Posted by Matt in May 15th, 2008 |
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Published in
Russia,
War,
Abkhazia,
Ally,
Fear,
Georgia,
Georgia Russia,
Kodori Gorge,
Kosovo,
kremlin,
Mikheil Saakashvili,
Plausible Explanation,
Propaganda,
Serbia
A more plausible explanation of Russia’s propaganda offensive and increase in the numbers of both regular and irregular forces in Abkhazia is not fear of a Georgian attack, but plans for the opposite: an attempt to retake the Kodori Gorge. This would humiliate, perhaps topple, Georgia’s pro-Western president, Mikheil Saakashvili. Russia would see it as [...]
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Posted by Matt in May 13th, 2008 |
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Published in
Russia,
Banner,
Communist Symbols,
Economy,
Former President,
Inaugural Address,
infrastructure,
Key Role,
kremlin,
Medvedev,
militarism,
Military Flag,
Nostalgia,
Political Opposition,
Presidency,
Realization,
Russia Flag,
Russians,
Soviet Anthem,
Style Control,
Virtual One
Former president Putin initiated Russia’s move to regain “great power” status by consolidating Soviet-style control over resources, infrastructure, the economy, and security. He used the Kremlin’s full powers to quash all serious political opposition by recreating a virtual one-party state. He tapped national nostalgia by restoring former communist symbols such as the Soviet anthem and [...]
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Posted by Matt in May 10th, 2008 |
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Published in
Russia,
Assets,
Billions,
Civil Freedoms,
democracy,
Dmitry Medvedev,
Easy Access,
Elections,
European Union,
Imperial Russia,
kremlin,
Loyalists,
Media Freedom,
New President,
Nihilism,
Predecessor,
Proclamations,
putin,
Signs,
United States
Dmitry Medvedev may be the new president, but his predecessor is still the one with power.
We can expect a few proclamations and perhaps even token policy changes. Unfortunately, the early signs show that Medvedev’s statement about developing civil freedoms and ending “legal nihilism” were only a show for the West. Such displays are needed to [...]
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Posted by Matt in May 9th, 2008 |
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Published in
Russia,
Anniversary,
Armed Forces,
Cadets,
Dmitry Medvedev,
Flag Carriers,
Germany In World War Ii,
Honour Guard,
kremlin,
Military Honour,
Military Parade,
moscow,
Moscow Russia,
New President,
Prime Minister,
Red Flag,
Red Square,
Russian Federation,
State Duma,
Victory,
Vladimir Putin,
world-war-II
Russia’s new President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have surveyed a massive military parade in Moscow’s Red Square a day after the State Duma confirmed Putin in the premiership.
Flag-carriers from a military honour guard led the parade to mark the 63rd anniversary of Russia’s victory over Germany in World war II.
The cadets carried [...]
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Posted by Matt in May 8th, 2008 |
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Published in
Russia,
Boris Yeltsin,
Gesture,
kremlin,
Medvedev,
New President,
Presidency,
Prime Minister,
Principal Leader,
putin,
Russia,
Signals,
Trappings,
Vladimir Putin
When Boris Yeltsin left the Kremlin eight years ago, he gave Vladimir Putin the pen he had used to sign important documents and decrees, a gesture symbolizing the transfer of power to Russia’s new president. When Putin left the Kremlin, he took the pen with him. Putin, who became prime minister Thursday, has signaled that [...]
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Posted by Matt in May 3rd, 2008 |
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Published in
Russia,
Aggression,
Czech-Republic,
Democracy And Human Rights,
Dmitry Medvedev,
Eminence,
kremlin,
Missile Defenses,
Missiles,
NATO,
New President,
Nuclear Balance,
Nuclear Strike,
Poland,
Russia,
Russian President,
Southern Borders,
Superpowers,
Suspicions,
Tensions,
Vortex
Russia’s new president, Dmitry Medvedev, is stepping into the vortex of the superpowers’ race for global pre-eminence. Here are some of the challenges he faces.
NATO AND MISSILES
NATO’s readiness to give Georgia and Ukraine eventual membership has exacerbated Kremlin suspicions that the West’s goal is to surround and weaken Russia. Lately tensions have escalated along Russia’s [...]
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Posted by Matt in May 2nd, 2008 |
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Published in
Europe,
Bilateral Relations,
Bulgaria,
Divide And Rule,
E.U.,
European Union,
Game,
Gdp,
Germany,
Greece,
Italy,
kremlin,
Neighbour,
Netherlands,
Population,
Russia,
Trillion,
Waffle
The European Union cannot agree over how to deal with Russia. That suits the Kremlin just fine
SEEN from outside, one might imagine that the European Union (population 495m, GDP of $16.8 trillion) was a rather intimidating neighbour for Russia (population 142m, GDP of $1.3 trillion). Yet the reality is the other way round. In recent [...]
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Posted by Matt in April 30th, 2008 |
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Published in
Russia,
Abkhazia,
Breakaway,
Central Government,
Georgia,
Georgia Russia,
Georgian Authorities,
Kodori Gorge,
kremlin,
Military Presence,
Peacekeepers,
Soviet Republic,
Surveillance Drone,
Tbilisi,
Video Footage
GEORGIA and Russia agree upon one thing: the situation in the breakaway province of Abkhazia is bad and getting worse. Georgia, an ex-Soviet republic with close links to America, says that Russia is illegally putting more troops in the region. Last week it produced video footage of what looks like a Russian warplane shooting down [...]
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Posted by Matt in April 7th, 2008 |
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Making a surprise appearance at a news conference Friday, Putin also said he was “in general satisfied with the discussion” with world leaders at the NATO summit in Bucharest, where diplomats had feared that Putin would harshly criticize their governments’ support of U.S. plans to place components of a missile-defense system in Central Europe and [...]
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Posted by Matt in April 9th, 2007 |
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It’s good business for them, but the Kremlin’s customer list is controversial: Venezuela, Iran, and China have received shipments.
For President Vladimir Putin, reviving defense exports is a good way to boost international respect for Russia. He also considers it good business. Russian arms sales have risen steadily since 2001, the year after Putin came to [...]
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