Stories about Russian from April, 2014
Kyrgyz Parliament Considers Anti-Gay Law
The parliament of Kyrgyzstan is considering a bill that criminalizes any activity seen as promoting “a positive attitude toward non-traditional sexual relations”. Very similar to Russia's anti-gay propaganda law, the bill is expected to become law soon. Meanwhile, a Kyrgyz blogger argues [ru] that the bill which is targeting the...
Bektau-Ata, Kazakhstan's “Kingdom of Unearthly Beauty”
A group of Kazakhstani bloggers recently returned from a trip to Bektau-Ata mountain tract which has been described as “a kingdom of unearthly beauty, full of grandeur and freedom”. One of the bloggers has posted a video depicting the breathtaking scenery of Bektau-Ata: Detailed photo reports from the trip can be seen...
Army Drafters “Do Not Give a Damn About the President” in Tajikistan
In mid-February 2014, the president of Tajikistan ordered [ru] that recruitment offices stop using “illegal practices” in drafting young men into the army. Blogger Rustam Gulov who has written much about illegal drafting techniques in Tajikistan suggests [ru] that the president's order has not really changed anything: A lot of...
Does Kyrgyzstan Need A Putin?
There is only one Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, but does a fledgling democracy like Kyrgyzstan need its own version?
The Kremlin’s Internet Annexation
For some reason, lawmakers in Russia today continue to add new powers to the state’s censorship utility-belt, as though the current panoply of Internet controls weren’t enough.
From Igor Sechin to Dick Cheney: the End of Russia's Zuckerberg
In February, Vkontakte's CEO joked in public that nothing would reverse Facebook’s “slow death.” What’s died instead, it seems, is Durov’s opposition to the world’s largest social network.
Raising the Dead to Fight Ukraine
Sokoloff's conclusion at seeing Lobov in uniform at a Ministry of Defense meeting was that the man had come out retirement, which can only mean one thing.
Ukrainian Artists Cage Russians Like Animals
A group of artists in Kiev has opened a new exhibit that many Russians are calling dangerously xenophobic. Yesterday, April 24, 2014, the “Ukrainian Cultural Front” presented four interactive installations intended to criticize Russia for its opposition to the EuroMaidan movement and its interventions in southeastern Ukraine. The most controversial...
LiveJournal Fights Coming Censorship, But Don't Tell Anyone
Some RuNet giants are already fighting back against coming law that may be used to censor opposition bloggers.
USA Makes Kremlin Propaganda Easy, Again
Simply imagine Russia remodeling schools near US Marine Corps fatalities on Okinawa.
How Dmitry Tymchuk Broke the Russian Blogosphere
Rather than acknowledge Moscow's role in promoting blogger Dmitry Tymchuk, some in Russia prefer to blame NATO. Life, after all, is simpler with your head in the sand.
So Long, Mr. Durov, and Thanks for All the Fish
After more than a year of rumors, the stockholders of Russia’s largest online social network, Vkontakte, have finally fired founder and CEO Pavel Durov.
Bad News & Worse News for Russian Internet Users
A Russian initiative to expand regulation over bloggers is still just a bill in the legislature, but it’s already harming the country's Internet freedom.
Censorship by Litigation in Russia?
Earlier this month, VKontakte minority shareholder United Capital Partners (UCP), filed a complaint against Durov for breach of VKontakte fiduciary duty for creating the secure messenger Telegram.
Southern Russia's Road Warriors
North Ossetians display a readiness for civil disobedience that has many asking about their willingness to take to the streets (or highways, as it were), when faced with injustice.
Facebook Post Spells Legal Trouble for Russian Charity
Romanenko reported that no less than the governor of Vologodsk had filed a complaint against him with the local prosecutor's office because of the jocular post.
Russia's Largest Social Network Says No to Censorship
Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Russian social network VKontakte, has once again used his account there as a platform to speak out against Internet censorship.
Uncle Sam's Ukraine Failure in Russia
The violence might be only starting, but an information war between Russia and the West has raged for months now.
Top 10 Russian-Language Tweets, Week 15 of 2014
At the end of each week, RuNet Echo collects the top ten Russian-language tweets and curates them for Global Voices readers.
Russia Reconsiders Bitcoin?
A partial exodus from Russia by MasterCard and Visa has inspired some digital currency enthusiasts to propose Bitcoin, the world's leading crypto-currency, as a solution to the country's monetary problems.
Will Russia Regulate Blogs Like Mass Media?
The regulations would require fact-checking, age restriction warnings, and obeying election laws, among other responsibilities.
