RUSSIA and THE WEST - РОССИЯ и ЗАПАД

Friday, March 9, 2012

8:35 AM 3/9/2012: Russia Blogs: “As Putin celebrated six more years in office after his electoral victory on March 4, he thanked supporters for backing a "Great Russia." The U.S. State Department responded by choosing not to congratulate him and calling for a "credible" investigation into allegations of electoral fraud.”

Mike Nova's starred items

:: Putin Design for Russia May Intensify Tensions With West -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

:: Putin Design for Russia May Intensify Tensions With West -
:: Putin Design for Russia May Intensify Tensions With West -
:: Putin Design for Russia May Intensify Tensions With West - RUSSIA, U.S.-RUSSIAN RELATIONS,cdi.orgVladimir Putin reclaiming Russia's presidency will probably exacerbate tensions with the U.S. and Europe as they try to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions and halt bloodshed in Syria, strategists from Moscow to New York said....

We went to talk to some Russian political experts to find out what they think of...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/9/12

We went to talk to some Russian political experts to find out what they think of...
We went to talk to some Russian political experts to find out what they think of...
We went to talk to some Russian political experts to find out what they think of Prokhorov's performance in the past presidential elections. Who do you agree with?How will Prokhorov convert his political ratings?rbth.ruAfter the ballots in the 2012 presidential election had been counted, Russian billionaire and former head of the Right Cause party Mikhail Prokhorov came away with almost 8 percent of the vote nationwide and did much better in

Putin's Russia stares down West on Syria

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/9/12

Putin's Russia stares down West on Syria
Putin's Russia stares down West on Syria
It is curious that Russia supports a regime with a presumably short life expectancy, against the tide of events, wrote James Nixey in a recent report on Russia.

Have you checked out Russia's Eurovision entry for this year? They are the...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/9/12

Have you checked out Russia's Eurovision entry for this year?
They are the Bura...
Have you checked out Russia's Eurovision entry for this year?
They are the Bura...
Have you checked out Russia's Eurovision entry for this year? They are the Buranovskye Babushki (Buranovo Grannies), six women aged between 50 to 76 from Buranovo, a village in the Udmurt Republic in central Russia. They will take part in the the 57th Eurovision Song Contest which will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from May 22 to 26.

Where do Russia’s protestors go from here?

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/9/12

Where do Russia’s protestors go from here?
Where do Russia’s protestors go from here?
Where do Russia’s protestors go from here?A space for dialogue?rbth.ruSociety remains unhappy, but no one is really in the mood to fight.

тот самый панк-молебен "Богородице, Дево, Путина прогони!"

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

тот самый панк-молебен "Богородице, Дево, Путина прогони!"
тот самый панк-молебен "Богородице, Дево, Путина прогони!"
Богородица, Дево, Путина прогониПутина прогони, Путина прогони(конец хора)Черная ряса, золотые погоныВсе прихожане ползут на поклоныПризрак свободы на небесахГей-прайд отправлен в Сибирь в кандалахГлава КГБ, их главный святойВедет протестующих в СИЗО под конвойЧтобы Святейшего не оскорбитьЖенщинам нужно рожать и любить[Припев:]Срань, срань, срань ГосподняСрань, срань, срань Господня(Хор)Богородица, Дево, стань феминисткойСтань феминисткой, феминисткой стань(конец хора)Церковная хвала прогнивших воджейКрестный ход из черных лимузиновВ школу к тебе собирается проповедникИди на урок - принеси ему денег!...

:: The Post-Election Blame Game: The Government and Its

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

:: The Post-Election Blame Game: The Government and Its
:: The Post-Election Blame Game: The Government and Its
:: The Post-Election Blame Game: The Government and Its Critics Trade Blows Over Falsificationscdi.orgAt a jam-packed press-conference in central Moscow today, the League of Voters, an elections monitoring commission christened on the heels of the opposition movement, announced that it would not recognize Sunday's elections. "The League of Voters regretfully believes that a cruel insult against civi...

:: Russians Divided Over Likelihood Of Fair Elections - Poll -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

:: Russians Divided Over Likelihood Of Fair Elections - Poll -
:: Russians Divided Over Likelihood Of Fair Elections - Poll -
:: Russians Divided Over Likelihood Of Fair Elections - Poll - RUSSIA, ELECTION FRAUD, POLITIcdi.orgFifty per cent of Russians take a sceptical view of the possibility of fair elections in Russia (as against 60 per cent in 2000). People aged up to 35, as well as those with low incomes, are most likely to take this view....

:: Russia Is Quite Backward in Bringing Women to Power -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

:: Russia Is Quite Backward in Bringing Women to Power -
:: Russia Is Quite Backward in Bringing Women to Power -
:: Russia Is Quite Backward in Bringing Women to Power - Medvedev - RUSSIA, BUSINESS, GOVERNMcdi.orgRussian President Dmitry Medvedev has described as unsatisfactory the situation with placing women in leading positions in Russia....

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Beneath the radar, a Russia-Pakistan entente takes shape -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Beneath the radar, a Russia-Pakistan entente takes shape -
Beneath the radar, a Russia-Pakistan entente takes shape -
Beneath the radar, a Russia-Pakistan entente takes shape - NEWSLINKblogs.reuters.comMarch 8, 2012 As Pakistan's ties with the United States sour, it has turned to not just long-time ally China, but also moved to mend fences with Russia, the other great power in the region.

NATO chief, Putin to meet in effort to boost ties - NEWSLINK

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

NATO chief, Putin to meet in effort to boost ties - NEWSLINK
NATO chief, Putin to meet in effort to boost ties - NEWSLINK
NATO chief, Putin to meet in effort to boost ties - NEWSLINKwww.ctv.caThursday Mar. 8, 2012 7:37 AM ET BRUSSELS, Belgium — NATO says its top official will meet Russian president-elect Vladimir Putin to discuss ties which have deteriorated recently over the alliance's plan to deploy a missile shield. A NATO statement Thursday says Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmus...

A space for dialogue? - NEWSLINKrbth.ruSociety remains

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

A space for dialogue? - NEWSLINKrbth.ruSociety remains
A space for dialogue? - NEWSLINKrbth.ruSociety remains
A space for dialogue? - NEWSLINKrbth.ruSociety remains unhappy, but no one is really in the mood to fight. Where to Russia’s protestors go from here?

Austrian lawmaker disputes charge of flawed Russia vote -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Austrian lawmaker disputes charge of flawed Russia vote -
Austrian lawmaker disputes charge of flawed Russia vote -
Austrian lawmaker disputes charge of flawed Russia vote - NEWSLINKwww.kyivpost.comYesterday at 16:24 | Reuters VIENNA - An Austrian member of parliament who helped monitor this month's Russian presidential election accused human rights groups on Thursday of political bias for calling the vote unfairly skewed in favour of victor Vladimir Putin.

Putin intends to start consultations on new government

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Putin intends to start consultations on new government
Putin intends to start consultations on new government
Putin intends to start consultations on new government formation Thursday - NEWSLINKwww.itar-tass.com14:21 08/03/2012 KRASNAYA POLYANA (Krasnodar Territory), March 8 (Itar-Tass) — Vladimir Putin intends on Thursday to start consultations on forming the country’s next government. He made this statement at a meeting with Russian incumbent President Dmitry Medvedev. Putin thanked Medvedev for congrat...

коррупция в СПб в бытность Путина вице-Собчаком. из новых поступлений в Библиоте...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

коррупция в СПб в бытность Путина вице-Собчаком. из новых поступлений в Библиотеку "Антикомпромат"
коррупция в СПб в бытность Путина вице-Собчаком. из новых поступлений в Библиотеку "Антикомпромат"
Из новых поступлений в Публичную интернет-библиотеку Владимира Прибыловского "Антикомпромат" 09.03.2012. Питерские истоки российской коррупции [...]Первыми соучредителями "Озера" стали 8 человек: Владимир Смирнов, Николай Шамалов, Владимир Якунин, Владимир Путин, Юрий Ковальчук, Виктор Мячин, Сергей Фурсенко, Андрей Фурсенко. Впоследствии состав «Озера» изменился. Из «первого призыва» остались лишь Владимир Смирнов, Николай Шамалов и Владимир Якунин....

Russia: “The Way Forward”

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Russia: “The Way Forward”
Russia: “The Way Forward”
OpenDemocracy.net posts an English translation of Yuri Saprykin's Lenta.ru text [ru] on the new, post-election goals of Russia's protest movement. (More insight into the March 4 presidential election and the opposition in Russia - from journalist Tikhon Dzyadko and an independent election observer Julia Chegodaikina.) Written by Veronica Khokhlova · comments (0) Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

Russia: “The Way Forward”

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Russia: “The Way Forward”

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

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:: League of Voters Defies March 4 Presidential Election

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

:: League of Voters Defies March 4 Presidential Election
:: League of Voters Defies March 4 Presidential Election
:: League of Voters Defies March 4 Presidential Election Results - RUSSIA, POLITICS, ELECTIONcdi.org"Against the backdrop of massive irregularities, the League deems it impossible for itself to recognize the outcomes of the 2012 Russian presidential election," the League said in a memorandum circulated at a press conference at the Interfax head office on Wednesday....

:: Russia's Democratic Opposition and Putin's Silent Majority

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

:: Russia's Democratic Opposition and Putin's Silent Majority
:: Russia's Democratic Opposition and Putin's Silent Majority
:: Russia's Democratic Opposition and Putin's Silent Majority - RUSSIA, POLITICS :: JRL Sicdi.orgThis week in Moscow, there is a post mortem round of press conferences The European observer group correctly called the election process heavily skewed toward the official candidate. Golos, the vote monitoring group, estimated that Putin won with "50 percent plus a pixel." (Whatever that means).

Собственнно, можно не продолжать. Либералам велели

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Собственнно, можно не продолжать. Либералам велели

Собственнно, можно не продолжать. Либералам велели
Собственнно, можно не продолжать. Либералам велели вернуться на свою блевотину.И они поспешно и послушно вернулись. Это значит, что и власть скоро вернется на свою.Больше мне про Навального лапшу не вешайте. Не надо. Вопрос закрыт.

The way forward for Russia’s opposition The protest movement didn’t achieve its...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

The way forward for Russia’s opposition
The protest movement didn’t achieve its...

The way forward for Russia’s opposition
The protest movement didn’t achieve its...
The way forward for Russia’s opposition The protest movement didn’t achieve its ultimate goal at Sunday’s presidential elections, but Yuri Saprykin, a prominent member of the protest movement, believes it has already achieved a lot and its best work lies ahead. Here he provides a ten point analysis of the protest movement’s situation in the wake of Putin’s return to power, and how it might move forward in the future....

Russia: an independent observer’s view of a non-election The debacle of last De...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Russia: an independent observer’s view of a non-election
The debacle of last De...

Russia: an independent observer’s view of a non-election
The debacle of last De...
Russia: an independent observer’s view of a non-election The debacle of last December's rigged parliamentary elections convinced many people who had previously been politically unaware to sign up and train as election observers. Sunday’s election saw ten times as many observers turn out. A core of them stuck doggedly to their task despite provocations and numerous attempts to thwart them; for some, like Julia Chegodaikina, life can never be the same...

Life, but not as we know it - NEWSLINKwww.themoscownews.com

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Life, but not as we know it - NEWSLINKwww.themoscownews.com
Life, but not as we know it - NEWSLINKwww.themoscownews.com
Life, but not as we know it - NEWSLINKwww.themoscownews.com06/03/2012 Barring any major upheaval after the election, Vladimir Putin is back and one would expect those who have been the greatest beneficiaries of his reign to raise three cheers. But strangely they seem to be able to muster no more than two cheers, and if anything they have been rattled by the...

What Putin’s Return to the Presidency Means for U.S.-Russia

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

What Putin’s Return to the Presidency Means for U.S.-Russia
What Putin’s Return to the Presidency Means for U.S.-Russia
What Putin’s Return to the Presidency Means for U.S.-Russia Relations - NEWSLINKwww.brookings.eduVladimir Putin has won election as Russia's next president, a post he held previously for eight years. Steven Pifer writes that Putin’s return portends a more complicated bilateral relationship with the United States, but it should not go over a cliff....

Russia's Putin hints oil tsar Sechin will keep influence -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Russia's Putin hints oil tsar Sechin will keep influence -
Russia's Putin hints oil tsar Sechin will keep influence -
Russia's Putin hints oil tsar Sechin will keep influence - NEWSLINKwww.reuters.comMOSCOW, March 7 (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin hinted onWednesday that Russian oil tsar Igor Sechin would remain apolitical heavyweight in any reshuffle of senior government andKremlin posts following his

Vladimir Putin: Russia's strongman - Telegraph - NEWSLINK

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Vladimir Putin: Russia's strongman - Telegraph - NEWSLINK
Vladimir Putin: Russia's strongman - Telegraph - NEWSLINK
Vladimir Putin: Russia's strongman - Telegraph - NEWSLINKwww.telegraph.co.ukThursday 08 March 2012 - In Masha Gessen's The Man Without a Face and Angus Roxburgh's The Strongman, Putin’s dazzling image blinds biographers to his weaknesses....

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Kremlin Puts Off Political Opening - NEWSLINKonline.wsj.com

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Kremlin Puts Off Political Opening - NEWSLINKonline.wsj.com
Kremlin Puts Off Political Opening - NEWSLINKonline.wsj.com
Kremlin Puts Off Political Opening - NEWSLINKonline.wsj.com Updated March 7, 2012, 8:56 p.m. ET With Vladimir Putin's election victory sealed and opposition protests appearing to lose momentum, the Kremlin is taking a hard line on promised political liberalization, telling critics they'll have to wait years for a chance at national representation....

Russia chooses grannies to sing at Eurovision - NEWSLINK

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Russia chooses grannies to sing at Eurovision - NEWSLINK
Russia chooses grannies to sing at Eurovision - NEWSLINK
Russia chooses grannies to sing at Eurovision - NEWSLINKwww.google.com(AFP) – 10 hours ago MOSCOW — Russia on Thursday ignored established stars to choose a group of singing grandmothers from an obscure provincial village to represent the country at the 2012 Eurovision song contest. The group, the Buranovskiye Babushki (Buranovo Grannies) from the far-flung Udmurti...

VIDEO: Grannies from Buranovo - Party for Everybody (Russia) -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

VIDEO: Grannies from Buranovo - Party for Everybody (Russia) -
VIDEO: Grannies from Buranovo - Party for Everybody (Russia) -
VIDEO: Grannies from Buranovo - Party for Everybody (Russia) - NEWSLINKwww.youtube.comRussia returns to roots... Representives of Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 http://www.buranovskiebabushki.ru/ Бурановские бабушки, «Party for Eve...

Belarus: No Change in the Offing

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Belarus: No Change in the Offing
Belarus: No Change in the Offing
One of the weaknesses of Belarus’s geopolitical situation and indeed of its self-perception is that Belarus is a crossroads, a land in between. In many ways this cliché informs thinking about Belarus – while something of note is occurring within its borders, there is a feeling that its future is going to be critically influenced by its powerful neighbors, Russia and the EU....

A Failed Re-Start to 5+2 Negotiations on Transnistria

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

A Failed Re-Start to 5+2 Negotiations on Transnistria
A Failed Re-Start to 5+2 Negotiations on Transnistria
Six years to the day since their collapse (February 28, 2006), official negotiations on the Transnistria conflict were supposed to restart in Dublin in the 5+2 format (Russia, Ukraine, OSCE, United States, European Union, Chisinau, Tiraspol). The Dublin meeting on February 28-29, 2012 was to have marked a “first” on three counts: the first round of official negotiations (as distinct from unofficial consultations) after six years; the first negotiation since the...

Russian Security Services Responsible for Majority of Kidnappings in the North C...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Russian Security Services Responsible for Majority of Kidnappings in the North Caucasus
Russian Security Services Responsible for Majority of Kidnappings in the North Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the only part of Russia where the authorities engage in systematic abductions – a practice that has existed since the first war in Chechnya in the mid-1990s. According to the Center for Civil Assistance to the Search for Missing Persons in the North Caucasus, created under the auspices of the North Caucasus peacemaking mission undertaken by the late General Aleksandr Lebed, 7,732 people in the region disappeared,...

RUSSIAN FEDERATION SITREP

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RUSSIAN FEDERATION SITREP

RUSSIAN FEDERATION SITREP
by Patrick Armstrong Election. Results here in Russian on the CEC site and in English at RIAN. Putin 63.6%, Zyuganov 17.18%, Prokhorov 7.98%, Zhirinovskiy 6.22% (fourth place for once!), Mironov 3.86%. Turnout 65.3%. Turnout in Moscow City and St Petersburg about 50%. Chechnya was a little more subdued this time: a mere 94.89% turnout with only 99.76% for Putin....

Хороходин и другие тайны, ставшие известные блгоодаря потупчикгейту

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Хороходин и другие тайны, ставшие известные блгоодаря потупчикгейту

Хороходин и другие тайны, ставшие известные блгоодаря потупчикгейту
via http://lj.rossia.org/users/anti_myth/278063.html«Наши-leaks»: Кремль как бизнесforbes.ru7 марта 2012 годаКак не самая высокая должность в администрации президента помогает организовать бизнес, устроиться на престижную работу или «отмазать» от органов — в расследовании Forbes.9 февраля издательский дом «Коммерсантъ» направил в полицию заявление о возбуждении уголовного дела против членов прокремлевского молодежного движения «Наши» — Кристины Потупчик, Артура Омарова, Романа Вербицкого и других....

Being a mother at age 22 or 23 is still common in Russia. Until recently, women...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/8/12

Being a mother at age 22 or 23 is still common in Russia. Until recently, women...
Being a mother at age 22 or 23 is still common in Russia. Until recently, women...
Being a mother at age 22 or 23 is still common in Russia. Until recently, women who had children after age 25 automatically fell into the category of “older mother.” More and more young women, however, elide to delay motherhood, often in favour of their career. How is it like in your country?No rush to be a momrbth.ruWhile Russian mothers have traditionally been fairly young, more and more women are taking...

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Since the Soviet era, more Russian women than men have received university degre...

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Since the Soviet era, more Russian women than men have received university degre...
Since the Soviet era, more Russian women than men have received university degre...
Since the Soviet era, more Russian women than men have received university degrees, yet their earnings and position in the job market are far lower than those of men. How can Russian women become more equal?Russian women equal, but only on the surfacerbth.ruAlthough more Russian women than men have university degrees, women on average make less money and hold less prestigious positions....

Marina Tsvetaeva is one of the most appreciated Russian poets in the world. R...

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Marina Tsvetaeva is one of the most appreciated Russian poets in the world.
R...
Marina Tsvetaeva is one of the most appreciated Russian poets in the world.
R...
Marina Tsvetaeva is one of the most appreciated Russian poets in the world. Rediscovering her poems and preserving her life was a life-long project for two women—Marina’ sister, Anastasia, and Nadezhda Katayeva-Lytkina. Find out more about their work here: Saving the legacy of a great poetrbth.ruTwo brave women kept the spirit of Marina Tsvetaeva, who took her own life 70 years ago, alive....

царица Светлана шикует на последние деньги накануне отставки

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царица Светлана шикует на последние деньги накануне отставки
царица Светлана шикует на последние деньги накануне отставки
В Кремле объяснили, на чьи деньги жена Медведева сняла целый VIP-отель в ИталииСупруга президента России Светлана Медведева действительно отдыхает в Италии, подтвердили в службе протокола первой леди после того, как итальянская пресса и российская блогосфера принялись обсуждать шикарный отпуск "русской царицы". В Кремле ответили и на интересующий россиян вопрос о том, кто платит за эти каникулы....

оказывается, Носику угрожают убийством впервые

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оказывается, Носику угрожают убийством впервые
оказывается, Носику угрожают убийством впервые
Оппозиционный блоггер Антон Носик обратился за помощью к журналистам Популярный блоггер и медиадиректор, владеющей "Живым журналом" компании SUP, Антон Носик сообщил в полицию о полученном в его адрес письме угрожающего характера. "Через две недели исполняется 15 лет моей жизни в постсоветской России. Впервые - и за эти годы, и за все 46 лет земного существования - я получил на днях угрозу убийства", - пишет Носик в своем блоге....

Д.А.Медведев и В.В.Путин встретились с С.Берлускони

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Д.А.Медведев и В.В.Путин встретились с С.Берлускони
Д.А.Медведев и В.В.Путин встретились с С.Берлускони

Бурановские бабушки

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Бурановские бабушки

Бурановские бабушки
В блогах обсуждают удмуртский фольклорный коллектив "Бурановские бабушки", который будет представлять Россию на "Евровидение-2012". "Бурановские бабушки" в зрительском голосовании получили больше баллов, чем известные исполнители Дима Билан, Юлия Волкова и Тимати. "Евровидение-2012" пройдет в Баку в мае.

:: Tackling state corruption: Moscow's Plekhanov University

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

:: Tackling state corruption: Moscow's Plekhanov University
:: Tackling state corruption: Moscow's Plekhanov University
:: Tackling state corruption: Moscow's Plekhanov University looks to develop ways to clean up Rcdi.orgRussia's system of state tenders, which has been widely exposed as plagued by corruption by Alexei Navalny's RosPil online monitoring project, is also being challenged by a leading Moscow university....

:: Opposition Licks Its Wounds: As Dust Settles Around Putin's

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

:: Opposition Licks Its Wounds: As Dust Settles Around Putin's
:: Opposition Licks Its Wounds: As Dust Settles Around Putin's
:: Opposition Licks Its Wounds: As Dust Settles Around Putin's Election Victory, Questions Ariscdi.orgWith Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's re-election to the presidency, the opposition has its work cut out for it. On Monday evening, in the first of undoubtedly many post-election protests, riot police swarmed Pushkin Square in central Moscow and arrested scores of protesters, including several top op...

:: Will Government Dialogue with Society Continue after

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

:: Will Government Dialogue with Society Continue after
:: Will Government Dialogue with Society Continue after
:: Will Government Dialogue with Society Continue after Election Win? - RUSSIA, POLITICS, ELEcdi.orgWhile Vladimir Putin scored a decisive victory in the presidential election, the success of the opposition in some major cities was notable. The surprising third-place finish of the independent liberal candidate Mikhail Prokhorov is bigger news than the predictable second-place finish of Communist P...

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Ties With U.S. Remain Strained After Russian Election -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Ties With U.S. Remain Strained After Russian Election -
Ties With U.S. Remain Strained After Russian Election -
Ties With U.S. Remain Strained After Russian Election - NEWSLINKwww.nytimes.comMOSCOW — Now that Russia’s presidential campaign is over, the Kremlin signaled on Tuesday that it was prepared for its relationship with Washington to get back to normal, potentially including swift cooperation on containing Iran’s nuclear program amid the prospect of a military strike by Israel.

Anti-Russian sentiment spikes in US - NEWSLINKrt.com

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Anti-Russian sentiment spikes in US - NEWSLINKrt.com
Anti-Russian sentiment spikes in US - NEWSLINKrt.com
Anti-Russian sentiment spikes in US - NEWSLINKrt.comPublished: 07 March, 2012, 18:42 Moscow and Washington are at loggerheads as Russia - which just overwhelmingly voted Vladimir Putin into the presidential office for the next six years - demonstrates it will independently pursue its own foreign policy agenda.

Putin and the world - NEWSLINKrt.comPublished: 07 March,

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Putin and the world - NEWSLINKrt.comPublished: 07 March,
Putin and the world - NEWSLINKrt.comPublished: 07 March,
Putin and the world - NEWSLINKrt.comPublished: 07 March, 2012, 13:06 Vladimir Putin’s victory in Russia’s March 4 presidential election has already evoked a flurry of comments on the part of world politicians and pundits as to what implications it will have for Russia’s relations with the West and the entire world.

Why Golos’ Own Figures Support Only 3%-6% Fraud - NEWSLINK

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Why Golos’ Own Figures Support Only 3%-6% Fraud - NEWSLINK
Why Golos’ Own Figures Support Only 3%-6% Fraud - NEWSLINK
Why Golos’ Own Figures Support Only 3%-6% Fraud - NEWSLINKwww.sublimeoblivion.comPosted on March 6, 2012 by AK Since yesterday, the following image from an article by liberal journalist Evgenya Albats has been making the rounds on the Internet. It shows that whereas Putin’s official tally was 65%, independent observers put it close to or below the 50% marker that would necessit...

'Get serious': Putin's message to protesters - NEWSLINKrt.com

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

'Get serious': Putin's message to protesters - NEWSLINKrt.com
'Get serious': Putin's message to protesters - NEWSLINKrt.com
'Get serious': Putin's message to protesters - NEWSLINKrt.comPublished: 07 March, 2012, 18:53 President-elect Vladimir Putin has told reporters that he was not surprised by the recent protests and that the opposition must shift from street actions to serious political work.

Presidential Election in Russia: No sensations, no surprises -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Presidential Election in Russia: No sensations, no surprises -
Presidential Election in Russia: No sensations, no surprises -
Presidential Election in Russia: No sensations, no surprises - NEWSLINKvaldaiclub.com16:15 07/03/2012 Vladimir Putin’s victory was predictable. He still enjoys quite strong support among the population. What should worry him is his weak showing in Moscow, where he received slightly below 50% of the vote.

The voting intelligentsia - NEWSLINKrbth.ruMarch 5, 2012 -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

The voting intelligentsia - NEWSLINKrbth.ruMarch 5, 2012 -
The voting intelligentsia - NEWSLINKrbth.ruMarch 5, 2012 -
The voting intelligentsia - NEWSLINKrbth.ruMarch 5, 2012 - RBTH spoke to about a dozen cultural figures as they reflected on election day 2012

Authorities, opposition left with lessons - NEWSLINKrbth.ru

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Authorities, opposition left with lessons - NEWSLINKrbth.ru
Authorities, opposition left with lessons - NEWSLINKrbth.ru
Authorities, opposition left with lessons - NEWSLINKrbth.ruMarch 5, 2012 The massive rallies that have rocked Russia since the Dec. 4 State Duma elections came as a surprise for all the country’s political forces. Both the authorities and the opposition were unprepared to see people take to the streets in numbers unseen since the early 1990s and neither gro...

Two “P” and oPPosition in Russia - NEWSLINKwww.itar-tass.com

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Two “P” and oPPosition in Russia - NEWSLINKwww.itar-tass.com
Two “P” and oPPosition in Russia - NEWSLINKwww.itar-tass.com
Two “P” and oPPosition in Russia - NEWSLINKwww.itar-tass.com15:16 05/03/2012 The Russian presidential election is over in the first round. The results: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin won a convincing victory with 64% (inbetween his 53% in 2000 and 73% in 2004) and will return to Kremlin for a six-year term of office.

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:: Protest Organizers Reach Crossroads - RUSSIA, POLITICS,

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

:: Protest Organizers Reach Crossroads - RUSSIA, POLITICS,
:: Protest Organizers Reach Crossroads - RUSSIA, POLITICS,
:: Protest Organizers Reach Crossroads - RUSSIA, POLITICS, PROTESTS :: JRL Simple: Mobile.cdi.org"We will absolutely stage more rallies, and tens of thousands will take to the streets of Moscow and other cities and will refuse to leave," opposition leader Alexei Navalny said as he emerged from police detention early Tuesday morning....

:: Tea, cookies -- and ballot fraud: Even the calm of a sleepy

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

:: Tea, cookies -- and ballot fraud: Even the calm of a sleepy
:: Tea, cookies -- and ballot fraud: Even the calm of a sleepy
:: Tea, cookies -- and ballot fraud: Even the calm of a sleepy village polling station is shattecdi.orgAll that changed just before 3pm, however, when the tea and cookies being shared around by election officials and monitors were shattered by a cry of "Ballot stuffing!"...

:: Time Is Running Out For Political Veterans - RUSSIA,

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

:: Time Is Running Out For Political Veterans - RUSSIA,
:: Time Is Running Out For Political Veterans - RUSSIA,
:: Time Is Running Out For Political Veterans - RUSSIA, POLITICS :: JRL Simple: Mobile & Mcdi.orgWhen Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov arrived at his campaign headquarters in downtown Moscow following Sunday's presidential election, he appeared more stressed than usual after the grueling months of a hard political battle that ended with a predictable result....

Vladimir Putin’s tears - NEWSLINKwww.washingtonpost.com

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Vladimir Putin’s tears - NEWSLINKwww.washingtonpost.com
Vladimir Putin’s tears - NEWSLINKwww.washingtonpost.com
Vladimir Putin’s tears - NEWSLINKwww.washingtonpost.comPublished: March 6 - WHO KNOWS what explains the teardrop that streaked down Vladimir Putin’s cheek as he announced his victory in Sunday’s presidential election? The Russian strongman blamed the wind. We’d like to think Mr. Putin was contemplating what he now faces as president of a country that c...

Putin's oligarch killer - NEWSLINKwww.atimes.comMar 2, 2012

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Putin's oligarch killer - NEWSLINKwww.atimes.comMar 2, 2012
Putin's oligarch killer - NEWSLINKwww.atimes.comMar 2, 2012
Putin's oligarch killer - NEWSLINKwww.atimes.comMar 2, 2012 - The Putin order makes clear the investigators are looking for the long-suspected, long-reported links between the oligarch owners in the oil, gas, minerals and metals industries, the state banks, and the state power and transport utilities from which they have secured low domestic cost...

The Politics of Fear - NEWSLINKlucianinmoscow.blogspot.com

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

The Politics of Fear - NEWSLINKlucianinmoscow.blogspot.com
The Politics of Fear - NEWSLINKlucianinmoscow.blogspot.com
The Politics of Fear - NEWSLINKlucianinmoscow.blogspot.comMarch 6, 2012 - The politics of fear is a contradiction in terms; there is no such thing. Politics is open debates and backroom deals, promises and lies, compromise and opposition. Politics is human speech. Fear is an animal instinct. In Moscow, fear is taking the place of politics.

Russia – no way of stuffing toothpaste back into the tube -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Russia – no way of stuffing toothpaste back into the tube -
Russia – no way of stuffing toothpaste back into the tube -
Russia – no way of stuffing toothpaste back into the tube - NEWSLINKwww.itar-tass.com15:57 06/03/2012 Both supporters and opponents of Vladimir Putin agree that central to the agenda of the president-elect will be political, economic and social reforms, without which he may encounter strong pressures from civil society with unpredictable consequences.

Russia election 'insult to civil society': activists -

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Russia election 'insult to civil society': activists -
Russia election 'insult to civil society': activists -
Russia election 'insult to civil society': activists - NEWSLINKuk.news.yahoo.comBy Maria Antonova | AFP – 8 hours ago - Russia's presidential polls won by Vladimir Putin were an "insult to civil society" due to mass violations, an activist group fronted by celebrities said Wednesday, refusing to recognise the results.

Подтвердили

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Подтвердили

Подтвердили
В службе протокола Светланы Медведевой подтвердили «Газете.Ru» сведения, появившиеся в блогах, о том, что жена действующего президента России отдыхает в Италии, однако подчеркнули, что она делает это за свой собственный счет.«Госпожа Медведева действительно находится в Италии в частной поездке на отдыхе. Все расходы, связанные с ее пребыванием там, она оплачивает сама», – сказали «Газете.Ru» в службе.Там добавили, что Медведеву сопровождают несколько сотрудников службы безопасности, которые находятся в Италии по служебной необходимости.«Такое...

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Russia Pressed to Pay for Its Military Base in Tajikistan

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Russia Pressed to Pay for Its Military Base in Tajikistan
Russia Pressed to Pay for Its Military Base in Tajikistan
As negotiations continue over the extension of Russia’s use of a military base in Tajikistan, the Central Asian country’s envoy to Russia suggests that his government wants Moscow to pay rent for operating the facility. Speaking to journalists on February 28, Abdulmajid Dostiev acknowledged that the issue of rent has been holding back the finalization of a new treaty which would extend Russia’s basing rights in Tajikistan for the next 49...

Putin Faces Mounting Challenges in the North Caucasus Following Election “Win”

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Putin Faces Mounting Challenges in the North Caucasus Following Election “Win”
Putin Faces Mounting Challenges in the North Caucasus Following Election “Win”
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin won the March 4 presidential elections in Russia, as most observers had been expecting. Despite his landslide victory with nearly 64 percent of vote, many analysts agree that Putin will no longer be able to treat the presidency as a sinecure and will be forced to move ahead with reforms or face mounting challenges from the opposition....

Azerbaijan’s Arms Deal with Israel Raises Caucasus Tensions

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Azerbaijan’s Arms Deal with Israel Raises Caucasus Tensions
Azerbaijan’s Arms Deal with Israel Raises Caucasus Tensions
Already in 2012, two Iranian terrorist plots against Azerbaijan have been exposed, Moscow has substantially reinforced its garrisons in the Caucasus in expectation of a war involving Iran by this summer, and Russia has also warned Georgia against hosting US troops there for purposes of conducting such a war. These extraordinary moves testify to the importance the Caucasus has in conjunction with the possibility of a war against Iran....

Azerbaijan: Journalist responds to threats

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Azerbaijan: Journalist responds to threats
Azerbaijan: Journalist responds to threats
Writing on Facebook, journalist Khadija Ismayil responds to threats warning her to stop her investigative reporting. Noting that this is not the first time journalists in Azerbaijan have found themselves the victim of intimidation, beating, and worse, Ismayil calls on the country's government to investigate the matter and for the president to ensure her safety. Written by Onnik Krikorian · comments (1) Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit...

robertamsterdam: An English translation of the "Further, Further, Further" manif...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

robertamsterdam: An English translation of the "Further, Further, Further" manifesto from @sapr21 on Lenta.ru. http://bit.ly/yNnMfS
Published: 2012-03-07 16:50:09 GMT

оппозиция на распутье

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

оппозиция на распутье
оппозиция на распутье
"Свободная преса"7 марта 2012 года 16:37 Андрей Полунин ОППОЗИЦИЯ НА РАСПУТЬЕМитинг на Пушкинской обнаружил внутренний кризис коалиции10 марта оппозиция обещает ноу-хау – не просто протестный митинг, а тематический. Об этом заявил член оргкомитета «Лиги избирателей» Сергей Пархоменко. По его словам, акция (она начнется на Новом Арбате в 13:00) будет посвящена наблюдателям, которые работали на президентских выборах.«Тематический» митинг – безошибочный признак внутреннего кризиса, который назревает в рядах оппозиционеров....

An election, or a declaration of war? Amid growing proof of ‘dirty tricks’ duri...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

An election, or a declaration of war?
Amid growing proof of ‘dirty tricks’ duri...

An election, or a declaration of war?
Amid growing proof of ‘dirty tricks’ duri...
An election, or a declaration of war? Amid growing proof of ‘dirty tricks’ during Sunday’s presidential election, the new Russian government has made it clear that the opposition can expect no concessions. Protesters at rallies in Moscow and St Petersburg have been arrested and subjected to police brutality. Tikhon Dzyadko, a journalist who was at the Moscow rally, looks back at the events of the last few days and considers the...

Russia: farewell to 'national unity' Vladimir Putin may have won Sund...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Russia: farewell to 'national unity'
Vladimir Putin may have won Sunday’s presi...

Russia: farewell to 'national unity'
Vladimir Putin may have won Sunday’s presi...
Russia: farewell to 'national unity' Vladimir Putin may have won Sunday’s presidential election, but his new term is unlikely to be an easy one. Russia has changed: the middle classes surf the Internet, compare themselves not to their parents but to their contemporaries in the rest of Europe, and demand change....

Here is Cody White's first blogpost from our "Touch Russia - RBTH" on Tumblr...

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Here is Cody White's first blogpost from our "Touch Russia - RBTH" on Tumblr blo...
Here is Cody White's first blogpost from our "Touch Russia - RBTH" on Tumblr blo...
Here is Cody White's first blogpost from our "Touch Russia - RBTH" on Tumblr blog. Make sure to check it out for some entertaining details from his experiences as a funny American guy in Russia. You can also read about Cody's adventures here: http://rbth.ru/blogs/borschtTouch Russia — Russian Comedy at Its Best: “KVN”touchrussia.tumblr.comRussian Comedy at Its Best: “KVN” I’ve always considered myself a funny guy.

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Second Thoughts on the Russian Election and its Aftermath

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

Second Thoughts on the Russian Election and its Aftermath

Second Thoughts on the Russian Election and its Aftermath
As sleep eludes me on the long flight back from Moscow to JFK, instead I type up some more undigested and ill-thought-through observations (to follow on from my first responses). There may not have been much choice at this election, but there was popcorn or pirogis for sale! What do Russians want?...

любовь к Тургеневу

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

любовь к Тургеневу
любовь к Тургеневу
Спутница Прохорова рассказала всю правду о КуршевелеКуршевельский скандал — любимая тема политических противников Михаила Прохорова: при каждом удобном случае российскому олигарху припоминают, как в январе 2007 года его застали в компании 15 несовершеннолетних куртизанок. Впрочем, сам Прохоров предпочитает не говорить о подробностях того инцидента. «Новолитике» удалось разыскать одну из спутниц миллиардера и выяснить неизвестные детали Куршевельского скандала.— Здравствуйте, Настя....

MADAME MEDVEDEVA GOES TO MONTECATINI, RUSSIA TAKES A BATH

via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 3/7/12

MADAME MEDVEDEVA GOES TO MONTECATINI, RUSSIA TAKES A BATH

MADAME MEDVEDEVA GOES TO MONTECATINI, RUSSIA TAKES A BATH
By John Helmer, Moscow This morning Signor Enzo Caderni, the Director of the Grand Hotel & Pace Spa at Montecatini Terme, a well-known establishment in the Tuscan mineral waters resort, has confirmed that the wife of the outgoing president of Russia, Svetlana Medvedeva , has taken his hotel for a personal visit....

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

Ирина Шадрина's Photos
Целься-а-а-а!!!
Есть фотографии, не имеющие подписи автора, как только узнаю чья - обязательно подпишу. Откройте любую фотографию и посмотрите на то, что пишут люди. Ссылки под фото открываются сами по себе! потом надо просто еще раз нажать на фото.

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

Ирина Шадрина's Photos
Теперь правительство в кармане)))
как раньше президент)))
Нужны не дела , а видимость!!!
Есть фотографии, не имеющие подписи автора, как только узнаю чья - обязательно подпишу. Откройте любую фотографию и посмотрите на то, что пишут люди. Ссылки под фото открываются сами по себе! потом надо просто еще раз нажать на фото.

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

Илья Яшин - Почему надо идти на митинг 10 марта
www.youtube.com
Лига избирателей http://www.facebook.com/ligaizbirateley What Can I Do? http://www.facebook.com/WCIDRU

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

Газета.Ru - 10% сверху
www.gazeta.ru
«Лига избирателей» не признала итоги президентских выборов легитимными и подсчитала, что реальный результат Владимира Путина - 53%, а не 63,6%, как утверждает ЦИК. Организация наблюдателей, которая была образована после протестов в декабре, пришла к выводу, что нарушения на выборах были «широкомасшт...

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

BBC Russian - Россия - Правозащитники возмущены словами Клинтон о выборах в РФ
www.bbc.co.uk
Российские правозащитники сочли оскорбительными слова госсекретаря США Хиллари Клинтон, которая назвала Владимира Путина "очевидным победителем президентских выборов" в России.

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

Посольство США в Москве начало выдавать туристические визы россиянам
news.yandex.ru
Обама обязал госдепартамент и министерство внутренней безопасности США упростить процесс выдачи виз и ускорить обработку запросов на выдачу неиммиграционных виз. Приоритетными странами в этом отношении для США являются Китай, Бразилия и Индия.

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* * *

7:59 AM 3/9/2012: “Хлев наш выбрал не зазря В скотоводы упыря: Слышу в каждом слове я Симптомы полнокровия...” http://newtimes.ru/articles/detail/50510/

Mike Nova's starred items

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/9/12

Russian Activists Win Local Office
online.wsj.com
A coalition of independent and opposition activists in Moscow won 71 seats on the capital's district legislative councils, a modest step toward gaining power from the ground up.

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/6/12

Political uncertainly hits Russian shares - FT.com
www.ft.com
Vladimir Putin’s re-election may have been a foregone conclusion but political uncertainty over what he will do now contributed to a sharp fall in Russian shares on Tuesday. Russia’s RTS index lost 4.4 per cent after police in Moscow arrested

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/6/12

Protests following the 2011 Russian elections - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org
The protests following the 2011 Russian elections began as a response to the 2011 Russian legislative election process, which many Russian and foreign journalists, political activists and members of the public considered to be flawed,[9] and the protests continued after the Central Election Commissi...

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(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/6/12

Сергей Колесников: Путин навсегда
www.vedomosti.ru
Хотелось бы ошибиться в реальности силового пути, но представить, что Путин выберет путь в тюрьму, не получается

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/6/12

Россия в 1912 году, в цифрах и картинках - История - Малина MIX
www.malina-mix.com
Россия в 1912 году, в цифрах и картинках

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/5/12

Video of Anti-Putin Protests in Russia
thelede.blogs.nytimes.com
Thousands rallied in Moscow's Pushkin Square on Monday to condemn the election of Vladimir V. Putin as illegitimate, before the riot police made hundreds of arrests.

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/5/12

Russia: U.S. Ambassador’s Fake Twitter Account Wreaks Havoc During Sunday’s Vote · Global Voices
globalvoicesonline.org
A fake Twitter account of the US Ambassador to Russia briefly disrupts US-Russia relations during the March 4 Russian Presidential Election. Donna Welles reports.

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/5/12

Russia now is no better than under the Communists
www.express.co.uk
Express Comment :: Russia now is no better than under the Communists - Breaking news, sport, showbiz, pictures and video from the Daily and Sunday Express newspapers - updated 24/7

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/5/12

Nasha Canada's Photos

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/5/12

Ирина Шадрина's Photos
Мы знаем, как выбрали президента...
Юрий Хейфец
Хлев наш выбрал не зазря...
Сепия
5 марта, 21:11
Хлев наш выбрал не зазря
В скотоводы упыря:
Слышу в каждом слове я
Симптомы полнокровия...
http://newtimes.ru/articles/detail/50510/
Есть фотографии, не имеющие подписи автора, как только узнаю чья - обязательно подпишу. Откройте любую фотографию и посмотрите на то, что пишут люди. Ссылки под фото открываются сами по себе! потом надо просто еще раз нажать на фото.

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/5/12

Ирина Шадрина's Photos
И спрыгнуть нельзя... и стоять страшно,
поневоле заплачешь...
http://newtimes.ru/articles/detail/50725/
Есть фотографии, не имеющие подписи автора, как только узнаю чья - обязательно подпишу. Откройте любую фотографию и посмотрите на то, что пишут люди. Ссылки под фото открываются сами по себе! потом надо просто еще раз нажать на фото.

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 3/5/12

Рустем Адагамов's Photos
Без комментариев
Фото: Алексей Дружинин/РИА Новости

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(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 2/18/12

One Russian Teenager's Disillusionment
www.rferl.org
"Putin's Kiss," a critical documentary about the Russian pro-government youth organization Nashi, is told through the story of teenage leader Masha Drokova.

(title unknown)

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 2/18/12

Nasha Canada's Photos

Russia's Opposition Coalition Falters at the Outset MOSCOW, February 17, 2012...

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 2/17/12

Russia's Opposition Coalition Falters at the Outset
MOSCOW, February 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Opposition parties in Russia have announced plans to form a grand "coalition" of several liberal forces. The process was initiated by the leaders of the unregistered Party of National Freedom (PARNAS), the former prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov, the former first deputy prime minister Boris Nemtsov, and Vladimir Ryzhkov, the former leader of the "Our Home is Russia" party.
Kasyanov and Nemtsov said that negotiations on forming a coalition will take place after the presidential election. The current phase of discussions have been declared as "consultative". Mikhail Kasyanov described the likely outcome as a "broad coalition of liberal Democrats in one megaparty".
Russian financial paper Kommersant yesterday predicted who is likely to enter into the new party: Grigory Yavlinsky's party Yabloko, ex-world chess champion Gary Kasparov's "Solidarity" movement and the remnant of the disbanded Union of Right Forces. The supporters of Alexei Kudrin, Mikhail Prokhorov and Alexei Navalny are also enrolled.
Nemtsov yesterday predicted that the party might be able to command 30% of votes in the next parliamentary elections. However, according to the independent research organization Levada Center, the share of Russians who want to see Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to leave office is just 6%.
Equally problematic for the opposition, the composition of politically disgruntled Russians is extremely divided. The majority of opposition support lies with the left, which is itself divided between support for Gennady Zyuganov, and others who have decided to boycott the elections.
The idea that these disparate forces can be united into one political coalition is being seen in some quarters as more a signal to potential Western sponsors than an appeal to the current political reality. Alexei Navalny's supporters, for example, are far right nationalists who are unlikely ascribe to a liberal set of policies.
As one Kremlin source noted, "without the support of the far right and left, the opposition shrinks to a minority liberal camp. Mikhail Prokhorov, for example, is now clearly in the ascendancy, and after the presidential elections, in which he has a chance of finishing in third place, he will almost certainly form a party of his own."
According to the analysis of the skeptics, Grigory Yavlinsky's Yabloko is the only party that has any appeal beyond a small caucus of Moscow intellectuals. But Yavlinsky has always distanced himself from the liberal ideology, emphasizing the social-democratic character of his party. And because of the personal relationship with the current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Grigory Yavlinsky will never support any radical anti-Putin platform.
On close examination, then, the megablock of liberal parties seems unlikely to achieve anything other than some Western-friendly publicity.
http://www.Russia-Insights.com/
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The head of the Russian Security Council says the country is upgrading its military forces to be better equipped to face modern challenges like terrorism, rather than the global standoff of the Cold War era. Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper asked Nikolai Patrushev about his attitude to a statement by ...

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Putin’s Campaign Promises to Cost $170 Bln
en.rian.ru
Lavish social spending promised by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in his bid to return to the presidency will cost the federal budget at least 5.1 trillion rubles ($170 billion), the Central Bank said.

Russia and The West's Facebook Wall Today, February 17-5, 2012

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Russia and The West's Facebook Wall Today, February 17-5, 2012
Russia and The West's Facebook Wall ‎Today, ‎February ‎17-5, 2012
Russia and The West's Facebook Wall ‎Today, ‎February ‎17, ‎2012, ‏‎1 hour ago 6:31 AM 2/17/2012: Russian Politics - Российская Политика - Russia Blogs - Mike... ‎Today, ‎February ‎17, ‎2012, ‏‎1 hour ago | Russia and The West 6:31 AM 2/17/2012: Russian Politics - Российская Политика - Russia Blogs - Mike Nova's starred items 6:31 AM 2/17/2012: Russian Politics - Российская Политика - Russia Blogs - Mike Nova's starred items Mike...

February 17, 2012 The Iran Conflict Comes To The Caucasus by Brian Whitmore...

via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 2/17/12

February 17, 2012
The Iran Conflict Comes To The Caucasus
by Brian Whitmore
When police in Tbilisi discovered and defused a bomb on the car of an employee of the Israeli Embassy on February 13, it marked the second time in less than a month that the Jewish state's diplomats had become the target of an attack in the South Caucasus.
The other incident came in late January when Azerbaijani security officials said they had foiled an Iranian plot to assassinate the Israeli ambassador, a local rabbi, and other prominent Jews in that country. Police arrested two Azerbaijani nationals in connection with that plot.
In both cases, Iran has been named as the suspected mastermind. Israel publicly accused Tehran of being behind the aborted Tbilisi attack. And officials in Baku said the two Azerbaijani suspects arrested in January had collaborated on the alleged assassination plot with an Iranian citizen connected to that country's security services.
Iran has denied involvement in either incident. But analysts say the two cases illustrate how Georgia and Azerbaijan -- due to their proximity to Iran and their close relations with Israel and the United States -- risk being drawn deeper into the quickly escalating conflict between Tehran on one side and Israel and the West on the other.
"We think of Iran primarily through the lens of the Persian Gulf. But this is a reminder that it also functions as a Caspian and Caucasian power," says Nicholas Gvosdev, a professor of national security studies at the U.S. Naval War College.
"Everyone is focused on Iran's ability to shut down the Strait of Hormuz," he continued. "Well, it can cause problems in the Caucasus, as well, if it so chooses."
Asymmetrical Warfare
The foiled bomb plots in Georgia and Azerbaijan -- as well as recent attacks in India and Thailand -- came amid escalating tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear program, with talk of potential military strikes by the United States or Israel becoming increasingly frequent.
The talk of armed conflict has sparked fears of reprisal attacks in the Caucasus region.
Besik Aladashvili, a Tbilisi-based security analyst, said Georgia could be more vulnerable to attacks similar to the one that was thwarted this week if armed conflict breaks out.
"I do not rule out the possibility that should the United States and Israel launch a military operation against Iran, then Iran will retaliate. This will happen in countries around the world," Aladashvili told RFE/RL's Georgian Service.
"If things escalate -- God forbid -- into an open confrontation, we cannot exclude the possibility of Georgia becoming part of the conflict and terrorist attacks occurring here."
Analysts say Iran is looking to raise the cost of confrontation by carrying out "asymmetrical" attacks on Israeli targets. Tehran is convinced that Israel's intelligence service, Mossad, is behind a series of assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists and is seeking to exact revenge.
Wayne Merry, a former U.S. State Department official who is now senior fellow for Europe and Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, says due to Georgia and Azerbaijan's proximity to and visa-free-travel agreements with Iran, Israeli facilities in those countries will continue to make for tempting targets.
"I think what we are looking at here is a low-level asymmetric conflict between intelligence services -- Iranian and Israeli -- in which the territory and sovereignty of other countries are not well-respected," Merry says.
Baku-Tehran Tensions
Moreover, the saber-rattling between Iran and the West come amid a festering -- albeit thus far low-intensity -- conflict between Tehran and Baku, making Azerbaijan additionally vulnerable.
Much of this stems from Baku's close relations with Tel Aviv, analysts say.
Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country that is home to approximately 9,000 Jews, has exceptionally warm relations with Israel. Azerbaijan provides Israel with the bulk of its oil, while Israel sells Azerbaijan weapons. The close relations have long been an irritant to Iran.
Tehran has also long believed that Azerbaijan is allowing the Mossad to operate freely on its territory.
"The Iranians perceive that Baku is being used by Israel as a base of intelligence operations -- whether electronic listening or sending in and out agents or whatever," Merry says. "In Iran, there is a perception that along its northern perimeter, Azerbaijan is a place that is being used by Israel in its broader rivalry with the Islamic republic."
Earlier this month, Iran summoned Azerbaijan's ambassador in Tehran and accused Baku of assisting Mossad in staging actions across the two country's common border -- specifically, the recent wave of assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists.
Azerbaijan denied those allegations, calling them "absurd" and "slander."
Highlighting Western Ties
Ross Wilson, a former U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan and Turkey, said that in the event of armed conflict between Iran and the West measures will likely need to be taken to protect Azerbaijan from Iranian reprisals.
"As for the position that Azerbaijan finds itself in, I think that is a topic that our leaders -- at the appropriate point and I don't think we're there yet -- will have to have a conversation about," Wilson told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service.
"Azerbaijan will not be the only country, if it comes to this, that is in an extremely difficult situation and will need some help and reassurance."
For their part, Azerbaijani officials appear to be going out of their way to highlight their close relations with Israel and the United States.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited NATO headquarters in Brussels on February 15. Aliyev also met with Israeli President Shimon Peres on January 25 and with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton earlier this month.
Azerbaijani officials have also hinted at territorial claims against Iran, where ethnic Azeris make up the largest minority, with 16 percent of the population. Some legislators have even suggested changing the country's name to "North Azerbaijan," implying that the southern part of Azerbaijan is now an Iranian province.
Azerbaijan's neighbor and rival, Armenia, which has close relations with Iran, has managed to escape being drawn into the tensions thus far. And as Merry explains, this is no accident, due to Tehran's close relations with Yerevan.
"If you look at the three Caucasus states, Iran feels a good deal of bitterness towards Azerbaijan, a good deal of partnership and mutual interest with Armenia, and less so with Georgia," Merry says. "So in terms of choosing priorities for targets, I would suspect that those priorities are reflected."
RFE/RL's Azerbaijani and Georgian services contributed to this report
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty © 2012 RFE/RL, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.rferl.org/content/iran_azerbaijan_caucasus_georgia_assassinations/24487468.html

The Iran Conflict Comes To The Caucasus
www.rferl.org
Incidents involving Jewish diplomats being targeted for attack in the South Caucasus illustrate how Georgia and Azerbaijan risk being drawn into the conflict between Tehran on one side and Israel an...

6:31 AM 2/17/2012: Russian Politics - Российская Политика - Russia Blogs - Mike...

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6:31 AM 2/17/2012: Russian Politics - Российская Политика - Russia Blogs - Mike Nova's starred items
6:31 AM 2/17/2012: Russian Politics - Российская Политика - Russia Blogs - Mike Nova's starred items
Mike Nova's starred items Russian Security Services Erase Role of Magas in 2004 Beslan Attack via Russia Blogs's Facebook Wall by Russia Blogs on 2/15/12 Russian Security Services Erase Role of Magas in 2004 Beslan AttackRussian Security Services Erase Role of Magas in 2004 Beslan AttackOn February 8, the newspaper Kommersant shed light on the current situation of the prominent Ingush militant leader Emir Magas (aka Ali Taziev, Ahmed Yevloev) –...

"Не факт, что Путин победит" via Новости's Facebook Wall by Новости on 2/16/12

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"Не факт, что Путин победит" via Новости's Facebook Wall by Новости on 2/16/12
"Не факт, что Путин победит" via Новости's Facebook Wall by Новости on 2/16/12
Mike Nova's starred items "Не факт, что Путин победит" via Новости's Facebook Wall by Новости on 2/16/12 "Не факт, что Путин победит""Не факт, что Путин победит""Общество изменилось. Миллионы россиян стремятся к честным выборам. Если они будут гарантированы - благодаря работе наблюдателей и давлению манифестаций, - второй тур неизбежен", - говорит лидер молодежного отделения партии "Яблоко" Иван Большаков....

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via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 2/17/12

Analysis: Putin's state sector crackdown short on substance
www.reuters.com
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia's state firms to clean up their act, but without fundamental reforms he may only scratch the surface of endemic graft and conflicts of interest that

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9:12 AM 2/16/2012: Time for Putin 2.0 via Financial Times - Editorial on 2/14/12

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9:12 AM 2/16/2012: Time for Putin 2.0 via Financial Times - Editorial on 2/14/12
9:12 AM 2/16/2012: Time for Putin 2.0 via Financial Times - Editorial on 2/14/12
Time for Putin 2.0 via Financial Times - Editorial on 2/14/12 The task facing Russia can be summed up in one word – heard often from the current president but rarely the prime minister himself: modernisation High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article....

8:23 AM 2/16/2012: NYT on Russia: “The Enablers - Letter: Russia’s Veto on Syria...

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8:23 AM 2/16/2012: NYT on Russia: “The Enablers - Letter: Russia’s Veto on Syria - Op-Ed Contributor: Putin’s Critics Hit Big With YouTube via NYT > Global Opinion by By SAMUEL RACHLIN on 2/16/12
8:23 AM 2/16/2012: NYT on Russia: “The Enablers - Letter: Russia’s Veto on Syria - Op-Ed Contributor: Putin’s Critics Hit Big With YouTube via NYT > Global Opinion by By SAMUEL RACHLIN on 2/16/12
The Enablers via NYT > Editorials by on 2/13/12 China, Russia and India are resisting international action against Syria and Iran. February 14, 2012 The Enablers China, Russia and India see themselves as global leaders. So why have they been enabling two dangerous regimes, Syria and Iran, to continue on destructive paths?...

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via Russia and The West's Facebook Wall by Russia and The West on 2/15/12

Touch Russia 2012 - Photo Competition
"Both touching and above Russia from a Petersburg rooftop as the sun sets over the city on an evening in June, 2011." (Photo by Kathleen O'Rourke)
To celebrate the beginning of a new year with RBTH and the addition of our iPad app Touch Russia to our RBTH family, we invite you to take part in the first edition of the Touch Russia Photo Competition. Cody White has travelled around Russia literally touching all things Russian (http://touchrussia.tumblr.com/). Now it’s your turn to touch Russia! Send us a photo showing us how you “touch Russia” and you might win an American Apparel T-shirt with RBTH’s logo. You can be as original and creative as you wish, and you can interpret the sentence “touch Russia” in many different ways. The photo does not need to have been taken in Russia, so you really have no excuses. Get your camera and show us how you touch Russia! You have time until the 20th of February 2012 to submit your beautiful, touchable, heart-touching photos by sending them to ipad@rbth.ru. All the photos will be published in this special Facebook album, so don’t miss the opportunity!