Heading a Russian Duma delegation to Kyiv on September 28-29, the Duma's Communist Party Chairman Gennady Seleznev played the part of a would-be governor who had descended on an unruly province. In his talks with Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk and with Ukrainian parliamentary leaders, and... MORE

The Russian government and Central Bank reached an outline agreement in Moscow yesterday with representatives of Russian and foreign investors on restructuring Russia's domestic debt. Russia effectively defaulted when, in mid-August, it declared a partial freeze on its debt repayments. Details of the agreement were... MORE

Controversy is raging over elections for the mayor of Vladivostok, capital of Primorsky Krai in Russia's Far East. Yesterday, the central electoral authorities in Moscow said electoral officials in Vladivostok acted unlawfully when, at the last minute, they removed the name of incumbent mayor Viktor... MORE

A dangerous political confrontation is taking shape in Chechnya. Meeting in Djohar yesterday, a congress of some forty opposition groups voted no confidence in President Aslan Maskhadov and called for his resignation (NTV, September 29). Maskhadov was accused of being too compliant toward Moscow, violating... MORE

Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov warned a meeting of regional leaders yesterday not to go down the path of "dangerous separatism." He said the center would not tolerate "illegal and unconstitutional" moves by regional leaders who "display the mentality of feudal princelings." September tax receipts,... MORE

Despite the best efforts of both sides to maintain diplomatic momentum, Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov's difficulties in forming a new government have meant that plans for a series of high-level contacts between officials from Russia and Japan remain unsettled. Russian government sources did suggest... MORE

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin yesterday decried a recent initiative in which a group of southeastern European countries agreed to create a multinational military force that is to be used to help keep peace in the Balkans. Russia was not among the countries invited... MORE

German Chancellor-to-be Gerhard Schroeder agreed in a telephone conversation with President Boris Yeltsin yesterday to visit Moscow as soon as he is confirmed in office. In separate remarks to the German newspaper Bild, Schroeder also said that his Social Democratic Party stands for--among other things--continuity... MORE

Tajik President Imomali Rahmonov and United Tajik Opposition (UTO) leader Saidabdullo Nuri yesterday overcame a dispute which had threatened the pacification process. Following the assassination of UTO's main secular leader, Otahon Latifi, on September 22 (see the Monitor, September 23), the opposition suspended its participation... MORE

On September 27 Georgia observed a day of remembrance of the defeat of its forces in Abkhazia and the forced exodus of the Georgian population from the secessionist region in 1993. Addressing the country on radio the following day, President Eduard Shevardnadze described the 1992-93... MORE