Russian contract soldiers in Chechnya present new problems for Moscow by Aleksandr Zhilin According to the official version of the Russian defense ministry,the recruitment of fighters for the war in Chechnya took placein order to limit the use in military actions of untested anduntrained draftees.... MORE

Peace in Chechnya is still a long way off by Igor Rotar The agreement signed by the Russian and Chechen delegations onthe night of July 29-30 was undoubtedly a major success for thosewho wanted a peaceful regulation of the Chechen crisis. The sidesagreed on the... MORE

Cuny Family holds Russians responsible for Fred Cuny's death Editor's Note: The following statement was released by the Cunyfamily in Moscow on August 17. The staff of Prism and Monitorjoin them in mourning the death of a great man and in their assignmentof blame for... MORE

Commemoration of August 1991 coup likely to divide Russian politicians, people Three events will mark the week ahead: commemoration of the fourthanniversary of the August 1991 coup that led to the end of theSoviet Union, a universal search for allies and votes as the Dumaelection... MORE

Chechen war winds down but claims new victims Three events dominated the week just past: the announcement bythe Cuny family that Fred Cuny had been killed in Chechnya; thebeginnings of the implementation of the Chechen-Russian accordson the disarming of Chechen formations and the withdrawal of... MORE

Ethnic minorities suffer in Central Asia by David Nissman Until the Russian conquest of Central Asia in the nineteenthcentury, Central Asians did not discriminate on the basis of languageor ethnicity. It was not that Central Asian society was egalitarian. Many of the local rulers were... MORE

Prism Interview: Konstantin Borovoi speaks out against organized crime Borovoi: "The Mafia Controls the Entire Economy" - The interview with Konstantin Borovoi, president of the Partyof Economic Freedom, was conducted for Prism by YevgenyKrasnolobov, a correspondent for Moscow's "Open Radio." Prism: In a little over... MORE

Russian-style privatization has achieved "state capitalism" by Mikhail Gershaft Privatization undoubtedly is the most positive achievement ofthe first years of the reformation of the Russian economy. Despiteall the internal inconsistencies of this process, privatizationRussian-style provides a platform from which one can look intoits own future,... MORE

Contract murders on the rise in Russia by Victor Yasmann Fame and fortune are mixed blessings in Russia today. With wealthand notoriety comes the risk of violent death. The rising tide of contract murder this year engulfed the "newRussians," the supporters and beneficiaries of market... MORE

Military truce in Chechnya remains unstable Chechnya, Russian meddling in the war of Yugoslav succession,and joint military activities across the former East-West divideshould again top next week's agenda. CHECHNYA Moscow looks set to continue encouraging Chechen chief of staffAslan Maskhadov to play an increasingly independent... MORE