Amid a series of diplomatic snubs and accusations from Sofia of Russian misbehavior, traditionally friendly relations between Bulgaria and Russia have gone in recent weeks from bad to worse. This most recent round of tensions began last month when Bulgarian government officials reprised accusations that... MORE

The KGB of Belarus released Russian ORT television's Minsk bureau chief Pavel Sheremet from prison on the night of October 7-8, escorting him home on a pledge of recognizance. (See Monitor, October 8) Sheremet, together with cameraman Dmitry Zavadsky, will remain under surveillance in Minsk... MORE

Andrei Illarionov, director of the Institute of Economic Analyses in Moscow, stated yesterday that Russia's economic subsidies to Belarus amount to between $1.5 billion and $2 billion annually, "paid out of Russian taxpayers' pockets" in 1996 and 1997. Illarionov focused on two forms of subsidy:... MORE

Tajik president Imomali Rahmonov's chief legal adviser, Halifabobo Hamidov, a member of the National Reconciliation Commission, stated yesterday that the electoral law set to be worked out by the NRC will be subject to Rahmonov's approval. Rahmonov may approve, reject, or return the law for... MORE

The KGB of Belarus last night released from prison Russian ORT TV's Minsk bureau chief, Pavel Sheremet, and returned him to his Minsk apartment. Sheremet had been arrested on July 22 and has been in official pretrial detention since July 25. He remains under police... MORE

Russian president Boris Yeltsin said yesterday following talks with Indian defense minister Mulayam Singh Yadav that relations between Moscow and Delhi are free of problems. Yadav, who is in the midst of a five-day visit to Russia, met a day earlier with Russian defense minister... MORE

Defense and Foreign Ministry sources in Moscow indicated yesterday that Russia is close to naming a military representative to NATO headquarters in Brussels. Defense Minister Igor Sergeev is reportedly considering several candidates and could present one for approval as early as next week. Former Russian... MORE

Russian president Boris Yeltsin has sent his clearest signal yet that he intends to seek reelection in 2000. His press secretary, Sergei Yastrzhembsky, has told the Belgian newspaper Le Soir that Yeltsin has every right under Russia's 1993 Constitution to seek a fresh term in... MORE

Russian prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin addressed the Duma this morning and urged it to approve the government's draft 1998 federal budget. The Duma's budget and economics committees have already recommended that parliament should reject the draft, but held out an olive branch by adding the... MORE

Two men convicted of hijacking the steamship "Avrazia" in January 1996 have escaped from prison in Turkey and are now believed to be in Chechnya. (Kommersant-daily, Izvestia, October 7; BBC World Service, October 8) On January 16, 1996, a group of fighters calling themselves the... MORE