Russia Launches Campaign Against a Blogger

Recently, Savva Terentyev, a citizen of the town of Siktivkar, 22, was charged for the first Russian case of posting abusive comments in the popular online blog LiveJournal.com. It all started with an insult of the Russian police, but Russia is charging him with "inciting racial and religious hatred and word abusing of law-enforcement authorities."

The spokesman of the Siktivkar Court said that “thorough text expertise concluded Terentyev’s comment to incite hatred on base of religious, political or cultural differences, and also to abuse people publicly by means of mass media”.

"In case proved guilty, Terentyev will be either charged the fine of 4 up to 12 thousand dollars or will have to pay off his 1 to 2-year minimum salary, or will be forced to obligatory work for 180 hours. The case started a year ago, when Terentyev posted a comment in the blog of one of komi’s journalist. The comment was a rough offence to the police. In a few days Terentyev’s apartment was raided and system block with floppies was withdrawn."

To read the full story, click here.

This shows just how controlled public speech and also that civil liberties are severely limited. I found this an interesting article because it is based around a blog post that resulted in such a huge "crime." A story like this makes one appriciate the fact that our government in the US can't charge the public with crimes like this yet.

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Medvedev Reaches Out to Future U.S. Leader

Medvedev, who is predicted to be Russia's next president, "reached out, sort of, to Washington on Tuesday, saying he was willing to work with any future American president who isn't stuck in the past and doesn't have "semi-senile views." "Although of course it's easier to work with people who have modern positions, and not with those who have glints of the past in their eyes, who frequently profess such semi-senile views," he added.

Although Dmitry Medevedev is most likely to become the next president, there are many who critizice and some are even going to boycott the coming elections. "Garry Kasparov called out to Western nations to snub President Vladimir Putin's hand-picked successor, Dmitry Medvedev, and called for a boycott of Sunday's election and protests the following day." Also, a leading Russian human rights advocate and watchdog Amnesty International joined in the criticism of a presidential campaign that has been heavily tilted in Medvedev's favor.

"Kasparov's political movement plans protests on Monday in St. Petersburg and Moscow, despite a ban by Moscow authorities. Police have violently broken up such demonstrations in the past, and he predicted more riot police than demonstrators.Meanwhile, Sergei Kovalyov, a leading human rights advocate and Soviet-era political prisoner, sent an open letter to Putin and other officials calling the electoral process a "tasteless farce." He said the current situation in Russia is "a dead end from which not one path leads to democracy.""

To read the full story, click here.

Now, when Russia had a chance to demonstrate a few qualities od democracy, they cannot even achieve that. All the while, Medvedev's existent, even though it is vague, offers hope for improved international relationships and better dealings specifically with Western nations like the US.

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Russia Accuses Election Monitors of Holding Bias

"Russia's chief election manager has accused foreign observers of bias ahead of Sunday's presidential election. "Some international observers come to Russia with ready-made conclusions and opinions which have nothing in common with reality," Vladimir Churov said." They will be the only Western observers to monitor the Russian polls.

"Earlier this month, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe - the continent's main election watchdog - said it would boycott the polls because of Moscow-imposed restrictions." Lately, the OSCE and Russia have been having disputes the "size and scope of the observers' mission." In turn, "Russia's foreign ministry has called the monitors' decision "unacceptable"."

To read the full story, click here.

Although Medvedev is an almost gaurunteed to be the succesor of Putin, claims that the elections were influenced by forces to make the results untrue could result in violent civil strife and protests. This could also lead to international powers to challalenge Medvedev's right to rule.

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Orthodox Church Unholy Alliance with Putin

"Russia's Orthodox Church, despite decades of brutal repression under Soviet rule, is putting its trust in the KGB to ensure that a remarkable religious revival does not fade with the departure of President Vladimir Putin." The Church even "endorsed deputy prime minister Dmitry Medvedev ahead of next week's presidential election." This is a very strong move seeing that Alexei II, the Church's patriarch, holds sway over 100 million voters.

"The relationship might seem odd. It was the KGB, after all, that led persecution of the Church in Soviet times, when priests were regularly jailed, tortured and executed. Neither this nor accusations that Mr Putin is restoring many of the attributes of Soviet rule seem to bother Alexei.Although he has never confirmed it, the patriarch, like the president, is a former KGB agent codenamed Drozdov, according to Soviet archives opened to experts in the 1990s."

"The number of Russians who identify themselves as Orthodox has doubled in the past decade, with two-thirds of the 140 million population proclaiming the faith - quite a feat after seven decades of official atheism.Yet most Russians say they follow Orthodoxy for national rather than moral reasons. Deeply patriotic and with a declared intention of making Russia great again, the Church has milked the sentiment.Priests are regularly seen on television sprinkling holy water on bombers and even nuclear missiles, a blessing that reinforces Mr Putin's own militaristic philosophy."

To read the full story, click here.

Since this story comes from a British news source, there is a slightly degrading tone against Russia which tells a news story but also illustrates the national ill-will between the two countries. On the subject of the story itself, the act of the Church endorsing a political candidate shows just how tied the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian government are.

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Russia Could Use Force in Kosovo

Russia's ambassador to Nato, Dmitry Rogozin, has stated that if the dispute over Kosovo independence continues, Russia could potentially use military force. "If the EU develops a unified position or if Nato exceeds its mandate set by the UN, then these organisations will be in conflict with the UN," he said. While many members of the EU support Kosovo's independence, there remain several who are strongly opposed. "Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, backs Serbia, which has condemned the independence declaration issued by the Kosovo parliament on 17 February."

"On Tuesday members of the Serb minority in Kosovo attacked two border posts staffed by UN personnel and Kosovo police. The violence led the Nato troops in Kosovo - known as K-For - to reinforce the border with Serbia." This increase in violence could be the spark Russia needs to claim the use of brute force.

Even the Russian media is speaking out. "A commentary in the Vesti Plus analytical programme, on state-run television, called the assassinated former Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, a Western puppet who had "received a well-deserved bullet". It said Djindjic had sold national heroes to the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. The programme concluded that Serbia - and not only Serbia - must now decide whether to acquiesce in what has happened, or resist."

To read the full story, click here.

With Russia already politically chaffing with the UK, this could bring conflict with Russia and the rest of the world. If they do employ military force, there is a likely chance that other nations will react in hopes of preserving an independent Kosovo.

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Medvedev Accuses UK Organization of Spying

In an interview with the weekly Itogi, Putin's likely succesor, Dmitry Mevedev accused the British Council and foreign NGO with spying on Russia. Medvedev's strong comments came as a somewhat suprise, as he "has tended to take a less confrontational tone with the West than Putin, leading to speculation that his expected election on March 2 might ease tension that has built up in recent years."

"Medvedev suggested supporting Russian actions that led the British Council -- an international cultural body funded by the British government -- to suspend operations at its offices in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Moscow said the offices were operating illegally. "If someone allows you in their home, act decently," Medvedev said in the interview published on Itogi's Web site." He went on to say,"After all, it's known that state-financed structures like the British Council ... conduct a mass of other activities that are not so widely advertised. Among other things, they are involved in gathering information and conducting intelligence activity."

This confrontation has further poisoned the already less than cordial relationship between Britian and Russia that is "already strained by both countries' refusal to hand over suspects for prosecution. Raising memories of Soviet-style scare tactics, Russian staff of the council were interviewed at night by Russian police and intelligence agents."

"Medvedev also rejected Western accusations that Russia uses its energy riches as a tool in political blackmail, saying similar charges could just as easily be pressed against the United States."If one so desired, one could call the U.S. a financial aggressor and economic terrorist for forcing its currency and its business standards on the world," he said."


To read the full story, click here.


Russia seems to be digging itself into a whole with its hostile attitude toward the Western nations. This also shows that Medvedev will not improve Russian ties with Britian as it was thought for some time. Not only will they not improve with Britian, making claims against the US like the one that he did could spark even more international issues for Russia.


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Gazprom Threatens Ukraine Gas Cut

"Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has warned Ukraine it will reduce its gas supplies from next Monday if a $1.5bn (£772m) gas debt is not paid off." They say that this would affect only 25% of the country's total fuel supply.


On Wednesday, Ukraine joined the World Trade Organisation after 14 years of negotiations. Russia is the world's only major economy not to be a member.


This leads to claims Gazprom is also being accused of making this warning for political reasons, but Mr Kochevrin, the Gazprom spokesman, insisted "We're a commercial company: our investors won't understand if our profits fall."


To read the full story, click here.

Lately, Russia's government and businesses have been uncomfortabley chaffing with its surrounding nations and the larger power of the world. Aside from negatively impacting the Ukraine, this act will most likely further the already declining international opinion of Russia.

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Ex-Yukos Manager to Get Treatment

"A gravely ill former top manager of Russia's disbanded oil giant Yukos is to be transferred from jail to a clinic, prison officials say." Previously, he was denied medical treatement outside of the prison and his former boss, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, claimed that it was a punishment for not testifying. Then, he went on a hunger strike in hope that Vasily Aleksanyan might get the treatment in order to survive his stay in prison. "Mr Aleksanyan's lawyers say he has developed serious health complications and is nearly blind."


"Aleksanyan is currently being tried in Moscow on charges of embezzlement. The move to transfer him to hospital follows pressure from human rights activists on Russia's prison service. It reverses Wednesday's court ruling, which said that Mr Aleksanyan should be treated in jail."


To read the article in its entirety, click here.


This shows that, even in Russia, protests and political pressure from unions and activists can create positive results. Now, Aleksanyan will remain in custody, but attain the medical help he needed to survive AIDS and his near blindness.

NOTE: Neither Aleksanyan’s lawyers nor his family have been informed of his location, nor have they received confirmation that he is receiving treatment for AIDS as required by repeated injunctions of the European Court of Human Rights. One of Aleksanyan’s lawyers, Drew Holiner said: “We are very concerned about Vasily. We have no idea where he has been taken, and this is particularly alarming given Vasily’s repeated statements that he has been placed under pressure to give false testimony by investigators."For more information, go to www.mka-london.co.uk


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Film on Putin's Life

"A new film purported to be based on President Vladimir Putin's normally very private life is soon to be released in Russia." Although it does not mirror the Putin's private life, it bears a strong resemblance. "Its fictional hero is a German-speaking St Petersburg Russian with a secretive job who marries a stewardess, has two daughters and rises to the presidency. The film was completed five years ago, but there has been speculation that the Kremlin delayed its release until now, weeks before President Putin leaves office."

"Very little is known of President Putin's private life. His wife Ludmila rarely appears in public, and there are very few pictures of his grown-up daughters Maria and Katerina. Some of the film's key scenes appear to recreate Vladimir Putin's first meeting with Ludmila, their marriage in 1983 and their move to Dresden in Germany where he worked for the KGB, reports say."

To see the article in its entirety, click here.

This article will provide a more personal look at Putin and it has the capacity to carry Russian pride and feeling of familiarity to bring an increased desire to see him become Prime Minister after the March elections. Although the Kremlin was not consulted about the film, it is apparently kind in its opinion to Putin, his family, and his politics.

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