Victor Yasmann

Also by Victor Yasmann

• April 25, 2006

  Moscow, Washington Clash Over WTO Membership

  Political differences between the United States and Russia are beginning to affect even issues on which the two countries were previously in agreement, including Moscow's WTO-membership bid.

• April 21, 2006

  The Future Of Russia's 'Ethnic Republics'

  The April 16 referendum on merging southeastern Siberia's Irkutsk Oblast with Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug was the fourth referendum in three years on merging a so-called ethnic administrative region with a predominantly Slavic administrative body.

• April 10, 2006

  Russia: The Orthodox Church And The Kremlin's New Mission

  Patriarch Aleksy II (epa) At a recent convention, Russian Orthodox Church and political leaders spoke of their vision of Russia redefining its place in the world. But is it a vision everyone agrees with?

• April 04, 2006

  Russia: Putin Pushes Greater Arms Exports

  (RFE/RL) Russian President Vladimir Putin was proud to announce last week that, in 2005, Russia's arms exports, worth $6 billion, exceeded their targets by 25 percent. In the past year Rosoroboroneksport, the state arms exporter, has sealed weapons contracts worth $18 billion, according to Putin a 61 percent jump.

• March 31, 2006

  Telling Russia's Story

  A surprising number of contentious issues have clouded Russia's relations with the West in recent months. In response, the pro-Kremlin Unified Russia party has urged a public-diplomacy campaign aimed at "protecting the political and economic elite of our country" from mounting Western censure.

• March 24, 2006

  Analysis: Moscow Silent In Run-Up To Ukraine's Elections

  Russia is sitting behind the fence during Ukraine's parliamentary polls (Ukrinform) Moscow has exhibited a far different attitude during the Ukraine's parliamentary-election campaign, which wraps up on the evening of March 24, than it did during the contentious 2004 presidential election.

• March 13, 2006

  Factbox: Russia And The Iran Nuclear Crisis

  Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani (right) and Iranian Vice President for Atomic Energy Gholamreza Aqazadeh, in Moscow on March 1 (epa) Tehran announced on March 12 that a Russian proposal to move Iran's enrichment program to Russia is "off" the agenda and that it will not consider any proposal that does not guarantee "Iran's right to nuclear research."

• March 10, 2006

  Russia: Energy, Weapons Bring Moscow Closer To Algiers

  Putin (left) being greeted by Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on March 10 (epa) On March 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Algeria on the invitation of his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who visited Moscow in 2001. Putin's visit to Algeria -- the first by a post-Soviet Russian leader -- is first and foremost a manifestation of the Kremlin's recent "energy diplomacy." Algeria is an important OPEC member and the world's fourth-leading exporter of natural gas.

• March 07, 2006

  Russia: Moscow Intensifies Its Energy Diplomacy

  The headquarters of Russia's Gazprom in Moscow (AFP) After Putin announced in December 2005 that Russia intends to become an energy superpower, Moscow's diplomatic offensive has been primarily concerned with cementing its role as a reliable provider of oil and gas.

• February 28, 2006

  Russia: Health Ministry Considers Solutions To Population Decline

  (RFE/RL) A dramatically declining population is one of the most acute problems facing Russia today. The country's official population, now around 143 million, is shrinking by 700,000 every year. By 2050, some experts predict that the country's population could be as low as 120 million.

• February 24, 2006

  Russia: Fight Against Corruption Starts With Interior Ministry

  Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliev (left) with President Putin (file photo) (epa) Despite the Russian State Duma's recent ratification of an international corruption convention, it will take a long time before Russia can seriously tackle graft -- especially when the country's Interior Ministry has been accused of corrupt practices.

• February 17, 2006

  Russia: Putin Orders New Counterterrorism Committee

  The scene of a terrorist explosion in Ingushetia in August 2005 (AFP) Russian President Vladimir Putin on 16 February created by decree a National Counterterrorism Committee (NAK), a new government body tasked with coordinating all federal-level antiterrorism policies and operations. The committee will be headed by Federal Security Service Director Nikolai Patrushev (FSB) and includes members such as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Sergei Lebedev, the director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

• February 15, 2006

  Russia: Is Putin's Hamas Overture A Calculated Risk?

  President Putin says Hamas won its election in a "democratic way" (file photo) (CTK) Russian President Vladimir Putin's unexpected decision to invite the leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas for talks in Moscow has had a mixed reaction in Israel, the Arab world, and beyond.

• February 15, 2006

  Russia: Sergei Kiriyenko -- Russia's 'Kinder Surprise'

  Sergei Kiriyenko, shown in December 2005 (ITAR-TASS) In August 1998, Russia spiraled into financial meltdown. The subsequent ruble devaluation was a severe blow to the country's financial system and millions of people lost their savings. At the helm was Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko, who, along with his government, was subsequently forced to resign by then President Boris Yeltsin. Since that career low, Kiriyenko's fortunes have changed. Currently in charge of Rosatom, Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency, he is thought by many to be a politician on the rise.

• February 15, 2006

  Russia's New Nuclear Strategy

  Nuclear power occupies a special place in Russian President Vladimir Putin's national energy strategy, which was unveiled in December 2005. At that meeting, Putin told the country's Security Council that Russia has "competitive, natural, and technological advantages" and must become an "energy superpower" to regain political leadership in the world. Putin stressed that, while today Russia exports mainly hydrocarbons, it should develop nuclear, hydrogen, and other alternative sources of energy.

• February 08, 2006

  Russia: Putin Calls On FSB To Modernize Border Guards

  A checkpoint on the Russian-Ukrainian border (file photo) (ITAR-TASS) Speaking at a meeting with senior officers of the Federal Security Service (FSB) on 7 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin said it is impossible to maintain Russia's national security without the "reliable guarding of its borders."

• February 02, 2006

  Yeltsin And Gorbachev | Did Gorbachev know about the coup?

  On the occasion of his 75th birthday on 1 February, former Russian President Boris Yeltsin gave a rare interview to the national network Channel One. Robust and fresh, Yeltsin said he is now physically and intellectually active, and enjoying his current family life.

• February 02, 2006

  Creation Of Military Police Could Help Curb Hazing

  The public outcry caused by the case of army Private Andrei Sychyov, whose legs and genitals were amputated as a result of a severe hazing incident, has revived talk of setting up a military police.

• January 23, 2006

  Is Georgian Crisis Evidence Of Moscow's New Energy Strategy?

  Georgia is not alone in arguing Russia is using its wealth of natural resources to impose its will on those who rely on it for energy. Russia's recent gas disputes with Ukraine and Moldova, which have only temporarily been resolved, serve to provide credence to this view.

• January 19, 2006

  What's Behind Moscow's 'Iranian Game'?

  Russia appears to have edged closer to the U.S. and EU position over Iran's nuclear program, demanding that Tehran discontinue its pursuit of uranium-enrichment activities that the West fears could be used to make atomic weapons.

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