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National Journal
December 8, 2001
www.nationaljournal.com
Guide to the Web
WEB SITES: Russian Web Sites
By James Kitfield
Best of the Top Sites
Sites Worth a Look:
* www.europeaninternet.com/russia
Recommended by Andrew Kuchins
Director, Russian and Eurasian Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
"I find the official Russian government Web site strana.ru to be the most interesting, because it gives you insight into what the Putin government is thinking and how they want to spin things. When I see how [the site] plays issues like human rights, civil society, and freedom of the press, it can also curdle my blood at times."
Russia Sites
Internet travelers need go no further than this attractive Web site of the Russian government to realize just how fully Moscow officialdom has taken to heart the importance of the Web. The site is chockablock with interesting photos and graphics, as well as meaty articles and announcements presented in very accessible fashion. Just don't forget that the message is a slick packaging of official Russian government spin.
Not as glitzy or visually appealing as strana.ru, this Web site of the Information Telegraph Agency of Russia-ITAR-Tass, the successor of the Soviet Tass news agency-is nevertheless a rich source of news and information. ITAR-Tass is a massive operation with 74 bureaus and offices inside Russia and the newly independent states, and 65 foreign bureaus.
Other Sites
Run by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in Washington, the site for the Program on New Approaches to Russian Security-PONARS-is short on glitz and long on analysis and research. PONARS (which can be found under the site's Russia/Eurasia program) is composed of 55 scholars worldwide who analyze Russian and Eurasian security issues. The site features an archive of PONARS publications, working papers, and policy memos, as well as contact information for associated analysts.
Ever since the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace established the Carnegie Moscow Center in 1993, this independent think tank has served as an important bridge between U.S. and Russian scholars studying Russia's post-Communist evolution. Full texts of the center's publications are offered over the Web. This site is short on graphics and current news, and long on in-depth research.
David Johnson of the Center for Defense Information, in Washington, has become something of a legend among Russophiles for Johnson's Russia List, a daily compendium of all manner of news items and informed commentary on Russia. The list is e-mailed free (though donations are gratefully accepted) to interested subscribers in the media, academia, and the policy-making community. This Web site also offers the more formal CDI Russia Weekly, a weekly collection, also edited by Johnson, of articles from many sources.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's site offers useful sections on Russia and the newly independent states on its periphery. The Web site reflects the philosophy of the broadcasts: It offers useful summaries of current news, delivered in a straightforward style without a lot of editorializing or commentary. As Joe Friday memorably said: Just the facts, ma'am.
This is the hometown newspaper for English-speaking expatriates and business types living or working in Moscow. Attractive and voluminous, it features lots of photographs and eye-catching graphics. There is a helpful "Guide to Russia" for the recently arrived, and "The Beat" offers helpful tips for exploring Moscow after dark. Don't leave your hotel without it.
* www.europeaninternet.com/russia
Click on the "Russia Today" part of this for-a-fee European Web site, and you'll find one of the most meticulously archived of all of the English-language sites on Russia. The news section focuses on issues concerning Russia and the European Union, and the site is tailored to the European businessperson. Slick and savvy, with a European flair.
Geared toward the international, English-speaking businessman or -woman, The Russia Journal offers a smooth site with lots of graphics, photos, and interactive sections laid out in an eye-pleasing format. There are sections for international and domestic news, stock market graphs, and currency valuation charts.
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