Latest Articles about Russia
Putin Persists With LNG-Zing the South Stream Project
On March 21, at his Novo Ogaryovo residence, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to negotiate German Wintershall’s accession to Gazprom’s South Stream project. Wintershall, a gas producer and trader, is the fully owned gas subsidiary of... MORE
Otunbayeva Open to Military Cooperation with the US and Russia
Shortly after her recent visit to Washington, Kyrgyzstan’s President Roza Otunbayeva announced that two military training centers funded by the US and Russia will soon be opened in Kyrgyzstan (www.akipress.kg, March 15).According to the Kyrgyz president, the US center might be located in Batken oblast,... MORE
The Bear, the Abacus and Impossible Defense Computations
The expanded session of the Russian defense ministry collegium on March 18, given the crisis in reforming the armed forces, promised to be a crucial test for Defense Minister, Anatoliy Serdyukov, and there were numerous signals that a vintage performance might be on offer. Earlier... MORE
Moscow Backs Surgut’s Push in Hungary
Co-chairing a session of the Russian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Economic Cooperation Commission in Moscow, Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov asked Hungary to eliminate “subjective” obstacles to Russian investments there (MTI, March 21). In the vocabulary of many Russian officials, “subjective” is Soviet-speak for unjustified or illegitimate, as... MORE
Will Moscow’s Unyielding Stance on Circassian and North Caucasian Political Issues Endanger the 2014 Sochi Olympics?
On March 3, a conference titled “The Circassian Question and the Olympics in Sochi” was held at the Moscow center of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Many of the participants expressed disappointment with the Kremlin’s reluctance to discuss the issue of the Circassian “genocide”... MORE
Russian Energy Projects in the Black Sea Reach End of an Era
Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s, March 16-17 Russia visit capped a four-week period of spectacular changes to Russian energy transit projects, in the Black Sea and beyond. During these critical weeks, Russia abandoned the Trans-Balkan (Burgas-Alexandropoulos) oil pipeline project, which it had planned for... MORE
Erdogan’s Moscow Visit Produces Mixed Results
On March 15, Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by a large delegation of businessmen and cabinet members, travelled to Moscow. Though on balance it produced mixed results, the visit constitutes yet another major step in the flourishing Turkish-Russian ties, characterized as a multi-dimensional... MORE
Insurgency-Related Violence Reported in Dagestan and Ingushetia
The body of an officer of the Dagestani branch of the Federal Penitentiary Service was found in the republic’s capital on March 17. The officer, whose was a captain, was killed with two shots to the head, and two shell casings were found along with... MORE
Russian Hard Bargaining Delays Contract On French Mistral Warships
Contract negotiations on the French Mistral-class warship sale to Russia are moving into the endgame. The scenario envisages building two ships in France for sale to Russia, and selling licenses for two more ships to be built in Russian shipyards, “modernizing” these in the process.... MORE
Russia’s Economic Relations With Japan Faces Continued Uncertainty
Russian officials pledged to assist neighboring Japan, hit by an unprecedented series of disasters, but in recent months, Moscow has struggled to forge stronger economic ties with Japan. On March 14, President Dmitry Medvedev held telephone talks with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and offered... MORE