Russia spent this weekend celebrating Orthodox Easter, and will be spending the rest of this week on the buildup to the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of VE Day.  Despite that, 1.2 million people found the time to take part in rallies across Russia, a defense minister interrupted his schedule to announce that Russia has… Read the rest

In the last seven days: President Putin gave a rambling and largely pointless speech to the nation, ex-Yukos boss Mikhail Khodorkovsky was told he must wait until after George Bush has visited before his guilt is confirmed, Putin tried to make friends on his tour of the Middle East and a man stole a rubber… Read the rest

Hogging the news this week are Condoleezza Rice’s visit to Moscow and Donald Rumsfeld’s visit to the Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.  Someone whacked Garry Kasparov over the head with a chessboard, too.

Domestic

• A new law that will effectively bar small parties and independent candidates from the next Duma has been approved by

… Read the rest

As another week draws to a close – on a Wednesday, of all days – it is time to investigate what’s been happening since the last week ended – also, co-incidentally, on a Wedesday. 

Domestic

• Mikhail Khodorkovsky made his closing statement in court on Monday.  Khodorkovsky, who is charged with fraud and tax

… Read the rest

No revolutions this week, but plenty of news nonetheless.  Russia may finally be ready to take AIDS seriously, Moldova has finally elected its President, while Kyrgyzstan’s President has finally resigned.  An American congressman is in trouble over his 1996 trip to Moscow, and Russia and the EU are building closer relations.  Plus, of course, much… Read the rest

Protests, protests, protests, is the story of the week in Russia and its near abroad, with Kyrgyzstan’s Tulip revolution overshadowing the demonstrations in Belarus, Ingushetia and Bashkortostan.  Details of these, plus the latest about Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s trial, which is now drawing to a close.

CIS

• Kyrgyzstan became the latest CIS member to experience revolution

… Read the rest

This week in Russia brought an assassination attempt, plus claims that Russia is on the brink of revolution. In the CIS, Putin met with Ukrainian President Yushchenko, while protests rocked Kyrgyzstan.  Further afield, Putin announced plans to visit Israel, and Russia got into a spat with China over wargames that China wants to use to… Read the rest

Top headlines this week include: Russia harboring Bosnian war criminals, opposition lose heavily in Kyrgyz elections and details of a new Chamber, appointed by Putin of course, to oversee the Duma. 

(This week’s roundup, by the way, is numbered 13a as I accidentally posted number 13 a couple of hours early, before I had… Read the rest

A ‘President’ is killed in Chechnya, Communists win elections in Moldova, anti-government protests are held in both Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan, and two Baltic Presidents thumb their noses at Russia.  Plus all the latest about pornographic opera at the Bolshoi.

Domestic

• Aslan Maskhadov, Chechnya’s rebel President, was killed by Russian forces on Tuesday after a

… Read the rest

Wouldn’t you know it?  I spend hours slaving over a hot computer to bring you the very latest news from Russia and its near abroad, and what happens?  Instead of publishing it to the site, I save it in draft form instead.  Fool!

So here, for your reading pleasure, is yesterday’s news in all its… Read the rest

Today is a day of anniversaries.  Firstly it’s Defender of the Fatherland Day, a public holiday more commonly known as Army Day or Men’s Day, when Russia traditionally celebrates the glory of its military, and Russian women are extra-kind to their men.  It’s also the 61st anniversary of the deportation of the entire… Read the rest

All quiet on the work front today, so sit back and enjoy a bumper roundup of this week’s Russia news.

Foreign Policy

• The Kyoto Protocol comes into effect today amid concerns in Russia that its inefficient energy sector may soon mean that it has to buy extra carbon emission quotas, rather than sell

… Read the rest

This edition of the weekly news is dedicated to Rebecca, my lovely but long-suffering girlfriend, who celebrated her birthday yesterday.

Domestic

• The Yukos affair rumbles on.  Foreign banks have demanded the immediate repayment of $540 million in loans from Rosneft, while Menatep, Yukos’ main shareholders have launched a legal action against the

… Read the rest

This week’s news highlights (or lowlights, depending on your point of view) include Putin’s popularity falling to an all time low, lots of good news for the economy, the US and Germany both crawling with Russian spies, and a joint nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize…

Domestic

• President Putin’s popularity rating has fallen to

… Read the rest

Foreign Affairs

• Syria’s President Assad had a productive visit to Moscow this week.  Not only did he manage to persuade Russia to tell the US that accusing Syria of harbouring terrorists was counterproductive and not based in fact, but he managed to negotiate a deal writing off 73% of Syria’s debt to

… Read the rest

Apologies for the slight delay in issuing this week’s news roundup.  This is because I was seduced yesterday evening by the romance of the FA Cup 3rd Round Replay between Exeter City and Manchester United.   Proof once again, were it ever needed, that watching 11 men from the Westcountry kicking lumps out of millionaires… Read the rest

Weekly news returns after a slightly extended holiday hiatus.  Happy New Year, one and all!

The focus this week is on elections and the spread of democracy throughout the CIS.  There are even (very small) signs of increased opposition to Putin in Russia itself.

CIS

• The Ukrainan election saga seems to be drawing

… Read the rest

Have a very merry Christmas!  But, before you do, check out the news from Russia…

Yukos

• Sunday’s auction of Yukos subsidiary Yuganskneftegaz resulted in what is probably one of the biggest shocks to come out of Russia this year.  Baikal Finance Group, a previously unknown company,

… Read the rest

Wednesday is upon us once again – time to check out what’s been happening in and around Russia over the past seven days.

• The major headline from today is the ongoing hostage situation in Athens.  Two armed gunmen have hijacked a city bus, and demanded to be flown to Russia.  Conflicting reports say

… Read the rest

Response to last week’s trial run seemed positive, so a news roundup will become a regular feature on SiberianLight.  Right now I plan to run it weekly, but this could change depending on time commitments.  Anyway, on with the news:

Foreign Affairs

• Putin has been on a gruelling world tour where he’s been

… Read the rest