Latest Articles about Russia

Russia and the World Gold Market

One might ask how far Kremlin-backed Russian companies will go in their quest to take control of valuable gold mining assets not only in Eastern and Central Europe, but in South America and Central Asia as well. One example of their efforts is the recent... MORE

Russia Wants New Airbase in Tajikistan

Russia’s defense priorities within Central Asia are changing in the aftermath of its war in the South Caucasus. There, the Russian armed forces rediscovered the importance of airpower, which it used efficiently to achieve rapidly its operational goals to the surprise of some Western analysts.... MORE

Lithuania Refuses To Acquiesce in EU Negotiations with Russia

The European Union announced the start of negotiations on a new, expanded partnership agreement with Russia at a summit in Nice on November 14. Following Russia’s invasion of Georgia and within days of threatening to target missiles at EU member countries allied to the United... MORE

Medvedev Sorted Out the EU but Got Lost at the G-20

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had been looking forward to last weekend, expecting nothing but joy from the back-to-back summits with the EU in Nice and the G-20 in Washington. The predictable decision of the European Commission to reopen negotiations with Russia on a new Partnership... MORE

A Return of Putin to the Kremlin to Save the Nation?

President Dmitry Medvedev's address to the Federal Assembly had two principal political surprises, one internal and one external. Medvedev announced that the present Russian constitution, adapted by referendum in December 1993, would be amended to increase the term of office of president from four to... MORE

Another Disaster in the Russian Navy

On November 8 Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev ordered Defense Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov to instigate a full and thorough investigation into a fire on board a nuclear-powered submarine, the latest accident to afflict the Russian navy. Russian officials refused to identify the submarine, but a source... MORE