Latvian prosecutors and courts have recently opened proceedings against three former Soviet KGB officers involved in the mass deportations of Latvians to Siberia. The three are liable to be charged with crimes against humanity, which do not carry a statute of limitations. On January 14,... MORE

A large delegation of Brazilian government and business leaders paid an unusually high-profile visit to Moscow this week, one that appeared to highlight rapidly improving ties between the two countries and the establishment of what both sides suggested could eventually evolve into a Russian-Brazilian "strategic... MORE

Military-technical cooperation was also high on Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso's agenda, and the announcement on January 14 of a package of agreements between the Russian state arms export company Rosoboroneksport and the Brazilian rocket and missile maker Avibras Aerospacial SA emerged as a highlight of... MORE

During a January 14 meeting in the Kremlin between Presidents Fernando Cardoso of Brazil and Vladimir Putin of Russia, the two sides also underscored the extent to which they hold similar positions on a number of important international security issues. Perhaps most important for Brazil,... MORE

The saga of TV-6, Russia's last remaining large national television channel, took another turn yesterday, when fifty of its staff members voted to set up a new broadcasting corporation and unanimously elected Yevgeny Kiselev, currently TV-6's general director, head of the new entity. These moves,... MORE

Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov has allegedly accused fellow rebel leaders, including Shamil Basaev, Movladi Udugov, Zelimkhan Yandarbiev and others, of having "led the country to such a mournful finale." Maskhadov supposedly made this statement in an interview with an underground rebel radio station whose... MORE

To Kyrgyz and local Russians in the Bishkek area, familiar with the look and condition of the Russian army, the sight of American soldiers must open a new perspective on the world. "They are well groomed, smart, confident; they carry assault rifles and portable radio... MORE

A controversial Russian treason trial, one that has been under the scrutiny of international human rights groups for over three years, appears in recent weeks to be drawing attention and criticism from a more general and ever widening circle of political actors both in and... MORE

Some Western governments, meanwhile, have also expressed their misgivings over the Pasko case. The European Union and Germany have each called for his conviction to be overturned, and U.S. diplomatic representatives in Vladivostok took a further step last week by attending the pro-Pasko demonstrations and... MORE

Sergei Mironov has dropped his second bombshell in the little more than one month since he took over the job of speaker of the Federation Council, upper chamber of Russia's parliament. First, he provoked a furious debate when he called for extending the presidential term... MORE