Spotlight

Egypt and Russia: A Long Lost Alliance

February 14, 2014

It seems that Putin has ended the all-but-already-certain debate on whether Egyptian General and de-facto government caretaker Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will run for President by declaring, “I know that you, esteemed minister of defense, have decided to seek the office of president,” continuing to describe it as a “responsible decision.” The ebullient congratulations by Putin […]

The Absurdities of Double Toilets and “Sochi Problems”

This is the second part of an article published by Lenta.Ru on how foreign journalists perceived the Olympics opening ceremonies (read the first part here). The criticism of the Lenta piece is that some readers believe that many of the quotes from the Western authors have been cherry picked, segments critical of Putin and the […]

Russia Bans Adoptions From Countries Where Same-Sex Marriage is Legal

Citizens of the countries that permit same-sex marriages are no longer able to adopt orphans from Russia. A decree to that effect was signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The Russian government has changed the rules for the transfer of orphans for adoption, having introduced an additional ban on foreign adoptions by same-sex couples. The […]

What’s the Meaning of the Russian Olympic Games?

February 13, 2014

The problems at the Sochi Olympics are well known, and both the international community and the Russian opposition has been quick to point them out. But for many Russians, even those upset with Putin and Sochi’s corruption, the Olympics also represent a sad lost opportunity. What should be a great event and a sign of […]

Sochi Liveblog: What Happens After the Olympics?

Welcome to The Interpreter’s Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics Liveblog. Here, we will be covering the news away from the ski jumps and ice rinks, where activists are being arrested, corruption looms large, and the terrorist threat is very real. See all of our Sochi coverage here, and read Wednesday’s Sochi Liveblog: Hot Environment and Jailed […]

Latvian Decision to Ban Denial of “Soviet Occupation” Violates UN Charter

Tensions between Latvia and Russia have been growing, especially since Latvia has just joined the Eurozone. Prominent Latvians have accused Russia of using “soft power” to influence internal affairs. Now, Latvia has banned the justification or denial of either Nazi or Soviet occupation during World War II. In other words, Latvia is attempting to establish […]

Will the Sochi Olympics Make Terrorist Attacks More Likely?

February 12, 2014

The Sochi Winter Olympics is underway. This week, The Interpreter’s managing editor James Miller is joined by Boston College Professor Dr. Matt Sienkiewicz and a Northeastern University professor Max Abrahms, a terrorism expert, to discuss the state of security at the Olympics. Will there be a terrorist attack? Did Russian security agencies adequately prepare for the threat? Will holding the Olympics […]

Sochi Liveblog: Hot Environment and Jailed Environmentalists

Welcome to The Interpreter’s Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics Liveblog. Here, we will be covering the news away from the ski jumps and ice rinks, where activists are being arrested, corruption looms large, and the terrorist threat is very real. See all of our Sochi coverage here, and read Tuesday’s Sochi Liveblog: The Winter Olympics Are Warmer Than Texas. […]

“No One Understands Us There”

February 11, 2014

This article, published by the independent Russian news outlet Lenta, attempts to summarize the viewpoints of foreign journalists who wrote about the 2014 Winter Olympic Games opening ceremonies in Sochi. Some readers, including some of the writers quoted within the article, complained that their criticisms of Russia and the opening ceremony were softened and the […]

Sochi Liveblog: The Winter Olympics Are Warmer Than Texas

Welcome to The Interpreter’s Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics Liveblog. Here, we will be covering the news away from the ski jumps and ice rinks, where activists are being arrested, corruption looms large, and the terrorist threat is very real. See all of our Sochi coverage here, and read Monday’s Sochi Liveblog: Beyond the Sports and Broken Hotel Doors. […]