The role of the brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the Boston bombings is assessed differently on either side of the Atlantic. In the United States, few doubt they are terrorists and that the youngest son, Dzhokhar, who remains alive, deserves the severest form of... MORE

Moscow is in the midst of the traditional long May holiday season: The city streets are largely deserted and traffic is light. Still those of the political class who stayed in town were shocked and agitated by the sudden downfall of Vladislav Surkov—deputy prime minister... MORE

On April 30, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili assertively declared that Georgia should make firm steps in order to obtain a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Membership Action Plan (MAP) already next year (www.civil.ge, May 1). Historically, MAP has represented the last step for a... MORE

The first days of May were a political lull in Russia as the lazy semi-official May 1 manifestations coincided closely with the celebration of Orthodox Easter. But the start of this week shattered the picture of harmony between the pious authorities and hard-working masses. Very... MORE

In yet another sign of growing tensions between the Russian Federation and Tajikistan, Dushanbe has begun jamming a Russian radio station located on the grounds of the Russian military base in that Central Asian republic. Tajikistani officials say the Russians began broadcasting on an unassigned... MORE

Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili is echoing Russia’s old narrative about Georgia as a “haven for terrorists” (see EDM, April 3, 16, 17, May 3). Moscow, however, had largely given up that propaganda theme years ago. Discredited for lack of evidence, that accusation had ceased to... MORE

Georgia’s government under Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili claims that the former government (2003–2012) under President Mikheil Saakashvili (who is still in office) has colluded with Chechen or other “North Caucasian” insurgents operating against Russia (see EDM, May 3). Ivanishvili’s serial statements to that effect are... MORE

On May 2, three major Circassian organizations addressed an appeal to President Vladimir Putin and the Russian parliament. In it, they urged the Russian government to recognize the Circassian “genocide” and provide favorable conditions for the return of the descendants of the Circassian exiles in... MORE

The tragedy in Boston reminded the world about the simmering conflict in the North Caucasus, which has not been resolved because the West largely ignored the region. The outside world pretended Russia’s claims that the North Caucasus had turned almost into a paradise that could... MORE

In four consecutive statements to the international press and local media, as well as to a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) conference, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has pilloried the country’s previous government for allegedly colluding with North Caucasus terrorists (Civil Georgia, April 29; Rustavi-2... MORE