Stories about Russian from July, 2013
Crooks, Thieves and the Independent Mayors Who Run Russia
The mayor of Yaroslavl will spend the next two months behind bars on extortion charges. A former United Russia member who ran as an opposition-friendly independent, Evgeny Urlashov won the mayor’s seat roughly a year ago in a highly publicized election that seemed to mark a highpoint in the 2011-2012-winter protest movement.
The New Despicableness of Doubting Navalny
Alexey Navalny's closing statement in a trial that could land him in prison for up to six years was a stinging, poignant speech against the current government, which he called...
Turkmens Appalled, J Lo Performs for Their President's Grand Birthday
Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov got a fine 56th birthday present at the end of last month in the form of a concert starring Jennifer Lopez held at Turkmenistan's $2 billion state palace. But many ordinary Turkmens registered disgust at the display of opulence in a country where the average salary hovers around $200 per month.
Domestic Violence in Kyrgyzstan
Most girls and women in Kyrgyzstan are afraid of leaving their homes alone when it gets dark, believing that a dark street is the most frequent crime scene in the...
Game Over for the US Airbase in Kyrgyzstan?
After over a decade of scandal, intrigue and significant contributions to the state coffers, the Kyrgyzstani people are preparing for the consummation of their love-hate relationship with the American military installation located on the outskirts of their capital, Bishkek.
How Edward Snowden Divides Russians
When Edward Snowden left Hong Kong for Moscow, it placed Russia at the center of what had primarily been an American story. For Russians, his prolonged stay in Sheremetyevo has turned the question of what should be done with him from academic to practical, as his fate now rests largely in Russia's hands.
Russia's #1 Social Network Attacked Abroad
On June 26, 2013 VKontakte co-founder Nikolai Durov reported that Ukrainian authorities have seized the company's Ukrainian servers.
The Day Russia's Libraries Stood Still
On July 2, 2013 three of Russia's popular online libraries blocked user access to their websites and collections as a way to protest a new law aimed at combating internet piracy: "On their side is money, power and congenital brain failure. On ours -- technology, science and the aspirations of millions of people."
Russia's Amnesty Proposal Tests Entrepreneurial Attitudes
Boris Titov, the Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs’ Rights, has proposed an amnesty program for economic crimes. Under his plan, some 10,000 men and women incarcerated for economic crimes would be freed. Not everyone on the RuNet, however, thinks it's such a great idea.
