Overruling the Kremlin's public relations consultants, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sided with the generals who bombed Georgian territory on November 27-28. The consultants--Gleb Pavlovsky's group, with the officious organ Strana.ru--had publicly assessed the "stealthy" bombardment as ill-timed and lacking proper diplomatic preparation. They advised... MORE

A Russian newspaper reported today that President Vladimir Putin's team may, before next summer, begin the process of amending Russia's constitution to extend the presidential term from four to seven years. According to Novye Izvestia, this will be done in such a way that the... MORE

The situation in Primorsky Krai has become increasingly tense with the approach of the election for its regional legislative assembly, set for December 9. On Tuesday (December 4), Vladimir Maksunov, a candidate for the seat representing the krai's 13th electoral district was attacked by two... MORE

Russia's troubled naval forces continued to grab headlines this week as President Vladimir Putin attended a ceremony on December 4 marking the handover of a new nuclear submarine to the Northern Fleet while unofficial sources said that new commanders had been appointed to head both... MORE

Russia's Federation Council yesterday elected Sergei Mironov to replace Yegor Stroev as its new speaker. The vote took place during a special plenary session, and Mironov was approved overwhelmingly, 150 to 2. Stroev, who served as Federation Council speaker for six years, decided to step... MORE

President Vladimir Putin met yesterday in the Kremlin with representatives of the Association of Entrepreneurial Organizations of Russia (OPOR), which was formed this past September to represent the interests of small business. Putin indicated he shared the group's concerns, noting that while in countries with... MORE

Uzbek emigre opposition leader Muhammad Solih has been detained in Prague, pending hearings on an extradition request initiated by Uzbekistan. He is wanted on an international arrest mandate issued by Uzbekistan through the Interpol. He was arrested by Czech police on November 28 at Prague... MORE

The plot thickened this past weekend in what some Russian news sources have suggested is an intensifying face-off between President Vladimir Putin and his military command. The Russian leader rocked naval leaders on Saturday (December 1) when he issued orders demoting the commander of the... MORE

In the Far Eastern Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), one of the Russian Federation's largest regions and its main diamond-mining center, the intrigue over the impending election of the president of the republic continues to intensify. On November 27, the regional prosecutor's office searched rooms in... MORE

The attempt by the People's Khural (parliament) of the Republic of Buryatia to put forward its representative to the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Russian parliament, has ended in scandal. On November 19, Buryatia's parliament voted in support of Yury Skuratov, the former... MORE