Stories about Russia from September, 2008
Russia-Georgia: Reflections on Russian Military Operations
Wu Wei reflects upon the Russian military operations against Georgia following the escalation in South Ossetia into full-scale war and poses questions about mistakes made on both sides.
Eastern Europe: Blogs in German on the Slavic Triangle
Krusenstern presents [GER] a list of 24 blogs in German about Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
Russia-Georgia: Arkady Babchenko interview
From the Frontline directs attention to a translation of an interview from Neue Zürcher Zeitung with Russian Novaya Gazeta journalist and photographer Arkady Babchenko about his coverage of the war in South Ossetia.
Russia: Intravenous Drug Use Leading Cause of HIV/AIDS
While sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most heavily affected by HIV, a UNAIDS report says that some of the most worrisome increases in new infections are happening in other places, such as Russia. Many HIV/AIDS experts have also expressed concerns that Russia, as well as other former Soviet Union states,...
Armenia: Competing Opposition Ideologies
Unzipped comments on statements from the leader of the Marxist party in Armenia that God and Russia are considered to be the solution to the problems faced by most of the population. The blog says such statements are embarrasing for the opposition and raises questions about the conflicting positions of...
Russia: Where did the votes go?
Osteuropablog accounts for [GER] an article in Kommersant, stating that information about election results have disappeared from the website of Russia's Central Election Commission.
Russia: BP gets off scots free?
Steve LeVine of The Oil and The Glory comments on the apparent reasons why BP seems to have reached an agreement on its Russian assets in TNK-BP.
Russia: Merger of opposition parties
Osteuropablog discusses [GER] a story in Rosbalt on plans among Russian opposition parties to merge into a single party.
Estonia: Russians calling for autonomy
Eternal Remont comments on a story in Vesti Dnya, reporting the birth of an organisation calling for territorial autonomy of ehtnic Russians in Estonia.
Belarus, Ukraine, Russia: Chernobyl Photo Essay
Chernobyl and Eastern Europe links to a photo essay created by teenagers from Belarus, Ukraine and Russia for the International Conference on Chernobyl held in Belarus in April 2006: “It is interesting to see these images – effects of the Chernobyl disaster as seen through the eyes of the children.”
Ukraine, Russia: Politics and Gas
Kremlin, Inc writes about “how the deepening political crisis will affect the ongoing talks between Naftogaz and Gazprom concerning the price of imported natural gas for Ukraine.”
Kosovo, South Ossetia: Recognition Score
A Fistful of Euros writes about international recognition of Kosovo vs that of South Ossetia, and explains why it is likely that Kosovo will soon be recognized by Montenegro.
Russia, UK: Russians in London
IZO writes that the Russian government allegedly has a say in how Russian “oligarchs” are spending their money on cultural and other events in London.
Russia: “Extreme and Absurd, Violence and Art”
Moscow Through Brown Eyes lists recent “extremist actions” in Russia, writes about one of the possible reasons for the ongoing South Park scandal, and posts a video of a “provocative performance” by art group “Voina”: “As a present to well-known xenophobic and homophobic Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, the artists acted out...
Russia: Lavrov Needs a Vacation
Eternal Remont thinks that Sergei Lavrov, Russian foreign minister, deserves certain pity and needs a vacation.
Russia: Putin's Sex Appeal and the “New Cold War”
Vilhelm Konnander writes about Vladimir Putin's sex appeal and the West's alleged “psychological need for negative power projection – a primitive urge to make Putin look impotent at a time when ‘barbarious Russia’ stands at the gates of our ‘imaginary western world of values’.”
Russia: Blog Roundup
Siberian Light posts this month's Russia Blog Roundup: “Unsurprisingly, most of the Russia blogs have been extensively covering the war in Georgia, but I’ve decided to showcase mostly non-war related stuff this month, for those hankering after more peaceful times.”
Georgia: Travelogue
Michael J. Totten's Middle East Journal recounts a recent trip from Azerbaijan to post-conflict Georgia. Traveling with veteran Caucasus journalist Thomas Goltz, Totten details an attempt to visit Russian-occupied Gori and an unfortunate encounter with Azerbaijani customs officials on his return to Baku. The problem? The Lonely Planet Guide to...
South Ossetia: A Photojournalist's Musings On the War
Firsthand reports from the conflict zone in the Caucasus continue to appear here and there in the Russophone blogosphere. On Sept. 8, one month since the beginning of the war in South Ossetia and Georgia, Russian photojournalist Oleg Klimov posted his musings on what the war looks like and what it smells like, on the media and propaganda, and on what seems like the universal nature of wartime looting.
Russia: Valdai Discussion Club
A Step At A Time and Window on Eurasia write about the Valdai Discussion Club and the coverage of Russia in the West.
Russia: South Park Rally in Moscow
Robert Amsterdam writes about the South Park ordeal in Russia; LJ user al_31f posts photos from a Sept. 13 rally in Moscow in support of South Park and 2×2, the TV channel that was broadcasting the cartoon; YouTube videos from the rally are here, here, and here.
