Stories about Russia from July, 2010
Russia: Anti-Religious Online Group Closed
“Antireligion” group in the social network “Vkontakte“, with more than 8000 members, had been closed and its content deleted, ru_antireligion reports [RUS]. Prosecutor's office, that was checking the group for extremism [RUS], recognized photos of t-shirts with slogans “Orthodoxy or Death” [EN] as “extremist” and obliged administration of “Vkontakte” to...
Russia: “Why Did They Kill Yuri Volkov?”
The murder of a TV journalist and football fan Yuri Volkov in the centre of Moscow on July 10, 2010, became a widely discussed event in the Russian blogosphere. A complicated topic, dealing with hostile ethnic stereotypes, crime, police corruption and Russian subcultures, has generated nearly 7,000 comments, tweets and blog posts.
Russia: Rumours of foreign policy west-turn exaggerated
Edward Lozansky at Russia Blog discusses whether Russian foreign policy is actually turning westwards but finds little evidence of this.
Russia: Kremlin tweets go English
Dmitry Petrovsky of Russia Blog reports that the Kremlin has set up a mirroring Twitter account in English to its popular Russian counterpart.
Russia: Nemtsov – no way!
The Kremlin Stooge criticizes opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, marvels at his following, and wonders what solutions he has to offer Russia but negativism and critique.
Russia: Staying power of penalism
Streetwise Professor discusses how the Russian dedovshchina – penalism during military service – tradition has changed into an ever greater system of anarchy and arbitrariness.
Russia: ‘Orthodoxy or Death’ to Degenerate Art?
"Orthodoxy or death!" is the war cry sounded in recent weeks as forces of religious reaction have entered into fierce battle with liberal arts, in an apparent Russian parallel to the Muhammad cartoon case. The cause of conflict is the trial and conviction of two art curators for a 2007 Moscow exhibition of contemporary art.
Russia-Belarus: Minsk publishes Nemtsov report
LJ user yury_zagrebnoy reports [RUS] that the Belarusian government newspaper Respublika has published excerpts [RUS] from a recent Kremlin-critical report by former Russian vice Premier Boris Nemtsov, apparently as another step in an ongoing media war between Moscow and Minsk.
Russia: Putting a foreigner on Russia's throne
LJ user kanalya78 proposes [RUS] that, judging from historical experience, one should try to import a foreigner to rule Russia, as they arguably have done better for the country than native rulers.
Russia-US-EU: Great game revisited
Katinka Barysch at openDemocracy publishes an extensive analysis of relations between Russia and the West in former soviet space, in a Great Game revisited.
Russia: Bureaucrats go web 2.0
Svetlana Gladkova of profy reports that the Russian government has introduced its own social media network, named Gosbook.
Russia: Roadtrip to Caucasus
Popular bloggers tema [RUS], nl [RUS] and others [RUS] (9 bloggers in 3 cars) post pictures and short notes from the roadtrip to Caucasus, that started on July 15th, 2010. So far, they travelled through the North Caucasus republics and are planning to go to Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.
Russia: Memorial memento
LJ user shoorman notes [RUS] that the liberal St. Petersburg Yabloko youth organization has beaten the region's communists to placing a memorial placard to a local communist on a building he used to live in. An adjoining photo illustrates that the functionary's key accomplishment – according to Yabloko youth –...
Russia: Pictures of the Khimki Forest Defense
Photographer Igor Podgorny publishes [RUS] pictures from the camp of the defenders of the Khimki forest park [EN] situated in the Moscow's outskirts. After authorities started to cut the trees [RUS] (illegally) on July 15th, a group of environmentalists [RUS] erected barricades in order to stop the cuttings.
Russia-Belarus: Authoritarian antagonism?
Ilya Yashin discusses [RUS] the ongoing conflict between Russia and Belarus and argues that it is a case of authoritarian antagonism.
Russia: Gas find in Lake Baikal
Windows to Russia reports that new gas hydrate fields have been found in Lake Baikal, adding to those already explored in the Black Sea. If technologically exploitable, these finds could become a major future energy source.
Russia: A governor in the gaul?
LJ user bobasta discusses [RUS] ongoing speculations if it really was the governor of Saratov, Pavel Ipatov, who was caught by Italian police on a yacht in the Mediterranean last week on suspicion of smuggling.
Russia: What Nashi youth learn about the world
LJ user expp publishes [RUS] an excerpt from an interview with an activist of the Putinist youth movement Nashi, on what is taught at the organization's Seliger summer camp – an event drawing much attention in the recent week.
Russia: How to cook and eat a hot dog
Voices from Russia muses on the fact that Russian news agency, RIA-Novosti, has issued instructions on “How to cook and eat a hot dog.”
Russia-Belarus: Not the end of the godfather story
Siarhei Bohdan of Belarus Digest discusses the ongoing propaganda war between Belarus and Russia, as previously reported, following a gas conflict earlier this year.
Russia: History of postage and mail
Siberian Light writes about the history of Russian and Soviet postage and mail.
