Spotlight

Is Terrorism in Russia Really Getting Worse?

January 3, 2014

Readers might get the idea that the number of terrorist attacks in Russia is increasing because of a series of well-publicized suicide bombings in the central Russian city of Volgograd in December and earlier in the fall. With the Sochi Olympics coming up in February, a view of the map of terrorist bombings in the Russian Caucasus yields a sense […]

Abdulatipov: “We Have Strengthened Our Control Over Terrorists’ Famlilies”

The leader of the Republic of Dagestan, Ramazan Abdulatipov, said in an interview with Izvestia that at its meeting the anti-terrorist commission made a number of decisions in connection with the terrorist attacks in Volgograd. “We’ve just had a meeting of the Anti-Terrorist Commission of the Republic of Dagestan, mourned the victims, and expressed condolences […]

Freedom Is A Whole Day Outside

January 2, 2014

On Wednesday, the State Duma adopted a resolution on amnesty. On Thursday, four participants in the “Bolotnaya Case” were released from criminal prosecution and from custody in the courtroom. The door of the iron cage swings open. Half a year later Leonid Kovyazin and Vladimir Akimenkov are free. A much hated electronic bracelet is removed […]

Russian Security Expert: FSB Not Equipped to Fight Terrorism

A massive security operation has been launched in Volgograd following the December 29th and 30th bombings in the city that have claimed at least 34 lives. Hundreds have been detained, mostly migrants from North Caucasus. With the Sochi Olympics only 5 weeks away, a Russian security expert warns that the FSB, The Federal Security Service […]

Volgograd and the Caucasus Emirate

December 31, 2013

The recent bombings in Volgograd and a car bomb in Pyatigorsk (3 dead) have captured the attention of the international community, not only because of the horrific nature of the attacks but because they have taken place in cities outside the Caucasus republics that are normally the scene of such attacks, and due to the […]

Volgograd Bombings – Live Updates

At least 32 people have been killed in two bombings over the space of less than 24 hours in the southern Russian city of Volgograd. Updates are below. Click here to jump to a summary. UPDATES: 1726 GMT: A total of 34 people have now died in due to the two bombings in Volgograd. ITAR-TASS […]

“I Am Nadya Tolokonnikova, and Pussy Riot Belongs to Everyone, It Belongs to the World”

December 30, 2013

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova was released under the amnesty on Monday, December 23rd. By Tuesday, she had already met with another member of the punk group Pussy Riot, Mariya Alyokhina. Alyokhina, [also released], who had been serving her sentence in Nizhegorodskaya Region, flew to visit her friend in Krasnoyarsk, in order to discuss “a joint human rights […]

Sochi Activists Declared Prone to Extremism

This article was published prior to two deadly suicide bombings this week in the city of Volgograd (see The Interpreter‘s live-blog for more details). It explains the Russian authorities’ latest approach to preempting terrorism in Sochi during the upcoming Winter Olympics: by making even environmental activists engaged in alleged “extremist activities” register with local police […]

This is the Face of Viktor Yanukovych and His Supporters

December 27, 2013

Tetyana Chornovol, a well-regarded Ukrainian journalist who has investigated government corruption and spoken at Euromaidan protests, has been beaten so badly she was hospitalized after her car was rammed off the road by an SUV. Many vocal supporters of Euromaidain and opponents of President Viktor Yanukovych have blamed his supporters for the attack. Tetyana Chornovol was […]

Khodorkovsky: Putin Sent a Message That He’s Stable and Not Afraid

December 26, 2013

This is the second part of the first interview that Mikhail Khodorkovsky has given since his pardon last week. In this installment, he talks about Putin’s motives for freeing him, as well as his next steps now that he is a free man. — Ed. Read part 1: Mikhail Khodorkovsky: “I Will Return to Russia” Freedom […]