GAIDAR CONDEMNS SEVASTOPOL VOTE AS ELECTIONEERING.

Former prime minister Yegor Gaidar told Russian TV that last week’s vote by the upper house of the Russian parliament, declaring the Crimean port of Sevastopol to be Russian territory, was dangerous because it threatened Ukrainian-Russian relations and ran counter to Russia’s international commitments (specifically, the recognition of Ukraine’s territorial integrity that Russia made when Russia joined the OSCE). Gaidar said Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov’s initiation of the resolution was an opening salvo in the 2000 presidential race. (RTR, December 8. See item in Perspective section below)

More Opposition Victories in Russian Regional Elections.