Stories about Russian from January, 2014
Blogger Unveils Sochi Corruption Website
Alexei Navalny joined the Sochi anti-corruption campaign this week, launching an interactive website outlining what he calls the true costs of the Olympic preparations in Sochi.
Cable Providers Begin Dropping Russia's Only Independent TV Station
The prospect that Russian cable television providers might drop TV Rain became a reality today, when two major cable companies reported their decisions to end access to the station.
Kazakhstan's Largest City Hides Its “Beautiful” Side from Cameras
Top rated Russian photo-blogger Ilya Varlamov presents [ru] a photo report about his recent trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan's capital before 1997. What the blogger found most surprising about the city is that police officers do not allow anyone “photographing anything good, beautiful, and new” in Almaty. Curious travelers are, therefore, restricted to...
So Long to Russia's Only Independent TV Station?
The only opposition television station operating today in Russia is now threatened with losing access to cable broadcasting, after a scandalous poll about the WWII Siege of Leningrad.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan: Trip to the Dying Aral Sea
The Aral Sea lying between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan was once one of the world's four largest lakes. Over the last five decades, however, the sea has lost over 90 percent of its original size, mainly as a result of disastrous irrigation projects which diverted rivers feeding it. On the Caravanistan travel...
“There Are No Other Problems” in Tajikistan Besides Name Games
More than a week after Tajikistan's Prosecutor General made a controversial statement about “unpatriotic” surnames, Internet users in the country continue debating whether the ending of one's surname is a good measure of the person's level of patriotism. Many netizens, however, are angry about the fact that the Prosecutor General...
Russian Conspiracy Theories about Maidan's First Blood
Given the lack of eyewitnesses, the murder of Serhiy Nigoyan, Maidan’s first shooting fatality, has naturally attracted lots of speculation about who was responsible.
Super Bowls: Olympic Toilet Humor
Are the "toilet-gate" conspiracy theorists correct in their paranoia? Does it even matter if they aren't?
“Real Patriots Choose Patriotic Names” in Tajikistan
In Tajikistan, a person's name is no longer a private matter. Officials insist that a name is an indication of the degree of patriotism of its bearer.
Kyrgyz Woman Abducted for Marriage Tells Her Story on Twitter
A young woman was recently kidnapped for marriage in Bishkek. After police saved her from the kidnappers, the woman told the story of her "nightmare" on Twitter.
Things to Love about Kyrgyzstan's Capital
While social media users in Kyrgyzstan often discuss what they don't like about the country's capital, they seldom talk of what they do like about Bishkek. Breaking up with the tradition, blogger Amina Suleyeva offers [ru] a list of qualities that make the Kyrgyz capital a city she loves. These include...
Who Bears the Cost of Russia's Olympics?
Accusations of corruption continue to plague Sochi Olympic preparations.
Online Petition to Stop Torture in Tajikistan
An increasing number of social media users in Tajikistan are calling on their friends and followers to sign an online petition [ru] to pressure the country's authorities to stop the use of torture. The petition was started following the death of an opposition party activist, 34-year old Umed Tojiev, in a Tajik prison...
Kyrgyz Scholar: Marijuana Legalization Keeps Governments in Power
As US President Barack Obama's recent comments on marijuana reignite the liberalization debate across the world, including in Kyrgyzstan, a Kyrgyz scholar offers a non-mainstream explanation for the decriminalization of marijuana in a number of countries. In a blog post on kloop.kg, Dr. Rustam Tukhvatshin claims [ru] that legalization helps governments...
Kazakh Rapper Asks Fans for Money to Finish a “Political” Song
Kazakh rapper Takezhan (Oteghaliev) has reached out to his fans to help fund the production of a new song. In a video [ru] posted on his blog, the rapper sings for his fans and asks them for financial help to finish a “political rap [song]” he is working on. Takezhan,...
“It Has Become Hard to Breathe”: Tajikistan's Capital Gets a Coal Plant… and Hazardous Dust
As Dushanbe's new coal-fired power plant begins to supply electricity, rising levels of coal dust set off alarm bells in the city.
How Much Longer Can Russia's Zuckerberg, Pavel Durov, Survive at Vkontakte?
Today, the notoriously Kremlin-connected newspaper Izvestia published an article claiming that Durov had resigned as head of Vkontakte, taking most of the staff with him to work on another project.
Dr. House Hits Sore Spot with Russians
British actor Hugh Laurie caused quite a stir on the RuNet this weekend, when he reacted vehemently to a Guardian article describing Vladimir Putin's views on homosexuality
Blogger and Commando Argue Russian Terrorism
As the Sochi Olympics approach, some bloggers argue about who is behind terrorist attacks, most of which take place in the part of Russia closest to the games.
The Sad Fate of Multimillionaire Marriages in Russian Officialdom
Russia’s leading anti-corruption blogger, Alexey Navalny, is making waves again with his latest online work, a series of allegations against Maxim Liksutov, the head of Moscow’s department of transportation.
Looking Back at Russia's Divided New Year Celebration
President Putin delivered two New Year's addresses in 2013 -- one for Russia's Far East, and another for the rest of the country.
