The U.S. Sixth Fleet's flagship, the LaSalle, called at Sevastopol from August 31 through September 3, the first visit by a U.S. warship there since Ukraine became independent. The precedent-setting event was made possible by the Ukrainian government's resolution allowing foreign vessels access to Sevastopolska,... MORE

In remarks made at a Russian military training facility in Astrakhan region, acting Defense Minister Igor Sergeev has in recent days underscored the need both for Russia's parliament to ratify the START II treaty and for the United States and Russia then to move forward... MORE

Opening an international conference on NATO's eastward growth in Vilnius yesterday, Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus called for an "unrestricted enlargement process." Only membership of NATO, supplemented by European Union membership, he stressed, can ultimately guarantee the security of the region's countries. Expressing concern over "some... MORE

A Russian daily on September 2 applauded China's recent announcement that Beijing intends to contribute some US$540 million in aid to help Russia out of its current financial crisis. The newspaper contrasted what is suggested was the generosity of the Chinese offer--which it said came... MORE

The ruble fell yesterday to 13.46 against the dollar, a fall of well over 50 percent since the effective devaluation announced on August 17. (Financial Times, September 4) A two-month freeze on withdrawals by Russian account-holders from their accounts with six major commercial banks came... MORE

President Bill Clinton wound up his three-day visit to Moscow yesterday morning by meeting with acting Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. The half-hour session came just prior to Clinton's departure for Northern Ireland. According to White House press spokesman Mike McCurry, Clinton urged Chernomyrdin to... MORE

Acting Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin addressed the upper house of the Russian parliament this morning and outlined his government's economic rescue program. As reported by CNN, Chernomyrdin called for an "economic dictatorship" to end the present crisis while preserving market reforms. Starting in January, he... MORE

Both houses of the Russian parliament are due to meet today to debate the candidacy of Viktor Chernomyrdin as prime minister. The State Duma, entrusted by the constitution with the role of approving or rejecting the president's nomination, is expected to reject Chernomyrdin for the... MORE

Marking the seventh anniversary of Karabakh's proclamation of independence, the unrecognized republic's leaders dropped any open reference to the goal of unification with Armenia. That goal had repeatedly been proclaimed by Karabakh leaders both before and after 1991 act. More recently, however, the leaders of... MORE

The authorities in Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan have reached an agreement, at least for now, with the inhabitants of two remote mountain villages that last month declared themselves to be an independent Islamic territory. (Russian agencies, September 2) The villagers complained that the... MORE