Russia

Russia: Opposition Protests in Moscow

Date: December 10th, 2011 |

Protestors took to the streets in Moscow for two days of demonstrations Dec. 5-6, claiming that the Dec. 4 parliamentary election was corrupted. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party suffered losses, but opposition groups still maintain that the ruling party was involved in election fraud. Opposition protesters clashed with police in a show of [read more]

Russia: Anarchists Attack Parking Lot

Date: June 15th, 2011 |

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Anarchists believed to be associated with the radical group Anarchic Gerilya are suspected of seriously damaging vehicles in a parking lot in Moscow. Police found two explosive devices—one filled with pieces of metal and the other a firebomb—at the scene. Activists associated with the group have been involved in previous criminal activity, including the detonation [read more]

Russia: Plans to Open Inland Rivers to Foreign Tourists

Date: March 2nd, 2011 |

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Russia is considering new legislation that will open up its historically guarded inland rivers. Currently, tourists wishing to sail in riverboats for vacation or sport must go through a lengthy application and approval process. The new legislation aims to prevent the long waits and hopes to bring in revenue from tourists. Pending passage and the [read more]

Russia: Moscow Installs Explosives Detectors at Metro Stations

Date: February 15th, 2011 |

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Following the suicide bombing in Moscow’s Domodedova airport last month and a series of bombings in the Moscow Metro, the most recent of which occurred in March 2010, authorities are installing explosives detectors in the capital’s 20 busiest Metro stations. The devices scan individuals for traces of explosives when they enter the stations. The Metro [read more]

Russia: Moscow Wilts under Heat, Smog

Date: August 10th, 2010 |

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The hottest summer since record-keeping began 130 years ago combined with hundreds of wildfires burning to the west of Moscow has made the capital city a dismal place this summer. Moscow was blanketed in a noxious smog for a week before it began to lift, but the air remained heavily polluted Aug. 10. The U.S. [read more]

Russia: North Caucasus still a Concern

Date: July 25th, 2011 |

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Four policemen were killed and nine others were wounded during two separate blasts in Russia’s North Caucasus July 18. One bomb went off in Chechnya and the other in Dagestan. For years, Russia has been battling Islamist separatist groups in the North Caucasus, with Dagestan bearing much of the brunt of the fighting. Federal Security [read more]

Russia: Security Concerns Surrounding 2014 Winter Olympics

Date: March 9th, 2011 |

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Security concerns over the 2014 Winter Olympic Games continue to grow. Sochi, the Russian resort that will host the games, lies at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains, home to numerous extremist groups. Many top officials maintain, however, that the games will be safe because of the geographical isolation of Sochi, which sits on the [read more]

Russia: Gunmen Attack Tourists En Route to North Caucasus Ski Resort

Date: February 23rd, 2011 |

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Gunmen in camouflage attacked a minivan of tourists en route to a popular ski resort near Mount Elbrus in the North Caucasus region Feb. 19, killing three and wounding two. Mount Elbrus is Europe’s highest mountain, and the resort where the incident took place, Baksan in the republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, lies about 150 miles east [read more]

Russia: Moscow Bombing Shows Airport Vulnerability

Date: January 26th, 2011 |

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The recent suicide bombing in the arrivals area of Moscow’s largest airport underscored the difficulty of securing large public spaces, whether in airports, train stations or other transit hubs. Officials blamed lax airport security for the deadly bombing, but few countries in the world restrict access to these public areas. Israel, Jordan and Pakistan are [read more]

Russia: Moscow Metro Bombings Deadliest Since 2004

Date: March 31st, 2010 |

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The deadliest attack in Moscow since 2004 occurred March 29 when two female suicide bombers detonated bombs in the Moscow Metro system, killing 39 and injuring at least 70, many seriously. The bombers were believed to be from the North Caucasus and the attack in retaliation for the killing of an Ingushetian militant leader by [read more]

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