The problem of homelessness is growing in Russia By John Varoli Russia's transition to a market economy has exacerbated many Soviet-era social problems. The country's homeless population, both children and adults, has increased dramatically in the past five years. Out of a total population of... MORE

The Fortnight in Review Yeltsin Punishes Architect of Privatization A week is a long time in politics, former British prime minister Harold Wilson once famously remarked. Two weeks ago, First Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Anatoly Chubais was riding high, displaying his political muscle by... MORE

Georgia: A conflict may be brewing between Tbilisi and Ajaria, seen until now as Georgia's most peaceful region By Zaal Anjaparidze There are signs that a conflict may be brewing between Tbilisi and the political elite in the autonomous Republic of Ajaria, regarded until now... MORE

Ukraine: With his combination of economic innovation and political democracy, Pavlo Lazarenko deserves close attention By Volodymyr Zviglyanich Former Ukrainian prime minister Pavlo Lazarenko, who lost his job in June 1997, was in the U.S. at the end of October as the guest of the... MORE

Russia: How deeply is democracy rooted? By Elizabeth Teague Russia has made enormous strides toward democracy since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Anyone attempting to assess how deeply rooted its reforms now are should bear in mind that countries generally considered to be democracies... MORE

The Fortnight in Review Yeltsin Punishes Architect of Privatization A week is a long time in politics, former British prime minister Harold Wilson once famously remarked. Two weeks ago, First Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Anatoly Chubais was riding high, displaying his political muscle by... MORE

The new political situation in Russia's regions: the view from Saratov By Ilya Malyakin Over the past year, a new political situation has taken shape in Russia's provinces. Gubernatorial elections have now been held, often for the first time, in almost all of the country's... MORE

Moscow tightens the screws on Kazan By Rashid Akhmetov The end of summer and beginning of fall in 1997 brought a perceptible increase in tension in relations between Kazan and Moscow. This may be due to the fact that the federal center, after its defeat... MORE

Nagorno-Karabakh: Imminent breakthrough or yet another stalemate? By Emil Danielyan The stalled Nagorno-Karabakh peace process appears to be entering a critical stage with growing international efforts to end the ten-year-old dispute. Russia, the United States and France are in the forefront of a diplomatic offensive... MORE

The Fortnight in Review President Boris Yeltsin emerged triumphant in his latest shoot-out with the Russian Duma, but the victory seemed likely only to defer indefinitely consideration of several of Russia's key economic and political problems. Moscow did record an economic triumph of sorts, however,... MORE