Central Asia’s Stability and Russia’s Security
In August 2000, as in 1999, Islamic rebels tested the strength of Central Asian government forces. Kyrgyzstan was badly hit again; what is more, Uzbek soldiers struggled to battle the…
Posts by tag
North Caucasus
87 posts
What Drives Russia Coverage in the Mainstream American Press?
Foreign affairs coverage in the mainstream media in the United States–centering on the wire services, the newspapers of record (The New York Times, The Washington Post), and the major television…
Islam in Russian Society and Politics: Survival and Expansion
In modern times, whether "healthy" or "sick" from an economic and political standpoint, Russia has managed to preoccupy outside observers with the changing condition of its psyche. What was known…
The 2000 Presidential Elections: The Political Taste and Aftertaste
The first relatively free and fair elections to the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR took place on March 26, 1989. These elections gave a strong impetus to the…
Consolidation of the State and Economic Policy Scenarios Under Putin
Russia is currently on the edge of a third stage of economic and political reform. The first stage (1985-1991) was political liberalization. Transformation of the communist political and ideological regime…
Putin and the Provinces
Since Vladimir Putin became Prime Minister of Russia in August 1999, and especially since he assumed the presidency on December 31, he has placed a high priority on reasserting federal…
Putin and the Military: How Long Will the Honeymoon Last?
Russian President Vladimir Putin aggressively wooed the man in uniform during his victorious campaign for the Kremlin, from the time of his appointment as prime minister in August 1999 until…
Southern Russia: The Heartland or Russia’s Soft Underbelly?
Southern Russia is undoubtedly of strategic importance. Its figures are not too impressive: with about 13% of Russia's total population, the region produces 15.5% of the country's agriculture and just…
Russia’s Nationalist Consolidation: Love it or Leave it?
More than sixty years ago, Russia experienced a radical ideological transition that in some respects strikingly resembles the processes taking place today. In the late twenties, Communist ideology in Russia…
Human Rights Violations in Chechnya: Implications for Western Assistance to Russia
Complaints of human rights violations by Russian authorities in Chechnya are now rampant. In early March 2000, Human Rights Watch representative Peter Bouckaert testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee…