's ties to organized crime.According to press reports, Kobzon has direct links to Russianmafiosi arrested in New York in May 1995. Tallinn... MORE

Over the continuingobjections of the opposition parties, the Estonian governmentpushed through parliament a measure that will give the country'saliens--many of whom are ethnic Russians--still more time to registerwith the authorities, BNS reported June 27. The deadline, whichhad been extended once before to July 12, will... MORE

A Latvian court has declaredwhat the world already knew: the Baltija Bank is insolvent, BNSreported June 27. The bank went under in May after a series ofbad business decisions, and Russian withdrawal of large sums ofcash. Almost one Latvian resident in five had a savings... MORE

Tallinnand Helsinki have agreed to demarcate a six-mile-wide internationalshipping lane in the narrow Gulf of Finland, BNS reported June27. Because the gulf is so narrow, the two countries have hadto negotiate their respective claims of territorial waters lestthere be no international passageway. Illegal Arms Trade... MORE

Over thepast year, the flow of illegal arms through the Baltic stateshas changed direction and content, BNS reported June 27. Earlier,most of the weaponry passed through Latvia, went to the Caucasus,and came from stockpiles of weapons left by Soviet troops. Now,most of it goes through... MORE