Category - Blog

Following the passing of  an anti-secession law by China directed at Taiwan, Russia has come out firmly on the side of China. "The law outlines the key priority of the Chinese government – peaceful...

Abu Havs, or Abu Hafs, according to the Sunday Times is, with Shamil Basayev, in effective joint control of the Chechen rebel movement.  Newly appointed leader Abdul-Khalim Sadulayev is merely a figurehead. Abu...

This Sam Vaknin article analyzes the economic costs to Russia of the war in Chechnya, which cannot be measured just in terms of money.  However, even leaving aside the tens of thousands who have died over the last...

Garry Kasparov, probably the greatest chess player in the history of the game, has announced his retirement from professional competition.  He now plans to focus his considerable energies on Russian politics...

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. ...

Abdul-Khalim Sadulayev has been named as the successor to Aslan Maskhadov.  Shamil Basayev has openly declared his support, as have both London-based Akhmed Zakayev, and Maskhadov’s son, also in exile. ...

The death of Aslan Maskhadov, Chechnya’s rebel President, has handed Russia’s President Putin has a great opportunity to make moves towards a peace deal in Chechnya.  Unfortunately for him, though, the...

The blogs have been pretty quick to react to the killing of Chechnya’s rebel President, Aslan Maskhadov, by Russian troops earlier today (see here for my report of the news as it broke).  Here’s a...

News is just breaking that Chechen rebel President Asland Maskhadov is dead.  Colonel Ilya Shabalkin told the press that he was killed as a result of an operation by Russian special forces. Thanks to Pete Leonard...

Following their defeat in Sunday’s Moldovan parliamentary election, opposition parties have called off their plans to bring people out onto the streets of Chisnau to protest the result.  Instead, they plan to...