Amnesty International's report criticizing Russia for human rights abuses (see Perspective section below) includes a section on the army. The report says that torture and ill-treatment of soldiers through starvation, rape, and beatings are widespread, and quotes observers who describe Russia's army as a "Gulag-style... MORE

Belarusan authorities yesterday sentenced approximately 30 participants in the April 2 pro-independence demonstration (see Monitor, April 3) to prison terms ranging from 3 to 15 days. The trials continue. The authorities admit to still holding 107 of those arrested during the demonstration. The Soviet-style procedure... MORE

A new fragrance for men, called "Mayor" ("Mer" in Russian), appeared in the stores of the Russian capital last week, according to the English-language newspaper Moscow Times. Named in honor of Moscow's energetic and forceful mayor, Yury Luzhkov, the new cologne is said to be... MORE

The two documents signed by Presidents Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus in the Kremlin on April 2 in effect defer by several weeks a decision on the future of Belarusan statehood. The two documents are a Union Treaty that is couched... MORE

Along with the reorganization of the cabinet, the apparatus of the Russian government is also being re-shuffled. Yesterday Sergei Vasiliev was appointed first deputy chief-of-staff of the government. (Itar-Tass, April 3) Vasiliev, a dogged reformer with close ties to Anatoly Chubais, has until now been... MORE

On April 3 IMF managing director Michel Camdessus addressed the State Duma and met with President Boris Yeltsin to inform them of the IMF's decision to restart its monthly loan payments. (Itar-Tass, Reuter, April 3) Camdessus said that the IMF has pledged $21 billion in... MORE

Danish diplomat Rudolf Thorning-Petersen has been appointed as the new head of the OSCE mission in Chechnya. (Itar-Tass, April 3) He replaces the highly respected Swiss diplomat Tim Guldimann, who had held the post since January 1996 and who mediated the Russian-Chechen peace negotiations last... MORE

The Russian Duma is today discussing nominations for the post of Russian federal human rights commissioner, an appointment that is to be made for the first time following a two-year break. Respected human rights activist Sergei Kovalev was appointed to the post by the Duma... MORE

A recent poll finds that only 2-3 percent of Russian citizens say they trust the police, prosecutor's office, and law courts, and only 40 percent of victims of crime report the incidents to the police. (Izvestiya, April 2) Russia's police came under fierce criticism yesterday... MORE

Ukraine has introduced restrictions on Russian military flights over Ukrainian airspace as of March 31, Ukrainian armed forces chief of staff Lt. Gen. Oleksandr Zatynaiko announced yesterday. Zatynaiko disclosed that on March 25 and again on the 26th two Russian Tu-22 military aircraft entered Ukraine's... MORE