After an overlong hiatus, it’s time to get back to publishing my weekly roundup of the best posts of the week from around the Russia blogs. No need for long introductions – click through to discover the best of the past seven days.
South Ossetia’s Dzhioyeva hospitalised in mysterious circumstances
Alla Dzhioyeva, who claimed victory in the disputed South Ossetian Presidential elections, has been hospitalised after suffering a small stroke. The circumstances surrounding her hospitalization are confused and, many of her supporters believe, suspicious. Their suspicions have been aroused by the timing of her hospitalization – less than 24 hours before her planned (and unauthorised) […]
Russians drill into Antarctic Lake Vostok
After 20 years of hard work, Russian scientists this week announced that they had drilled through 2.2 miles of Antarctic ice and finally reached the subglacial Lake Vostok. A breathlessly excited Alexander Yelagin, head of the Russian Vostok mission, told reporters that “An event that has been keeping the world scientific community on tenterhooks for […]
Duelling Rallies in Moscow
Saturday saw Muscovites take to the streets in a duelling pair of rallies expressing both support and opposition for Vladimir Putin and his campaign to return to the Russian Presidency. The rallies attracted between 75,000 and 200,000 people in total, but no-one really knows for sure how many attended. With all the different claims and […]
Six new Russian submarines and a new aircraft carrier – every year
Russian Deputy PM Dmitry Rogozin announced yesterday a massively ambitious programme to build submarines and aircraft carriers. At a press conference Rogozin – Russia’s straight-talking former ambassador to NATO – told reporters that by next year “production capacity will allow us to build six submarines and an aircraft carrier every year”. He went on to […]
Disputed South Ossetian presidential election – candidate announces own inauguration
The disputed South Ossetian Presidential election took another twist today as Alla Dzhioyeva, the opposition candidate who claimed victory in November’s annulled poll, announced that her inauguration as South Ossitian President would be held on 10 February. “I will assume office on February 10,” Dzhioyeva told reporters, adding that “I can’t tell you about the […]
Nerpa Nuclear Submarine delivered to India
Russia has formally handed over the Nerpa, an Akula class nuclear submarine, to India. The Nerpa, along with a second Akula submarine to be handed over shortly, will be leased to India for ten years in a deal thought to be worth $2 billion. Under the terms of the deal, once the ten year deal […]
Yavlinsky and Mezentsev barred from Russian Election
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has confirmed liberal Yabloko leader Grigory Yavlinsky and independent candidate Dmitry Mezentsev will not be allowed to enter the 2012 Russian Presidential Election. Although both candidates claimed that they had obtained the 2 million signatures needed for a candidate from a party not represented in the Duma to secure a […]
Mystery of Russian Spy in Canada
After Canadian Navy officer Jeffrey Delisle (pictured, left) was arrested, accused of spying for Russia, the Canadian Government moved quickly to expel four Russian diplomats. Or did they? The Russian Government has hotly denied that its diplomats were linked to Delisle, and claimed that they left Canada as part of a long-planned rotation of embassy […]
Prokhorov and Yavlinsky collect 2 million signatures needed to run for Russian President
Opposition politicians Mikhail Prokhorov and Grigory Yavlinsky have each announced that they have collected the two million signatures needed for them to enter the 2012 Russian Presidential election race. Prokhorov, who with $18 billion to his name is Russia’s third richest man, plans to run as an independent candidate with no party backing and Yavlinsky […]