Latest posts by Alexey Sidorenko
Moldova, Russia: Controversial Russian Blogger Escapes Prosecution in Moldova
Russian blogger Eduard Bagirov was detained in Chisinau, Moldova, this June and charged with organizing the April 2009 post-election riots there. He was released and placed under house arrest but soon escaped to Russia. While some Russian bloggers question Bagirov's motives and integrity, many seem to trust him.
Russia: 7 Temporarily Detained During the President's Meeting with Journalism Students
7 journalism students (among others @kichanova, @rise_rebel and @ave_katerina) were detained during the meeting of the president Medvedev at the Journalism department of the Moscow State University,Vitaliy Shushkevich tweets [ru] (also see photo [ru]). They were temporarily detained for contemplating a political action and were released only after Medvedev had left the...
Russia: Newspaper Leaks Plans to Discredit Anti-Corruption Blogger
“United Russia” had ordered a massive plan (worth of ~320,000 US dollars) to discredit anti-corruption blogger Alexey Navalny, Novaya Gazeta writes [ru]. The campaign might include compromising footage with Navalny's look-alike involved in some illegal and/or immoral activities.
Russia: Photoblogger Launches New Citizen Media Agency
Ilya Varlamov, popular photoblogger, officially launches [ru] Ridus.ru, news agency dedicated to the citizen media in Russia. Its ‘special projects’ section [ru] tells about new and already existing civil society movements that deal with environmental issues, traffic violations, illegal development in the historic parts of the cities, freedom of photography...
Russia: The Future of LiveJournal's Network Effect
A newspaper article titled "A Half-Dead Journal," which analyzed the drop in LiveJournal's traffic within the last nine months, provoked a heated discussion on the structure and the future of the Russian blogosphere.
Russia: LiveJournal Loses 23 Percent of the Audience in 2011
Vedomosti analyses [ru] serious drop (23-25 percent in 2011) in LiveJournal traffic. While most analytics agree that the decrease is connected to DDoS attacks on the RuNet's main political platform as well as interface improvements in Facebook and Google+, LiveJournal representative explain the negative dynamics with ‘summer seasonal prevalence.’
Russia: Deceased Yukos Lawyer's Last Interview
The New Times publishes the last interview [ru] with Vasily Aleksanyan, former Vice President of Yukos oil company, who died on October 3, 2011 due to AIDS complications after his release from jail. “They're terrifying me every day,” confessed Aleksanyan saying that police didn't stop abusing him. Bloggers widely discuss the...
Global: Key Quotes and Tweets from the Internet Governance Forum
As the Internet Governance Forum is a truly epic event both online and offline, it's hard to do justice to the complexity of the discussions and debates that are currently taking place in Nairobi, Kenya. Discover with Global Voices some key tweets and quotes from participants, accompanied by short commentaries.
Russia: Cyber Security Code of Conduct?
The Russian government is attempting to spread the system of Internet controls abroad. Russian bloggers are interpreting these attempts as either the current regime's basic self-preservation instinct, or, even more troublesome, as inadequate thinking about the Internet.
Russia: Google Office Invites Iranian Ambassador to ‘Disperse Myths’ About ‘Contemporary Persia’
“Mr Ambassador [Reza Sajadi] had told us about contemporary Persia: about progress in science and technology in his country, developing tourism, situation of women in the Iranian society, had dispersed many myths around Iran and its traditions, and had invited us to visit Iran and enjoy ancient culture of the...
Russia: Indie Band Uses ‘Office Violence’ Viral Video For Promotion
Biting Elbows, Moscow-based indie/punk band, has shot quite funny viral video for the promotion of its debut album. The clip reminds both the “Matrix,” and 2008 ‘Russian Office Rampage‘ footage (later recognised as the ad for Timur Bekmambetov's movie “Wanted“).
Russia: Unjustly Convicted Businessman-Blogger Released From Jail
Alexey Kozlov, businessman and a former millionaire, who was imprisoned in 2007 under trumped-up accusations, has been released from jail, rian.ru reported [ru]. Kozlov received online popularity for his “Butyrka [name of Moscow prison] blog [ru].” The blog was set up by Olga Romanova, Kozlov's wife and a renowned journalist....
Russia: Governor's Death Rumors Provoke Harsh Reaction Among Authorities
Alexander Mikhelson, head of “United Russia” fraction at Kemerovo regional Duma, has proposed [ru] a new draft bill that implies stricter responsibility for online libel. The action followed the appearance of the rumors [ru] that Aman Tuleyev, governor of the Kemerovo region, was found dead. Previously, local police had set up a task force...
Russia: To Vote or Not To Vote?
As the Russian parliamentary election approaches, the Internet is fast becoming the main stage for the debate on the election strategy that the Russian opposition should take. Alexey Sidorenko reports.
Russia: Prosecutor General Calls For Control Over Social Networks
“You saw what had happened in London. To my mind, it is evident that there should be control over this [social network] activity, and I think it will be a reasonable control, in the interest of protection of the civic liberties,” said Russian Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika at the summit of...
Russia: President's Office Orders Blog Campaign to Neutralize 2012 APEC Summit Criticisms
Russian president's office administration had published a grant proposal for a blog campaign worth of 3 mln roubles (about 100,000 US dollars) to support the organization of 2012 APEC Summit in Vladivostok, gazeta.ru reported [ru]. The blog campaign will, among others, include reacting to negative messages posted online, “creation of a...
Russia: Crowdsourced Map of Electoral Violations Launched
Electoral monitoring association “Golos” together with gazeta.ru had launched Kartanarusheniy.ru, a crowdsourced mechanism for collecting user data on electoral violations. Ushahidi-like map (although developed on a different software) allows users to report agitation violations, administrative and police pressure, bribery, misuse of power, violation of candidates’ rights.
Russia: Plane Crashes with Lokomotive Ice Hockey Team
On the afternoon of September 7, 2011 an airplane carrying nearly all the players of the Lokomotive professional ice hockey team crashed only 500 meters after take-off near Yaroslavl in Russia.
Russia: Digital Graveyard Launched
Pomnipro.ru, the website advertised as the ‘social network for the deceased,’ had been launched in Perm, lenta.ru reported [ru]. Despite the groups dedicated to the dead have existed before in Odnoklassniki and Vkontakte, it is the first specialised online memorial in RuNet.
Russia: Teenager-oriented Cigarette Branding Abandoned
Donskoy Tabak, Russian tobacco company, criticised by the bloggers for its controversial ad campaign and branding oriented at teenagers and young women, had abandoned the idea of the new line of cigarettes “Sweet Dreams,” Alexey Navalny reported [ru].
Russia: Bromine Leak in Chelyabinsk City (Video)
Blogger piligrim67 publishes [ru] photos and video of a bromine (toxic halogen) leak at Chelyabinsk railway station. According to Chelyabinsk.ru [ru], due to the leak of 10,000 liters of bromine 2 persons hospitalized, about 100 reported signs of intoxication.
