VIDEO REPORTS
Dissident Russian Artist To Seek Asylum In Czech Republic
Founding member of the art collective Voina Oleg Vorotnikov says he plans to apply for political asylum in the Czech Republic after being detained in Prague on September 21 and faced with possible extradition to Russia.
VOX POP: Muscovites Brace For Rising Housing Costs
Russians responding to an informal street poll in Moscow expressed concern about the possibility of increasing housing costs, saying this is a common occurrence after elections. (In Russian, Current Time TV)
On a Norwegian island high in the Arctic Circle, the town of Barentsburg is home to about 500 people and a single loss-making coal mine, but Russia appears determined to keep it going.
Turkmenistan's Megalomaniac Airport
Turkmenistan has opened an opulent new airport capable of handling 17 million passengers a year, even though a mere 100,000 people visit the country annually.
OTHER NEWS
The Power Vertical: The Ministry Of Putin Preservation
The era of Vladimir Putin appears to be entering a new and more sinister phase.
Naryshkin Named New Foreign Spy Boss
President Vladimir Putin has appointed parliament speaker Sergei Naryshkin to lead Russia’s foreign intelligence agency, the latest in a series of personnel firings, appointments, and reshuffles inside the Kremlin.
Volodin Appointed State Duma Speaker
Deputy chief of presidential administration Vyacheslav Volodin has been named the new chairman of the parliament’s lower chamber, pending a vote by the Duma.
Tsar Putin? Zhirinovsky Remark Raises Eyebrows
Flamboyant ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky seemed to liken Russian President Vladimir Putin to a tsar, quoting from an Imperial-era Russian anthem at an awards ceremony at the Kremlin on September 22.
Poroshenko Proposes Stripping Russia Of UN Veto Power
In remarks to the UN on September 21, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko proposed that countries that take part in conflicts, including Russia specifically, be stripped of their veto power over the Security Council. (In Ukrainian)
Stalin Bust Opens Old Wounds In Siberian City
Local activists from the nationalist movement Russky Dukh (Russian Spirit) have erected a bust of Josef Stalin on the embankment of the Ob River, even as a monument to victims of political repression is planned to open just meters away.
Blatant Violations Threaten Validity Of Vote In North Caucasus
While the overall outcome of Russia's State Duma elections came as no surprise, variations in the campaign, voter turnout, and results in the North Caucasus underscore important political differences among the various republics.
UN Rapporteur Says Azerbaijani Civil Society Facing ‘Worst Situation’ in 25 Years
Michel Forst, the UN's special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, said after a visit to the South Caucasus on September 22 that government pressure has “paralyzed” journalists and rights activists.
Former Georgian Premier Sentenced Again
Former Georgian Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili has been found guilty of yet another crime and sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison.
MOST READ/RUSSIA: A Russian Maidan Group Awaits A Leader
The Slavic Union of the Russian Maidan, a small ultra-right organization in St. Petersburg that formed following Ukraine’s Maidan uprising and maintains contacts with Ukrainian far-right nationalists, is seeking a worthy leader. The group espouses violence, citing the absence of the rule of law in Russia and the nature of the ruling regime. (Over 50k views on Russian Service website)
SPECIAL REPORT: The Many Faces Of Nadia Savchenko
INFOGRAPHIC: Six Months Of Air Strikes