Stories about Russian from September, 2010
Russia: Landscape and Trends of Online Transparency Initiatives
Alexey Sidorenko analyzes the five main groups of the Russian transparency projects: official and semi-official transparency websites; chaotic transparency communities; online representation of civil activism NGOs; next-generation transparency and civil rights activism social networks; and Ushahidi-based projects.
Russia: Moscow Mayor's Dismissal
Today, the main topic of all discussions in the RuNet is the dismissal of Yuri Luzhkov, mayor of Moscow. While some bloggers (1 [RUS], 2 [RUS]) consider it a victory...
Russia: Shnurov's “Khimki Forest” Song
A Good Treaty writes about and translates Sergei Shnurov's “Khimki Forest” song, “an obvious satire of liberal-leaning musicians prone to activist art.”
Russia: Controversy On Twitter Use in the Government
Russian General Prosecutor's Office registered [RUS] a Twitter-account @genproc [RUS]. Previously [RUS], Federal Anti-monopoly Service got @rus_fas [RUS] account. While more than 20 high [RUS] Russian officials already started tweeting, country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is...
Belarus President Refused to Start a Blog
Blogger pilgrim-67 sarcastically comments [RUS] on Alexander Lukashenko's decision not to start a blog [RUS]: “That's a pity. I would be excited to read about Belarus cows and gaz wars in his blog […]...
Russia: Intellectual Property Rights as NGO Prosecution Tool?
Rebecca MacKinnon calls for revising software copyright policy following the story in Irkutsk, where local authorities used the excuse of struggling against illegal software to confiscate local NGO's computers. Irkutsk...
Russia: Vladikavkaz Market, Sept. 12
Twenty-one photos from the Vladikavkaz market, three days after the Sept. 9 terrorist attack – by LJ user farniev-kostya (RUS).
Russia: Bloggers Create Alternative Website to Discuss Police Reform
In addition to the official website to discuss police reform [RUS], bloggers had created an alternative one [RUS]. After proposing and discussing the amendments (the list with the illustrations here [RUS]) to the police reform draft...
Russia: Cyrillic Domain Reveal Putin's Plans for 2012
Federal Security Service (FSO) had registered more Cyrillic domains than any other company in the country (including “блог.рф” (“blog.rf”) and “письма.рф” (“letters.rf”), see full list), Vedomosti.ru reported [RUS]. Lenta.ru adds that FSO...
Russia: Happy Birthday @KremlinRussia! ;)
On September 14, 2010, the Russian president celebrated his 45th birthday. It was his third birthday as president. In 2010 wishes and congrats poured in from all over the world, in their hundreds, not only from official phone calls but also from Twitter. Yelena Osipova analyzed the Twitter-o-sphere's reaction.
Russia: Officials Embrace Twitter. By mistake
Yelena Osipova reviews some notable examples of the use of social media by Russian politicians.
Russia: Paid and Unpaid Bloggers Against the Moscow Mayor
An ongoing TV and online campaign against Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov is now one of the most discussed topics both in the mainstream and citizen media. Most bloggers appear to support the attack on the politician. Alexey Sidorenko analyzes the main patterns of the discussion.
Caucasus: Expedition 206
Having already visited Georgia, Expedition 206 arrived in Armenia. The initiative, sponsored by Coca-Cola, will see three bloggers visit 206 countries in 365 days. iReport [AM] posts photographs as well...
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Backseat musical musings… and ethnic conflict
With the broadcast media heavily controlled in both Armenia and Azerbaijan there are few avenues left for independent journalists. Bloggers in both countries, however, react to a video posted online.
Georgia: Crossing into Abkhazia
drugoi [RU] posts an account of crossing into the breakaway territory of Abkhazia. Recognized by only four UN member states since the 2008 Russia-Georgia war over South Ossetia, the post...
Russia: Pluses and Minuses of Putin's Regime
Blogger rusanalit sums up [RUS] 10 years of Vladimir Putin's direct and indirect (after president Medvedev's election) reign. Pluses, among others, include: creation of the Stabilization Fund [EN], finishing Chechen...
Russia: Bloggers Discuss the Market Bombing in North Ossetia
A suicide car bombing outside a market in Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia-Alania, killed at least 18 people and wounded over 100 on Sept. 9. Below is a selection of blog posts that appeared after the attack.
Russia: Tens of Thousands of Muslims Celebrate Uraza Bairam
Bloggers share pictures [RUS] and video [RUS] of the unusually populous celebrations of Uraza Bairam (internationally known as Eid ul-Fitr [EN]), an important Muslim holiday. Paul Goble notes [EN] critical reactions...
Russia: Pictures of Burnt Villages in Volgograd Region
Photoblogger Igor Podgorny posts [RUS] apocalyptic pictures of the burnt fields, forests, and villages in the Volgograd region, that suffered from the second wave of wildfires.
Russia: Bloggers Expose Pro-Kremlin Youth Movement
Blogger fritzmorgen posts[RUS] pictures of Anastasia Denisenko, a regional leader of “Molodaya Gvardia”, Russian pro-Kremlin youth movement. The movement officially agitates against alcoholism and drug abuse, although the unofficial pictures...
Russia: Bloggers Clash With the Ruling Party
The Russian Internet community's response to the wildfires was accompanied with a high level of hostility and direct clashes between netizens and pro-government activists. Gregory Asmolov analyzes the conflict and suggests a strong linkage between the degree of online cooperation and the way online sources presented the role of the government in the wildfires disaster.
