Tag: Federation Council

RUSSIALINK: “There can be no forcible vaccination for Covid-19 in Russia – Matviyenko” – Interfax

Coronavirus, Covid-19 Pandemic, Health, Epidemics, Substance Abuse
File Photo of Blue-Gloved Hand Holding Syringe and Injecting Arm, adapted from image at nih.gov

MOSCOW. Oct 6 (Interfax) – Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko has said she is sure there will be no federal lockdown or forcible vaccination for Covid-19 in Russia. “I am positive there will be no federal lockdown,” Matviyenko told reporters on Wednesday. The efforts taken by the government to contain the coronavirus pandemic will allow avoiding this measure, Matviyenko said. […]

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Russian Bill Barring Navalny Associates From Running In Elections Passed

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Alexei Navalny Marching on Street with Others in Background; adapted from image at commons.wikimedia.org with credit to Evgeny Feldman, subject to Creative Commons license; original image at commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FEV_1795_(cropped1).jpg, with license information at creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en and creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode

… The measure appears to be a thinly veiled attempt at neutralizing Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), which the authorities are seeking to have declared an “extremist” group ahead of parliamentary elections […]

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Proposed Law Would Help Russians Hold Siloviki Accountable

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Moscow Protest with Riot Police

(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, August 24, 2019) Many Russians believe that the anonymity policemen and Russian Guards feel in the uniforms they wear when moving against protesters gives the siloviki the feeling that no one will be able to identify the individual officers responsible and hold them accountable. Indeed, they suspect that is one of the […]

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RUSSIALINK: “G8 reinstatement based on ‘7 against 1’ principle could be trap – MP Kosachyov” – Interfax

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Russia & the West
File Photo of G7 Leaders and other Officials Around Round Table at the Hague, with Flags

MOSCOW. Aug 21 (Interfax) – Russia could return to the G8 format if the latter becomes a G10 and involves China and India, Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Kosachyov said. “In my opinion, Russia’s reunion with the G7 would make sense only if we manage to avoid the ‘seven against one’ trap. We should look at the bigger […]

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RUSSIALINK: “Russia Could Re-Criminalize Domestic Violence After European Court Ruling, Senator Says” – Moscow Times

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Europe, EU, Women
European Court of Human Rights Building file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – July 31, 2019) Russia could make domestic violence a crime two years after lawmakers decriminalized some forms of domestic abuse, a top senator has said after a ruling by Europe’s top human rights court put a spotlight on the issue. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) this month ruled for the first time that […]

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RUSSIALINK: “Some ‘aspects’ of Russian Constitution could be adjusted – Matviyenko” – Interfax

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and River

MOSCOW. July 25 (Interfax) – The basic provisions of the Russian Constitution do not require any radical amendments; however, some minor adjustments are possible, Russian Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko said. “I have always believed and do believe that the basic provisions of our constitution do not require any radical amendments. We’ve achieved a balance and separation of powers. That […]

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RUSSIALINK: “New nuclear arms treaty shouldn’t be worse than New START, but there’s only its outline now – Russia’s Dzhabarov” – Interfax

Nuclear, Missile Defense, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Mobile ICBM Parade File Photo

MOSCOW. July 16 (Interfax) – Russia and the United Stated do not have much time left to draw up a new nuclear arms treaty, which should be comprehensive and should not be worse than the 2011 New START Treaty, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee Vladimir Dzhabarov said. “It seems to me that the architecture […]

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RUSSIALINK: “Visa and Mastercard May Soon Exit Russia Under Draft Law – Reports” – Moscow Times

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Sanctions, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Stack of Credit Cards, adapted from image at fdic.gov

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – July 12, 2019) New Russian payment system laws could lead the world’s largest credit and debit card companies Visa and Mastercard to exit the country’s market, the Kommersant business daily reported on Friday. U.S.-based Visa and Mastercard stopped servicing bank cards in annexed Crimea after the United States imposed sanctions on Russia in 2014. Russia […]

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RUSSIALINK: “Federation Council says dialogue with NATO military, politicians necessary” – Interfax

Military, NATO
Globe Highlighting NATO Members

MOSCOW. April 10 (Interfax) – The Federation Council made a statement on the destructive policy of NATO on Wednesday. “The Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly believes that a dialogue between the military and politicians of Russia and NATO could play a positive role in this exacerbated situation. We can only regret that the old formats and communication channels […]

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Russian Bills Banning ‘Fake News,’ Insults Head To Putin For Signature

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Satellite Dishes

(Article text ©2019 RFE/RL, Inc., Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – rferl.org – March 13, 2019 – article text also appeared at rferl.org/a/russian-bills-banning-fake-news-insults-head-to-putin-for-signature/29819238.html) Legislation enabling Russian authorities to block websites and hand out punishment for “fake news” and material deemed insulting to the state or the public is headed to President Vladimir Putin’s desk for his signature. The legislation, which Putin’s […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Based on new draft legislation, here’s how Russia would actually build its own, autonomous Internet” – Meduza

JRL NewsBlog, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television
File Image of Stylized Eye Surrounded by Binary Code

“The supposed story. … Russian authorities are abandoning the global Internet under the pretext of national security … transitioning to … [Russia’s] own domain name system and Internet traffic routing, where only Russian websites will work. … [F]ederal media regulator, Roskomnadzor, will be responsible for centralizing the state’s control … and all major Russian tech companies have agreed to the […]

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RUSSIALINK TRANSCRIPT: “[Putin at] Reception marking the 25th anniversary of the Constitution’ – KremlinRu

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Kremlin Aerial View, adapted from .gov source

(Kremlin.ru – December 12, 2018) Vladimir Putin attended a reception at the Kremlin to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Russian Federation Constitution. Invited guests included Government members, representatives of the Federation Council and the State Duma, federal executive and judicial bodies, and government bodies of the Russian regions, as well as representatives of religious denominations, public […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia rewrites nuclear rule book to fire first” – The Times (UK)/ Marc Bennetts

JRL NewsBlog, Military, Nuclear, Missile Defense, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Mobile ICBM Parade File Photo

“… Senators in [Russia’s] Federation Council … have recommended … allow[ing] … [P]resident [Putin] to order nuclear strikes in response to enemy use of conventional weapons, a significant departure from the military doctrine that prohibits first use unless Russia is threatened by [WMD] or if its ‘very existence is in jeopardy.’ The council proposes that Russia be allowed to retaliate […]

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RUSSIALINK: “U.S.’ reliance on sanctions reaches climax – Kosachyov” – Interfax

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Sanctions, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Federation Council file photo

MOSCOW. Sept 13 (Interfax) – The United States would have been dubbed as a rogue country if all countries that have experienced the U.S.’ interference in their affairs had imposed sanctions on Washington, Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Kosachyov wrote on Facebook. “Let us not forget the fact that sanctions for foreign interference have been imposed by the […]

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Russian Officials Warn Google Not To ‘Meddle’ In Elections By Hosting Navalny Videos

Human Rights, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Image of Laptop Computer, Tables and Mobile Device, adapted from image at energy.gov

(Article ©2018 RFE/RL, Inc., Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – rferl.org – Sept. 5, 2018 – also appeared at rferl.org/a/russian-officials-warn-google-not-meddle-in-elections-hosting-navalny-videos-youtube/29472527.html) Russian officials say they have warned U.S. Internet giant Google against “meddling” in local elections scheduled for this weekend by allowing Kremlin foe Aleksei Navalny to post videos calling for mass protests on YouTube. Representatives of Russia’s election commission, the Prosecutor-General’s Office, […]

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RUSSIALINK: “Russia doesn’t pose threat to U.S., Russia is America’s rival, but not enemy – Kosachyov” – Interfax

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Federation Council file photo

MOSCOW. July 25 (Interfax) – Russia and the United States will not be friends, they are rivals in the world, but Russia does not pose a threat to America, Konstantin Kosachyov, the head of the Federation council’s international affairs committee, said. “Nikki Haley has recently stated what is apparently an official position of the United States that Russia will never […]

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RUSSIALINK: “Differing approaches to Korea crisis may jeopardize N. Korea-U.S. summit – Kosachyov” – Interfax

North Korea, Nuclear Proliferation, Nuclear, Missile Defense, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
North Korea Map and Flag, adapted from .gov image

MOSCOW. May 16 (Interfax) – The differing approaches of Washington and Pyongyang to the settlement process on the Korean Peninsula and the bilateral summit may jeopardize the very fact of the summit and its outcome, Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Kosachyov said on Facebook. “The problems that emerged shortly before the pivotal meeting between the U.S. and North […]

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Interfax: Supervisory bodies need reform in wake of Kemerovo tragedy – Matviyenko

Disasters, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Valentina Matviyenko file photo

MOSCOW. March 28 (Interfax) – The Kemerovo tragedy has shown that the system of supervisory and inspection bodies in Russia needs reform, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said. “We have so many supervisory agencies, inspection agencies in the country, but the situation with the shopping center in Kemerovo showed that this system needs a thorough analysis, a reform, a […]

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Interfax: External funding of foreign NGOs in Russia grows to 7.1 bln rubles within less than year, while their number reduces by 10% – report

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Race, Ethnic, Extremism, Xenophobia, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Federation Council file photo

MOSCOW. March 5 (Interfax) – The external funding of foreign NGOs operating in Russia has grown to more than 7 billion rubles in less than a year, the Federation Council’s commission for counteracting foreign interference in Russian affairs said in a special report presented on Monday. “In 2015, Russian socio-political NGOs received 80 billion rubles from the United States alone […]

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Interfax: Ukrainian bill on Donbas reintegration puts an end to Minsk Agreements – Kosachyov

Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

MOSCOW. Jan 18 (Interfax) – The Ukrainian bill on the reintegration of Donbas puts an end to the Minsk Agreements, and Germany and France should evaluate the act accordingly, Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee head Konstantin Kosachyov said on Thursday. “By adopting the odious bill on Donbas reintegration, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada essentially put an end to the Minsk Agreements [the […]

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Interfax: Matviyenko calls decrease in number of orphans unprecedented

Children, Adoptions, Orphans, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Valentina Matviyenko file photo

MOSCOW. Nov 28 (Interfax) – The number of orphans has halved in Russia, which is unprecedented by world standards, Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko said at a meeting of the president’s coordination council on the implementation of the national child action strategy for 2012-2017. “I deem our achievements in addressing the problem of social orphans to be crucial. Our joint […]

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Interfax: U.S. global missile defense may create prerequisites for massive preventive strike on adversary – Kosachyov

Nuclear, Missile Defense
Federation Council file photo

MOSCOW. Oct 13 (Interfax) – The deployment by Washington of its global missile-defense shield poses a threat to strategic stability in the world and may create prerequisites for a powerful preventive strike, Konstantin Kosachyov, head of the Russian Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote in a statement on his Facebook page. “Our Defense Ministry’s information about the consequences of the […]

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Interfax: Foreign activity on Kirovles case is attempt to influence 2018 elections in Russia – Federation Council

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Europe, EU, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Council of Europe Headquarters Building with Flags in Front

MOSCOW. Sept 25 (Interfax) – The high interest of structures of the Council of Europe in the Kirovles case is an attempt to influence the preparations for the presidential elections in Russia, the Russian Federation Council commission on the protection of state sovereignty said. “Foreign activity around the debate in the structures of the Council of Europe on the so-called […]

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On Trump’s New Man in Russia, Jon Huntsman, Moscow Says ‘Wait and See’; The former China envoy is facing a tough crowd

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of John Huntsman, Men in Military Uniforms and Others, adapted from image at army.mil

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – July 19, 2017) The appointment of reported ‘hardliner’ Jon Huntsman as the United States’ new Ambassador to Russia met with mixed reactions in Moscow on Wednesday. “It’s too early for labels,” Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko was cited as saying by the state-run TASS news agency. “[We have to] judge him by his […]

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Klintsevich links Washington’s conditions for return of Russian diplomatic property to Trump administration’s attempts to ‘save face’

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., Adapted From Image at loc.gov

MOSCOW. July 17 (Interfax) – Franz Klintsevich, first deputy head of the Federation Council committee on defense and security, has called actions taken by Washington, which sets conditions for the return of Russian diplomatic property seized in the United States, strange and said he hopes for the settlement of the situation. “It is possible that the current U.S. administration now […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting with Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko. [excerpt re: NGOs]

Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Valentina Matviyenko file photo

(Kremlin.ru – June 26, 2017) Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko. Valentina Matviyenko: Mr President, we also organised public hearings on a subject that was long ripe for discussion. We simply gave this discussion a formal framework through these hearings on the inadmissibility of interference in Russia’s internal affairs. We know how […]

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Russian prosecutor general suggests giving Justice Ministry right to conduct extraordinary inspections of NGOs that breach legislation

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Yury Chaika file photo

MOSCOW. June 7 (Interfax) – Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika has suggested giving the Justice Ministry the right to conduct extraordinary inspections of NGOs. “We suggest giving the Justice Ministry the right to conduct extraordinary inspections of NGOs if there is information that they are in breach of any bans and restrictions envisaged by the law,” Chaika told a parliamentary […]

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Interfax: Idea of appointing Russian Academy of Sciences president deserves attention – Matviyenko

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Valentina Matviyenko file photo

MOSCOW. March 22 (Interfax) – The idea that a Russian Academy of Sciences head may be appointed by the president of Russia deserves attention, yet no decisions have so far been made to this effect, Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko said. “All of us have been watching the developments around the election of a [Russian Academy of Sciences] president. The […]

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Interfax: Trump continues to follow pragmatic rather than ideological path – Kosachyov

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Federation Council file photo

MOSCOW. March 1 (Interfax) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement before Congress about the need to search for new allies displays his pragmatic attitude, but a pledged growth of military spending and his position on Iran cause concerns, Federation Council international affairs committee’s head Konstantin Kosachyov said. “America is ready to look for new allies in tackling new threats, so, […]

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Kosachyov sees ‘window of opportunity’ for building pragmatic relations with U.S. under Trump

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of U.S. Embassy Moscow, with Russian Foreign Ministry Building in Distance

MOSCOW. Feb 2 (Interfax) – Relations with the United States will not be ‘a bed of roses’ for Russia, yet there is a window of opportunity for pragmatic interaction now that a new team has moved into the White House, Federation Council International Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Kosachyov said. “I, personally, think that [U.S. President Donald] Trump is much more […]

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Meeting between Putin, Russian Security Council members involved exchange of opinions on current state of Russian-U.S. relations – Peskov

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Dmitry Peskov file photo adapted from image at kremlin.ru/wikimedia commons

MOSCOW. Jan 27 (Interfax) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday held an operative meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council, presidential press officer Dmitry Peskov told Interfax. “The meeting addressed current issues relating to the internal Russian socio-economic agenda,” Peskov said. “It also addressed the outcome of the Astana negotiations, and also the prospects of further efforts […]

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Russian Justice Ministry to consider Anti-Maidan leader’s request on checking several NGOs for foreign financing

Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

MOSCOW. Aug 20 (Interfax) – The Russian Justice Ministry will consider an appeal by Federation Council member Dmitry Sablin, the founder of the Anti-Maidan movement, on checking a number of non-governmental organizations (NGO) for receiving financing from abroad. “The Russian Justice Ministry has received an appeal from Russian Federation Council member Dmitry Sablin. The appeal will be considered within the […]

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Moscow interested in further dialogue with NATO – Federation Council members on NATO-Russia Council meeting

Military, NATO
File Photo of Official at Podium in Front of Large NATO-Russia Council Signage

MOSCOW. July 8 (Interfax) – The upcoming NATO summit will hardly be sensational, and a lot will depend on a NATO-Russia Council meeting to take place after it, Federation Council members said, adding that Russia was pro-dialogue. “Although NATO excitedly speaks about the forthcoming ‘epochal event’, nothing sensationally substantial will happen at the alliance’s summit in Warsaw,” Federation Council International […]

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Interfax: Federation Council not ruling out deployment of U.S. missile defense shield in Romania may influence New START Treaty’s fate

Europe, EU, NATO, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Romania
Aegis Ashore Missile Defense File Photo

MOSCOW. May 13 (Interfax) – The activation of a Romania-based facility of the U.S. missile defense shield and the further deployment of this shield in Eastern Europe may influence Russia’s participation in the New START Treaty, signed by the United States and Russia in 2010, Frants Klintsevich, first deputy chairman of the Defense and Security Committee of the Federation Council, […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting with members of Legislators’ Council

History, Soviet Union, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Tauride Palace file photo - adapted from image © A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons

(Kremlin.ru – April 29, 2016) Vladimir Putin took part in a meeting of the Federal Assembly’s Council of Legislators timed for the Day of Russian Parliamentarianism and the 110th anniversary of Russia’s first State Duma. The meeting at the Tauride Palace is attended by Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin and speakers of regional parliaments. President […]

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Interfax: Truthfulness of evidence of oil smuggled to Turkey from terrorists-controlled areas raises no doubt – senator Ozerov

Oil, Gas, Energy, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Terrorism, Turkey
Federation Council file photo

MOSCOW. Dec 5 (Interfax) – Russia has no doubt about the credibility of the evidence it showed of oil supplies to Turkey from ISIL-controlled areas, said Viktor Ozerov, head of the Federation Council’s Defense and Security Committee. “These are objective documents. With the system of capabilities that the U.S. and other NATO states have, joking and serving – to put […]

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Russian Senator Introduces Bill Criminalizing Pro-Stalin Propoganda

History, Soviet Union, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Joseph Stalin and Sergei Kirov as Part of Group of Five, Next to Bust of Lenin, with Faces of Other Attendees Partially Blurred

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Anna Dolgov – September 22, 2015) A high-ranking Russian senator has sought to combat the increasing promotion of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in the country by introducing a bill that would criminalize attempts to justify the dictator’s totalitarian regime and political purges, state-run TASS news agency reported Tuesday. The bill introduced in the State Duma […]

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Interfax: Senior senator says Russia to be thorn in US side while it sticks to exclusivity

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Putin and Obama with U.S. and Russian Flags

(Interfax – September 10, 2015) The head of the Russian Federation Council’s International Affairs Committee, Konstantin Kosachev, has said that he believes that a Russia that challenges the American theory of exclusive leadership will always be a problem for the USA, privately-owned Russian news agency Interfax reported on 10 September. Russia to be problem for USA for as long as […]

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Kaliningrad election commission confirms Yakunin’s rank as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Baltics and Environs, Including Kaliningrad

KALININGRAD. Aug 20 (Interfax) – It has been confirmed that Russian Railways (MOEX: RZHD) chief Vladimir Yakunin has the diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Kaliningrad regional election commission chief Inessa Vinyavskaya wrote on her Facebook page. “In reply to the commission’s query as part of the verification of the information on V. I. Yakunin, the Russian Presidential Administration […]

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Head of Russia’s Mighty Rail Monopoly Looks Set to Step Down

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and Saint Basil's File Photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – August 18, 2015) Vladimir Yakunin, one of Russia’s most powerful executives and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, was nominated as a senator for the upper chamber of the Russian parliament Monday, a position that would oblige him to step down as head of the state rail monopoly Russian Railways (RZD). […]

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Human rights activists fear Soros Foundation to leave Russia

Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and Saint Basil's File Photo

(Interfax – August 3, 2015) The Soros Foundation could follow the MacArthur Foundation and National Endowment for Democracy and leave Russia, veteran of the human rights movement and head of the Civil Assistance committee Svetlana Gannushkina said. “I am afraid that the Soros Foundation is leaving Russia,” she said. According to Gannushkina, the probability exists that the Soros Foundation will […]

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Russian Senators Propose Ban of 12 Foreign NGOs, Reining In Civil Society

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – July 9, 2015) In what experts see as Moscow’s latest bid to rein in civil society, Russian senators released a list Wednesday of 12 foreign NGOs whose work they believe poses a threat to national security, and who should thus be declared “undesirable” and prohibited from operating in the country. The Federation […]

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Federation Council to present ‘patriotic stop-list’ of 12 NGOs to Prosecutor General’s Office, Foreign Ministry

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Regions, Cities, Municipalities
Russia Regions Map

(Interfax – July 7, 2015) The ‘patriotic stop-list’ drawn up by the Federation Council consists of twelve foreign NGOs, Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko has said at a press conference. “At our meeting tomorrow we will pass a related appeal to the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Russian Foreign Ministry and will present our patriotic stop-list consisting of twelve foreign […]

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Interfax: Russia should get less aggressive towards sex minorities – senator

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Federation Council file photo

(Interfax – June 28, 2015) Deputy chairman of the Federation Council Committee for Constitutional Legislation Konstantin Dobrynin has suggested that the American “don’t ask, don’t tell” principle be enshrined in the Russian law with respect to people of non-heterosexual orientation. One may laugh at America or a tolerant Europe for as long as one likes; it should be admitted, however, […]

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Interfax: Armenia is not immune to ‘color revolution’ – Kosachyov

Armenia
Armenia Map

MOSCOW. June 24 (Interfax) – Federation Council International Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Kosachyov has detected ‘color revolution’ symptoms in the latest events in Armenia. “The situation is developing as a conflict of people displeased with the economic and social situation in Armenia,” Kosachyov told reporters on Wednesday. “But one should not be mistaken: practically every ‘color revolution’ started with such […]

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Interfax: Ukraine can retain Donbas if it treats it as special region – Russian Federation Council member

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

MOSCOW. May 14 (Interfax) – Kyiv should grant special status to southeastern regions of Ukraine in order to preserve the country’s unity, says Konstantin Kosachyov, the head of the Russian Federation Council international affairs committee. “Only decentralization, reducing everyone to the same level would be not enough, and if Ukraine wants to preserve Donbas as its part, it should treat […]

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Interfax: Increasingly difficult for Kyiv to explain its problems by ‘Russian threat’ – Senator Kosachyov

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

MOSCOW. April 28 (Interfax) – The chairman of the Russian Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Konstantin Kosachyov, believes that the latest Ukraine-EU summit had a ‘sobering-up’ effect on Kyiv. “At the Ukraine-EU summit, Brussels focused on things that sobered Kyiv up – the pace and scope of constitutional and other reforms in Ukraine, the fight against corruption, the restructuring of […]

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Russian state will not clamp down on dissenters, senate speaker says

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Valentina Matviyenko file photo

(RIA Novosti – Moscow, April 1, 2015) Russia does not intend to conduct a clampdown on the opposition as it is not threatened by a “colour revolution” no matter how hard the West tries to de-stabilize the interior situation in the country, Russian Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko has said. “The Russian state does not intend to pursue a clampdown […]

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Russian upper house calls on “constructive forces” in Ukraine to focus on truce

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

(Interfax – Moscow, February 25, 2015) Members of the Federation Council have called on constructive forces in Ukraine to concentrate their efforts on implementation of the Minsk agreements and make further efforts to launch a nationwide dialogue. The Federation Council “fully approves the agreements reached in Minsk by the heads of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany and voices support for […]

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