Russia's security, law-enforcement and other state agencies have been placed on an increased level of readiness for possible terrorist attacks, Russian agencies reported yesterday. The Itar-Tass news agency quoted a "well-informed source in the law enforcement bodies" as saying that units of the Interior Ministry,... MORE

The Union of Right-Wing Forces (SPS), one of the three minority factions in the State Duma which have been boycotting the body's proceedings, has agreed in principle to resume full participation in the Duma's activities. The three factions announced a boycott earlier this month after... MORE

Vladimir Putin's first CIS summit, which convened in Moscow yesterday, did not continue for another day as originally planned, and fell well short of covering the ambitious agenda originally announced. In some ways, the summit resembled those held under Boris Yeltsin. Like them, yesterday's yielded... MORE

Expectations that this summit would, at long last, observe the rule of annual rotation in electing the new chairman of the CIS Council of Heads of State were not borne out. Under the rotation rule, the Russian president should have been succeeded by Tajikistan's, according... MORE

In another unusual procedure, a "narrow conclave," made up of the twelve presidents only, preceded the "official" summit by a few hours and predetermined its outcome. Although held in secrecy, that conclave was officially credited with making, or deferring, the main decisions at this summit.... MORE

The CIS summit--the first to be chaired by Vladimir Putin as acting and prospective president of Russia--opened on Monday [January 24] in Moscow with a meeting of the Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers of the twelve member countries. Contrary to some expectations West and East,... MORE

Russian leaders have signaled in recent days that Moscow may at last be considering a policy of reengagement with NATO. The shift in Russian policy was hinted at late last week in an article published by Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and signaled more strongly... MORE

It remains to be seen whether Moscow's sudden overture to the Western alliance is a serious one. Since the rupture in relations last year, Russian diplomatic and military officials have often sketched out--albeit in vague terms--the sorts of policy concessions which Moscow would demand from... MORE

Heavy fighting is continuing in the Chechen capital, where, according to Radio Liberty's correspondent in Djohar, the entire city center is being hit non-stop by Russian air and artillery bombardment and resembles a flaming cauldron. The most intense fighting is reportedly taking place near Minutka... MORE

Heavy fighting is also continuing in Chechnya's mountainous regions. On January 23, the Russian forces carried out some 100 combat missions. Meanwhile General Viktor Kazantsev, the commander of the Russian forces in Chechnya, claimed that Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov was wounded and is located in... MORE