Stories about Russia from June, 2007
Latvia: The Battles of Cesis
An outstanding post by Marginalia‘s Peteris Cedrins on the history of Latvia's the Battles of Cesis – as well as some musings on the Internet vs real libraries: “Though I adore and am addicted to the Internet — I would rather my mind resembled a library than looked like cyberspace....
Estonia, Russia: Echo of a Childhood War
Itching for Eestimaa looks at the European leaders’ childhood years, in order to find an explanation for some of their current policies: “The young Putin learned that Estonians were fascist betrayers. Can anyone wonder why Russia now sees Estonia in the light, even though to most of us the concepts...
Russia: Moscow's Top Secret and Other Exaggerations
According to a recent survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Moscow is “the world’s most expensive city for expatriates for the second consecutive year.” To Moscow locals, however, Mercer’s findings may look a bit like an exaggeration - and one blogger explains why. Another blogger happens to cross paths with Vladimir Putin's motorcade in Moscow, getting a glimpse (and a few furtive photos) of the exaggerated security measures taken to secure the president's passage through the city.
Soviet History: Speeches Made on June 22-23, 1941
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis posts four speeches – by Adolf Hitler, Vyacheslav Molotov, Winston Churchill, and Sumner Welles – that were delivered on 22-23 June 1941.
Russia: Expat Living in Russia
The Turkish Invasion writes on the cost and quality of housing, food and night life in Moscow (the most expensive city in the world, according to a recent report).
Russia: Kadyrov on Putin
Sean's Russia Blog highlights Ramzan Kadyrov's views on Putin and democracy: “Why can Kazakhstan have a president-for-life? Or Turkmenistan? Why can't Russia have one too?”
Russia: June 22, 1941
“Statistics show that the memory of June 22, 1941 is being forgotten by Russia’s younger generation,” writes Sean's Russia Blog about the day on which Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union began.
Russia: Aleksandr Baurov
TOL's Romantic reports on another prominent Russian Gypsy: Aleksandr Baurov.
Eastern & Central Europe: U.S. States’ GDPs
U.S. states have been renamed for countries with similar GDPs and the new map has been posted at Strange Maps: Russia is New Jersey, Ukraine is Idaho, Belarus is Alaska, Poland is Missouri, Czech Republic is Nebraska, Hungary is New Mexico, Romania is Delaware, Croatia is South Dakota.
Russia, EU: Visa Regime
As the EU eases its visa regime with Russia, TOL's Steady State writes about those who don't seem to appreciate this initiative.
Russia: Grigori Yavlinsky
No single candidate for Russia's “liberal opposition” – Mark MacKinnon reports on Grigori Yavlinsky's decision to run for president in 2008: “Can he really be this vain and out of touch with reality? […] A decent man, who might have been Russian president if the Russian people admired him even...
Russia: Detective Novel Review
Edward Lucas posts a review of Martin Cruz Smith's detective novel set in Russia.
Russia: Lost ATM Card
A horror story, almost, from Darkness At Noon: you're in Russia, and you use one of those ATM machines that gives you the money first and then returns your card, and you take the money but forget about the card – and then the horror begins: “Do you mean to...
Ukraine, Russia: Dugin's Views
Ukrainiana translates a “Eurasian” perspective on Victor Yushchenko's Ukraine.
Russia: 1985 Assault on Rembrandt
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about a Lithuanian man who, in 1985, threw sulfuric acid at the most valued painting in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.
Russia, U.S.: Victims of Communism Memorials
Sean's Russia Blog writes about two recently consecrated memorials to the victims of Communism – one in Russia, the other in the United States.
G8 Summit: Is the world a better place yet?
The G8 (+5) met in Heiligendamm, Germany last week. The world's richest countries came to agreements on climate change and poverty in Africa that are unlikely to satisfy most critics of global capitalism. Global Voices has linked to comments from India, Russia, and Africa in the past week. And people...
Russia: Landslide in the Valley of Geysers
A detailed report, in Russian AND in English, with photos, on the June 3 landslide that damaged much of Kamchatka's Valley of Geysers – by LJ user spanishflyer (Andrei Leonov).
Serbia: Kosovo Independence
TOL's Steady State discusses different aspects of the Kosovo independence situation.
Former Soviet Union: Victims of Communism Memorial
As the Victims of Communism Memorial opens Washington, D.C., J. Otto Pohl lists “the nationalities deported in their virtual entirety by the Soviet government from their homelands to distant areas of the USSR”: “In total they numbered nearly 2,000,000 people. Over 500,000 of them or more than one in four...
Russia: Peter Tatchell Interview
The Gist‘s Michelangelo Signorile posts a link to his interview with British activist Peter Tatchell, who “was severely beaten at an attempted Moscow Gay Pride event on Sunday, May 27.”
