Stories about Russia from May, 2008
Russia: Victory Day Preparations
Two-Zero writes about preparations for the May 9 parade in Moscow.
Russia: Shapovalova at GUM
Sean's Russia Blog writes more on the Nashi's own fashion designer and her store at GUM: “[Antonina Shapovalova's] Nashi connections, which of course mean government connections, has landed her a rent free space among stores like Dior, Calvin Klein, Zara, Levi’s and other international designers.”
Russia: Countdown to “Coronation”
As president Putin prepares to step down, Sean's Russia Blog writes about what may await the Russian political establishment.
Russia: Victory Day Magazine Covers
Victory Day in Soviet magazine covers – at Scraps of Moscow, here and here.
Russia: Novosibirsk Signs; Tomsk NKVD Museum
Josefina of Russian Blog posts pictures of signs in Novosibirsk – here and here, and writes about the NKVD Museum in Tomsk.
Russia: Relations With the West
Valery Dzutsev posts his emails to a colleague, in which he discusses “contemporary political issues in regard to Russia-West relations” – here, here, here, and here.
Georgia: Election Time Tensions with Russia
TOL Georgia says that whenever elections are planned, a scandal involving Russia always occurs. The comment comes after the recent apparent downing of a Georgian drone by a Russian MiG-29 and threats from Russia regarding the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Russia: “Putinisms”
Scraps of Moscow writes about “Putinisms” (and “Bushisms”).
Russia: Visa Problems for British Fans
White Sun of the Desert writes about Russian visa problems for British football fans planning to attend the Champions League final in Moscow on May 21 – here and here.
Russia: Political Cartoons
Sean's Russia Blog writes about political cartoons in Russia.
Russia: Putin's Legacy
Sean's Russia Blog discusses Vladimir Putin's “footprint on Russia’s current and future politics.”
Russia: Ingush Opposition and FSB
Valery Dzutsev writes about Ingush opposition, FSB – and the usual suspects: “the dark powers of abroad.”
Caucasus: Geopolitical Linguistics
Window on Eurasia examines the role of Russian language in former Soviet republics based on the findings of a Eurasia Foundation report, Russian Language in the Newly Independent States, which divides the countries into three groups. The blog comments on suggestions by one Russian newspaper on how Moscow should use...
Russia: May Day Dissenters March in St. Pete
A photo report on the May Day Dissenters March in St. Petersburg – by LJ user alexey_ivanov.
Russia: May Day
May Day in Moscow – photos by LJ user wg-lj.
Russia, Saudi Arabia: Hajj Quotas Cut Again
Window on Eurasia reports that Saudi Arabia has cut Russia’s hajj quota, “creating problems” for Dmitry Medvedev.
Ukraine: “Is Kiev the New Moscow?”
With Moscow in mind, The Turkish Invasion explores Kyiv.
Russia: Putin-Kabaeva and Other Conspiracies
Sean's Russia Blog writes about “the Putin-Kabaeva story” and the “Kremlin infighting.”
Russia: A View on Independence
Eternal Remont discusses a Russian view on the demise of the Soviet Union and independence.
Russia: Moscow Conversations
“Moscow conversations” on Putin, women, Poland and Russia – at Polandian.
Russia: Abkhazia Plans
Wu Wei writes that “speculations are rife about what Russia is planning for Abkhazia at the moment.”
