Russian President Dmitry Medvedev marked the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Georgia by visiting a Spetsnaz unit (Interfax, August 8), and assailing both Georgia and the United States in a live interview of unusual length and candor. Medvedev recounted that he had ordered the... MORE

On August 8, the well-known Russian pundits Igor Yurgens and Sergei Kulik published their assessment of the situation in the North Caucasus and the impact of external actors in the region. Yurgens and Kulik occupy top positions in the Institute of Contemporary Development, which is... MORE

On August 5, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev gave an interview to Moscow-based and Georgian media on the third anniversary of the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008 (www.kremlin.ru, August 5). Medvedev made several controversial remarks, which must be understood in terms of the three audiences he... MORE

On August 3, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin held a government meeting in Kislovodsk on Moscow’s youth policy in the North Caucasus. While a large part of the statements made by Russia’s most powerful politician were apparently connected to the country’s upcoming presidential elections, Putin... MORE

On August 2, the elite Russian Airborne Forces (Vozdushno Desantnye Voiska –VDV) celebrated its 81st anniversary. Senior officers in the VDV commented on their experience of what the defense ministry calls the “new look.” Lieutenant-General Vladimir Shamanov, the Commander of the VDV, confirmed that the... MORE

President Dmitry Medvedev’s interview on August 5 about the causes and consequences of the August 2008 war with Georgia contained little news and more than a few lies, but it still sheds some interesting light on the current political disarray in Russia. Shunning the official... MORE

Insurgents in the North Caucasus targeted police and local officials in Ingushetia, Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria this past week.Three policemen were shot to death in Nazran, Ingushetia yesterday (August 4). The incident took place around 10:30 p.m., local time, when a traffic police patrol car carrying... MORE

The Russian authorities have repeatedly pledged to modernize the country’s oil sector, including its refinery facilities. However, many Russian oil companies appear reluctant to increase investment in the modernization of the refinery sector. Instead, Russian oil producers have been building small refinery outlets, despite governmental... MORE

Russian mass media last week spread word of a statement by the command of the Chechen rebels that referred to Riyadus-Salikhin (Gardens of the Righteous) in connection with the killing of former Russian army colonel Yuri Budanov, who was shot to death in Moscow on... MORE

Massive corruption and misappropriation of government funds is a widespread ill in Russia that no one seems to know how to correct. Chief Military Prosecutor, Sergei Fridinsky, has frequently spoken about criminal outrages within the Russian military while the situation continues to worsen. Last January,... MORE