Staunton, March 24 – Even though the Russian government currently repairs less than one percent of its horrific roads in many regions, Moscow has announced plans to build a superhighway and rail line extending across the Russian north to the Bering Straits and a tunnel to Alaska, a project in which enormous sums will be […]
Updated Daily. This week’s issue: – TV Rain’s Chief Producer Assaulted in Moscow – In Moscow City Legislature Race, United Russia Leads with Close Vote Between Independent and Nationalist – Low Turnout in Moscow Municipal Elections, Difficulties for Opposition Candidates – Gay Tango Instructor Found Murdered in St. Petersburg – Leading Russian Human Rights Group […]
Updated Daily. This week’s issue: – Presidential Human Rights Council Members Appeal to Investigative Committee on Missing Soldiers – Russian Defense Ministry Meets with Soldiers’ Mothers, Human Rights Advocates – Russian Soldier ‘Fighting as Insurgent’ Killed in Ukraine: Kyiv Post – Persecuted Russian Parliamentarian Ponomarev Decides to Remain Abroad – Cell Phone Messages of Moscow […]
It’s no secret that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev often plays ‘second fiddle’ to President Vladimir Putin. Their relationship is a perfect illustration of how Putin maintains control. For the most part, though, if there is a power struggle between the two, it is kept out of the headlines. Last week, however, it roared back […]
The Russian Investigative Committee intends to press charges against Ilya Ponomarev, State Duma Deputy from Just Russia, in connection with an investigation of payments of hundreds of thousands of dollars made to him by the Skolkovo Fund, and plans to strip him of his parliamentary immunity. Vladimir Markin, the official representative of the Investigative Committee […]
Putin’s rule in Russia is based on his careful management of an institutionalized patronage system which has allowed him to navigate the “clan” factionalism of Russian business and political elites. Through unusually high commodity prices, and a 7 percent growth rate over the past decade, Putin was able to rely on large surpluses to placate […]
The resignation of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vladislav Surkov — the Kremlin’s “grey cardinal” — has prompted a raft of articles speculating as to the true cause for Surkov’s departure. This article suggests that his involvement in the corruption-plagued Skolkovo project, inaugurated by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, became Surkov’s pink slip . –Ed. On […]
Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), accused Ponomarev of libel and unlawful commercial activity. According to Ponomarev, he now figures only in the investigation of the activity of Aleksei Beltyukov, vice president of Skolkovo. According to the investigation’s story, Mr. Beltyukov unlawfully gave Ilya Ponomarev, deputy of the State Duma, […]
Viktor Vekselberg, head of the Skolkovo Fund, announced that he has filed charges against Ilya Ponomarev in court. The Investigative Committee suspects Ponomarev of unlawful receipt of money from the Fund. The deputy himself learned of the lawsuit from journalists. “Truth his absolutely on my side. Skolkovo knows this full well. And Vekselberg knows this full well. […]
The efforts to morally discredit the opposition, set against the backdrop of new criminal cases against the leaders and rank-and-file participants of the protest movement, is a good way to finally bury the political landscape of Russia under concrete, or in a bog (in the literal sense, not to be confused with Bolotnaya Square. The […]
