Category: Foreign Policy, Security, Visas

TRANSCRIPT: Address by Vladimir Putin on the occasion of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in St Petersburg

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Russia-Hosted G20 Banners Outdoors Before Yellow and White Facade of Historic-Looking Building

(Kremlin.ru – August 28, 2013) [The official website of the Russian G20 presidency http://en.g20russia.ru/] PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA VLADIMIR PUTIN: This year marks the G20’s 5th anniversary. At the peak of the crisis the G20 members agreed on coordinated measures to support the global economy. We made the commitment to curb trade protectionism, developed new principles of financial regulation, and defined […]

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U.S. Fugitive Snowden Can Work, Travel in Russia – Official

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Spies, Spy Allegations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Edward Snowden file photo

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, August 2013) ­ Former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden is legally free to travel around Russia and occupy any non-state job in the country, a senior migration official said on Friday. Last week Russia granted Snowden – who is wanted by the United States on espionage and theft charges after leaking classified information about the US […]

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Thirty Border Conflicts Simmering Among Russia’s Federal Subjects

Chechnya, Dagestan, North Caucasus, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Map of Russia

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, August 8, 2013) At the present time, there are approximately 30 territorial disputes among Russia’s federal subjects, a situation that makes changing borders anywhere a such an extremely dangerous proposition  that one Moscow commentator calls these conflicts “a slow acting bomb under Russian sovereignty” as a whole. Indeed, Ruslan Gorevoy argues in […]

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Moscow Dismisses Western Criticism of Gay Propaganda Law

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Russia & the West
Russian Foreign Ministry Building Tower file photo

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, August 7, 2013) ­ A senior Russian Foreign Ministry official on Wednesday deflected Western criticism of the so-called anti-gay law, saying the recently adopted legislation did not violate the rights of sexual minorities in the country but was aimed at protecting minors. “As to the criticism of our law banning homosexual propaganda we have to reiterate […]

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‘Migrant Camp’ Inspires New Facilities

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Race, Ethnic, Extremism, Xenophobia
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Yekaterina Kravtsova – August 6, 2013) The Federal Migration Service has drafted a bill to set up 83 new detention centers for illegal immigrants across the country as Moscow’s three holding facilities run out of space following a week of raids on city markets. Some 1,400 alleged illegal immigrants from Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Syria, Morocco, Kyrgyzstan, […]

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RIA Novosti: Snowden’s Russia Asylum Gets Mixed Response From Rights Advocates

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Spies, Spy Allegations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Edward Snowden file photo

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, Aug. 1, 2013) ­ The news that US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has been granted temporary asylum in Russia received mixed response from human rights advocates Thursday. The head of Amnesty International’s Moscow office said the human rights organization welcomed Russia’s decision to grant temporary asylum to Snowden, who had been holed up in a Moscow […]

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Explainer: How Do You Get Asylum In Russia?

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Spies, Spy Allegations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Edward Snowden file photo

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Tom Balmforth – July 26, 2013) Fugitive U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden has applied for temporary asylum in Russia and is expected to soon be given a document that would allow him to leave the transit zone of Sheremetyevo Airport — where he has spent the past month. RFE/RL takes a look at the procedure for […]

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Russia hopes to sign visa relaxation accord with EU before year-end

Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Truck at Russian Border Crossing

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 29, 2013) Moscow hopes to sign a visa relaxation agreement with the European Union before the end of 2013, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador at Large Anvar Azimov said. “We expect the signing of the updated agreement before the end of this year. This will require political will to be demonstrated by EU member states. Russia has […]

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Russia’s Soft-Power Agency Is Allocated More Funds.

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Russian Foreign Ministry Building Tower file photo

(RIA Novosti- MOSCOW, July 24, 2013) Russia has allocated significant spending power to Rossotrudnichestvo, Moscow’s vehicle for promoting its influence abroad, as part of an apparent drive to improve the country’s image, according to a decree published on the government’s website Wednesday. Federal money has been redirected from the Foreign Ministry, formerly responsible for the financial support of Russians living […]

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Foreign Language Skills Valued by Russians, Poll Says

Education, Academia, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
World Map Showing Continents, Greens, Browns, Ice

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – July 24, 2013) Nearly 60 percent of the Russians speak at least one foreign language, while almost half would like to learn one, a poll conducted by the Public Opinion Foundation found. Fifty-seven percent of the poll’s participants said they know a foreign language with English the most common at 38 percent of respondents. German […]

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Facilitating Learning Russian

Children, Adoptions, Orphans, Education, Academia, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Russian Folk Singers file photo

Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 Subject: Facilitating Learning Russian From: Ron Pope <ron42.pope@gmail.com> The current (July 29) issue of Time magazine has an article entitled “The Power of the Bilingual Brain” that presents a powerful case for encouraging every child with a connection to Russia — the children of emigres and adopted Russians – -to learn what could have been […]

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G20 finance ministers agree on priorities in Moscow

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
File Photo of Russia-Hosted G20 Banners Outdoors Before Yellow and White Facade of Historic-Looking Building

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Yuri Paniyev, special to RBTH – July 23, 2013) The G20 financial meeting in Moscow on July 19-20 focused on economic growth, unemployment rates and tax evasion by multinational companies. Russia, playing host for the event, was placed in the position of arbiter between emerging and developed countries. At a meeting in Moscow […]

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G20 Ministers Focus on Tax Evasion, Stimulus Measures

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
File Photo of Russia-Hosted G20 Banners Outdoors Before Yellow and White Facade of Historic-Looking Building

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Irina Filatova – July 22, 2013) The fight against tax evasion by multinational corporations and measures to ensure recovery amid the global economic turbulence came into the limelight at the two-day meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers that finished in Moscow on Saturday. Finance ministers and central bank governors of the world’s 20 biggest […]

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Influx of ‘Other Ethnicities’ Likeliest of Russia’s ‘Security Threats’ – Poll

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Race, Ethnic, Extremism, Xenophobia
Migrant Workers file photo

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, July 22, 2013) ­ More than one in three Russians think the influx of people of “other ethnicities” is a very likely threat to national security, more so than terrorism or environmental disasters, according to a poll published Monday. Such an influx was cited as a “very real” threat by 35 percent of those surveyed by […]

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Russia urges G20 to tell market about its debt policy guidance

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
File Photo of Russia-Hosted G20 Banners Outdoors Before Yellow and White Facade of Historic-Looking Building

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 17, 2013) Russia urges the G20 nations to inform the markets about their debt policy guidance. “We think it would be advisable to put medium-term debt policy guidelines for countries with a lot of debt on the agenda for the G20 meeting [of finance ministers, which takes place in Moscow at the end of the week],” […]

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B20 publishes White Book of recommendations for G20 leaders

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
File Photo of Russia-Hosted G20 Banners Outdoors Before Yellow and White Facade of Historic-Looking Building

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 16, 2013) The Business 20 (B20) on Tuesday unveiled its definitive White Book of recommendations for the Group of 20 (G20) leaders, of which Russia is president in 2013. “The recommendations were discussed during the St Petersburg (economic) forum and submitted to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin, and some of them will be presented during the summit […]

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Gorbachev proposes establishing global peace movement

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, United Nations
File Photo of Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan at Table Signing Documents

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 16, 2013) Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said he was concerned with the high number of armed conflicts around the world and that he proposed the creation of a global peace movement. “Something is not working in the world, the arms race is on again. Either protest movements or conflicts between tribes and entire nations are […]

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Experts differ on Russia’s likely response to US move to expand Magnitskiy list

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Human Rights, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Memorial Flowers and Photo of Sergei Magnitsky

(Interfax – July 12, 2013) Aleksey Pushkov, chairman of the State Duma International Affairs Committee, has warned against “whipping up” tension in relations between Russia and the USA, commenting on reports that Washington is planning to expand the Magnitskiy list after a court in Moscow found the late lawyer, Sergey Magnitskiy, and the head of the Hermitage Capital Management fund, […]

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US, Russian Officials Preview G20 Summit

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Oil, Gas, Energy, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Russia-Hosted G20 Banners Outdoors Before Yellow and White Facade of Historic-Looking Building

(RIA Novosti – WASHINGTON, July 12, 2013) ­ Russia is doing relatively well, but needs a strong global economy to sustain and improve its recent growth, which makes the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) Summit it is hosting in September critically important to the country, Sergey Kislyak, Russia’s ambassador to the United States, told a conference in Washington on Friday […]

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Challenges and cooperation for Sochi 2014 security; Russia’s reputation at stake in ensuring safe Winter Games

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Sports, Olympics, World Cup
File Photo of Sochi Olympics Banner Near Highway in Warm Weather with Vehicle and Cyclicsts Nearby

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Sergei Markedonov, special to RBTH – July 13, 2013 – Sergei Markedonov is a visiting Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C.) In February 2014, the famous Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi takes on the XXII Winter Olympic Games. For Russia, the forthcoming games will be not […]

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Interfax: Moscow urges Washington not to extend Magnitsky List

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Human Rights, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Memorial Flowers and Photo of Sergei Magnitsky

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 12, 2013) The Russian Foreign Ministry has urged Washington to stow plans for an extended Magnitsky List and warned it would react sternly, given the rights abuses the United States is committing globally. “We urged the U.S. administration to demonstrate wisdom and not to take steps that would spoil the atmosphere of bilateral relations,” Russian Foreign […]

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Fear, greed and sloth the making of Emerging Europe

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
World Map Showing Continents, Greens, Browns, Ice

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – Ben Aris in Moscow – July 12, 2013) Fear, greed and sloth are the driving forces of history. It is not a flattering view of human nature, but Professor Ian Morris of Stanford University makes a convincing argument that all of human history since the time of the troglodyte through to the 21st century […]

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Russians do not expect new world war – poll

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Battle of Stalingrad file photo

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 8, 2013) The majority of Russians (65%) do not foresee a new world war, although 35% describe interstate relations as tense or even hostile, the Russian Public Opinion Study Center (VTsIOM) said on Monday as it posted June poll outcomes. Muscovites and St. Petersburg residents (42%), residents of mid-sized cities (40%) and supporters of non-parliamentary parties […]

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Does Russia have external enemies?

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Nuclear, Missile Defense
Iskander Tactical Nuclear Weapon with Mobile Launcher File Photo

(Pravda.ru – Sergei Vasilenko – July 4, 2013) Nuclear weapons in Russia’s National Security Strategy are traditionally considered a priority. Since the end of the Cold War, the relations between Russia and the United States have undergone a complex transformation, but Russia still considers the strategic balance with the United States a status quo guarantee. During the recent negotiations on […]

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Moscow Blog: The Kremlin’s PR incompetence

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
File Photo of St. Petersburg Economy Forum Outdoor Banners and Building Facade

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – Ben Aris – June 26, 2013) Russia has just hosted its premier investment summit, the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 20-22, which is supposed to showcase the country and attract badly needed foreign investment. Instead, thanks to the Kremlin’s typically moronic handling of its PR, it only managed to make Russia […]

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Our Changing World Order – the More Options for Cooperation, the Merrier

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Syria
File Photo of G8 Heads of State Outdoors in 2013

(RIA Novosti – Simon Saradzhyan – June 25, 2013 – Simon Saradzhyan is a researcher at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center) The recent G-8 summit in Northern Ireland quickly became another reminder that Russia has not quite integrated into what was originally founded as a club comprising the West’s richest liberal democracies. Post-Soviet Russia may boast the world’s sixth largest […]

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Russian Pundits Arbatov And Karaganov Upbeat On G8 Summit Results

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
File Photo of G8 Heads of State Outdoors in 2013

(RIA Novosti – Moscow, June 19, 2013) The results of the G8 summit, which was held on Monday and Tuesday (17-18 June) in the Northern Irish resort of Lough Erne, despite the absence of global agreements, are generally positive, primarily thanks to the fact that it was possible to avert a serious rift between Russia and the seven remaining members […]

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Diplomats Discuss Future of OSCE at Conference

Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
File Photo of OSCE Banners

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – June 19, 2013) VIENNA ­ Diplomats at a conference organized by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe all agreed Tuesday that international organizations were vital in helping to overcome the Cold War spirit that still besets relations across the East-West divide, but they were unable to provide any clear answers […]

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Pushkov sees start of non-American world order in Russia and China’s common position on Syria

China, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Alexei Pushkov file photo

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 18, 2013) Chairman of the State Duma’s International Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov of the United Russia faction said Russia and China’s position on the Syrian settlement marks an important stage in global politics. “Russia and China’s common position on Syria is seen in the West as a disappointing misunderstanding. But in fact, it marks the beginning […]

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Russia to Hold G8 Summit in Sochi on June 4-5, 2014 – Putin

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
File Photo of G8 Heads of State Outdoors in 2013

(RIA Novosti – LOUGH ERNE, June 19, 2013) The next G8 summit will take place in the southern Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi in June 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Tuesday. “The Group of Eight summit I have invited my counterparts to will be held on June 4-5, 2014, in Sochi,” Putin told journalists after a G8 summit […]

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G8 leaders tackle taxes, Syria, North Korea and terrorism

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Middle East, North Africa, North Korea, Syria, Terrorism
File Photo of G8 Heads of State Outdoors in 2013

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Yuri Paniyev, special to RBTH – June 18, 2013) With the G8 summit in full swing in Northern Ireland, the world’s leaders try to tackle financial and international challenges including tax evasion, the Middle East stand-off, the Syrian crisis and the North Korea nuclear problem. G8 leaders began their two-day summit at the […]

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Russia might adopt Foreign Account Compliance Tax Act in 2014

Budget, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Man Placing Stack of Large Bills into Inside Pocket of Suitcoat

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Tatyana Lisina, special to RBTH – June 17, 2013) Despite initial reluctance, Moscow might help the U.S. hunt down tax evaders.   Russia appears to have finally yielded to American pressure to adopt a tax dodgers’ law known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). Arguments advanced by Russian economists may have […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin] Meeting with representatives of the Civil 20

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Vladimir Putin file photo

(kremlin.ru – Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region – June 14, 2013) Vladimir Putin met with representatives of the Civil 20, an international forum for dialogue between civil society organisations, politicians and experts from the G20 countries. Taking part in the meeting were delegates to the Civil 20 summit, taking place in Moscow on June 13-14, from Russia, Mexico, and Australia, the three […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin] Interview to RIA Novosti News Agency

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Sitting at Desk

(Kremlin.ru – June 14, 2013) Ahead of the G8 summit in Great Britain and the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Vladimir Putin answered questions from Russian News & Information Agency. QUESTION: You are going to the G8 summit not only as the head of one of the member states, but also as the leader of the country that currently […]

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Putin to have several bilateral meetings on sidelines of G8 summit – aide

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
G8 Foreign Ministers Group File Photo

(Interfax – MOSCOW. June 14, 2013) Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the upcoming G8 summit, presidential aide Yury Ushakov said. On Monday, June 17, before the official start of the summit, Putin is expected to meet with Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, he said. “They plan to discuss a schedule […]

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UN Global Warming Talks Blocked by Russia Set Back Six Months

Environment, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
File Photo of Polar Bear on Ice and Snow with Water Nearby

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Alessandro Vitelli & Stefan Nicola – June 14, 2013) The United Nations global warming talks have been set back by six months after Russia and its allies blocked progress at a group charged with implementing decisions of the 190 nations involved in the discussions. The Subsidiary Body for Implementation at the UN talks failed to complete […]

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Russia 155th in 2013 Global Peace Index

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
World Map Showing Continents, Greens, Browns, Ice

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, June 12, 2013) ­ Russia slid two places to 155th slot among 162 countries in the 2013 Global Peace Index, an annual report by a Sydney-based non-profit research group published Tuesday. Russia’s downgrade was due to simmering violence in the North Caucasus and the country’s growing role as a global arms supplier, the Institute for Economics […]

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Putin Boosts Russian Role in Global War on Drugs

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Russian Drug Den File Photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – June 6, 2013) In an effort to enhance its image as a global player in combatting drug flows, Moscow welcomed 120 top anti-drug officials from around the world on Wednesday to discuss possibilities for cooperation in curbing an issue responsible for an estimated 200,000 deaths annually. Addressing participants at the International Drug […]

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Golos received money from Switzerland, Norway – Justice Ministry

Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Interfax – MOSCOW. June 5, 2013) Rosfinmonitoring is monitoring the receipt by Russian NGOs of funding from abroad and reports to the Justice Ministry on a monthly basis, Justice Ministry official Tatyana Vagina said. Rosfinmonitoring provides information to the Justice Ministry for internal use, Vagina said. “If an NGO does not provide information on funding received from abroad despite information […]

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Interfax: Top Russian judge says U.S. drone operators ‘legitimate’ targets in war on terror

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, International Law, Military, Space
Russian Constitutional Court file photo

(Interfax – St. Petersburg, May 30, 2013) UAV operators are a legitimate enemy target in wartime, Russian Constitutional Court Chairman Valeriy Zorkin believes. “A drone operator should have no illusions about his own security and impunity while controlling a UAV from a suburb of the US capital via satellite. He is a legitimate enemy target according to the legal views […]

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Experts in Russia Say Moscow Should Heed Lessons from Wars in Syria, Libya and Yugoslavia

Chechnya, Dagestan, North Caucasus, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Middle East, North Africa, Race, Ethnic, Extremism, Xenophobia
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Eurasia Daily Monitor: Volume 10, Issue 101 – Valery Dzutsev – Jamestown Foundation – jamestown.org – May 29, 2013) On April 26, the authoritative Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta hosted a roundtable of experts on the situation in Syria. Although almost all the experts, as usual, accused the United States and the West of fueling civil unrest in Syria now and […]

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Russia Aims to Boost Security Alliance in Central Asia

Afghanistan, Central Asia, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military
Map of Central Asia, Including Commonwealth of Independent States Members

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – May 29, 2013) Ahead of NATO’s planned withdrawal from Afghanistan next year, leaders of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization have pledged to pool their resources to counter any potential deterioration of the security situation in the region. In an effort to demonstrate the importance of the military alliance, President Vladimir Putin […]

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Russia’s transborder traffic 80 times higher than in Soviet Union times

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Truck at Russian Border Crossing

(Interfax – May 27, 2013) About 167 million people and nearly 27 million vehicles crossed the Russian state border last year, which was 22 percent more than in 2011. “The trend persists in 2013. Back in the Soviet period, the number of persons allowed to cross the state border was roughly 2-2.5 million per year. The number grew to 167 […]

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How can Russia best use its G20 presidency?

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
File Photo of Russia-Hosted G20 Banners Outdoors Before Yellow and White Facade of Historic-Looking Building

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Yulia Ponomareva, RBTH – May 27, 2013) Moscow is being urged to press ahead with a forward-looking agenda during the remaining months of its G20 presidency. In the run-up to the next summit of the G20 that its current president, Russia, will host in St. Petersburg in September, the Center on Global Interests, […]

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Russians to Get Access to FBI Data

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Spies, Spy Allegations, Sports, Olympics, World Cup, Terrorism, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
FBI Headquarters Building file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – May 27, 2013) After the Boston bombings last month and ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi next February, U.S. authorities are expanding their work with the Interior Ministry by granting the Russians access to some FBI information. The development, which came during a visit by Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev to the […]

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Will spy scandal hamper U.S.-Russia collaboration on Sochi Olympics security?

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Spies, Spy Allegations, Sports, Olympics, World Cup, Terrorism, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Partial FSB Headquarters Building Facade

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Mark Galeotti, special to RBTH – May 27, 2013) New York University’s Professor of Global Affairs Mark Galeotti reflects on the long-term consequences of the recent spy scandal and whether it will affect U.S.-Russia cooperation on security during the 2014 Olympics. The Moscow spy case, with its cheap wigs, compasses and cash, initially […]

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Pundit says Islamism greatest threat to Russia’s national security

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, Regions, Cities, Municipalities, Religion
Russian Mosque File Photo

(Interfax – Moscow, May 22, 2013) Radical Islam has taken roots in 55 Russian regions, former Interior Minister and president of the Club of Russian Military Commanders Army Gen Anatoliy Kulikov said at a scientific conference “Islamism and Russia’s national security” today. “Radical political Islam, or Islamism, which has declared jihad on our country, is the most real threat to […]

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Attitudes to Russia Worsening, Poll Says

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – May 23, 2013) People’s attitudes to Russia’s global role continue to deteriorate, particularly in the U.S., according to a poll conducted in 25 countries by the BBC. Respondents in only eight of the countries polled had predominantly positive perceptions of Russia, while in 15 countries people expressed negative views, Gazeta.ru said. Overall, only 30 percent […]

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Kremlin Grapples With Series of PR Disasters

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – May 22, 2013)  Rainbow flags were flown at half mast to mark President Vladimir Putin’s visit last month to Amsterdam, widely known as a city of open minds that take pride in enjoying free love. Thousands of brightly dressed Dutch activists gathered outside the Amstelhof, the site of Putin’s dinner with Queen […]

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Countries to Jointly Fight Tax Evasion

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Man Placing Stack of Large Bills into Inside Pocket of Suitcoat

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Guennadi Moukine – May 20, 2013) Greater cooperation between tax authorities from 45 countries, including more extensive information sharing to help catch evaders, was the result of an international conference in Moscow that was hosted by the Federal Taxation Service and ended on Friday. “The message to tax evaders and those who facilitate tax evasion […]

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