Now-retired Lt. Gen. Aleksandr Lebed called on the Russian parliament to adopt a law protecting the citizens of Russia who now find themselves abroad, Moscow radio reported June 21. The controversial former commander of Russia's 14th Army in Moldova's Transdniestr region also urged the Russian... MORE

Nizhny Novgorod governor Boris Nemtsov will sue Russian nationalist leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky for his remarks on Russian television June 19, Segodnya said June 21. During a broadcast featuring the two men, Zhirinovsky threw water on Nemtsov and said that the reformist governor presided over a... MORE

Shmidt Dzoblayev, the leader of the Assembly of National-Democratic and Patriotic Forces of Russia, said he would convene a meeting of all North Caucasian governments to discuss how to get out of the current situation there, Segodnya reported June 21. Dzoblayev's group, which Moscow at... MORE

The deputy commander of Russia's Far Eastern military district said that his troops have so many weapons that it is a mistake to repair any which break down, Dalny vostok reported May 18. Another Sour Note from Budennovsk.

Moscow organizers of two sold-out rock concerts--one by Rod Stewart and the other by the group Bon Jovi--have been forced to cancel these performances because of the recent hostage crisis, Itar-Tass said June 21. Riga Seeks Permission to Use Western Aid to End Bank Crisis.

In order to pay back depositors at the failed Baltija Bank, the Latvian government has asked the European Union to allow Riga to draw on some of the aid which the G-24 group has already given Latvia, BNS reported June 21. The Latvian authorities said... MORE

Russian and Chechen participants in the June 20 negotiations in Grozny agreed to extend the cease-fire for three more days, Russian media reported. (Segodnya on June 20 suggested that Dzhokhar Dudayev's forces had violated the cease-fire and were organizing 300-500 man units for strikes into... MORE

After an all-day halt in Daghestan, the Chechen unit led by Shamil Basayev finally reached the Chechen village of Dargo late June 20, Russian radio reported. During the day, Basayev asked for additional guarantees from Prime Minister Chernomyrdin and Russian military officials, but reportedly was... MORE

On June 20, Russian television reported from Budennovsk that former hostages were critical of Moscow's handling of the crisis because the authorities had used force, and relatives of the hostages were critical because Moscow had not used enough and had allowed the Chechens to escape... MORE

Russia may resume the testing of nuclear weapons if the United States were to do so, Duma defense committee chairman Sergei Yushenkov told Russian radio June 21. Yushenkov noted that Moscow has condemned France for its plans to resume testing and was concerned about recent... MORE