Stories about Russia from September, 2008
Georgia: Frontline Photos
Popular Photography's blog features photos and an account of the war between Georgia and Russia by New York-based photojournalist Jonathan Alpayrie.
Ukraine: How Russian is the Crimea?
The 8th Circle discusses the Crimea and Ukrainian fears of a Russian secessionist movement, arguing that the peninsula could be compared to other European regions, which today could not be imagined seceding. He also refers to a new book on this theme by Ukrainian writer Taras Kuzio.
Russia: A demand for 19th century art
Just A Mon comments on soaring international prices on Russian 19th and early 20th century art – especially that of landscape painter Aivazovsky.
Russophone Bloggers Discuss the U.S. Presidential Candidates
Last week, Israel-based LJ user avva asked his Russophone readers - some of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming U.S. election - whether they supported Barack Obama or John McCain, and for what reasons. The post generated over 300 comments from bloggers based in the United States, Israel, Canada and Russia. Below are some of the responses.
Russia: Trezvost'/Sobriety
Russian Blog explains the usage of the Russian word trezvost’ (“sobriety”).
U.S.: Russian Woman's View of a U.S. Church
Russian History Blog translates a U.S.-based Russian woman's tirade about a local church she has to attend because she “[wants] to please [her] husband.”
Ukraine: A Letter to Russia by Milli Firqa Party Member
Window on Eurasia writes about media coverage and politicians’ reactions to a letter sent by one of the members of a small Crimean Tatar party to presidents of Russia and Tatarstan.
Russia: Sakhalin Salmon
White Sun of the Desert writes about “the Sakhalin salmon run” season: “This is a time when huge nets are slung across river-mouths to be lifted by crane and emptied by the ton into lorries, the operators of such activities having either paid huge sums of money for licenses to...
Poland, U.S.: Sikorski in Chicago
Impressions of a recent Chicago speech by Poland's foreign minister Radosław Sikorski – at The 8th Circle.
Poland, Russia, U.S.: A “New Cold War” or Not?
The beatroot hosts a discussion of the Polish-Russian-American relationship in the aftermath of the Russian-Georgian conflict.
Estonia, Finland, Russia: Relationship Now and Then
A Step At A Time writes in depth about the relationship between Finland, Estonia, and Russia – now and in the past.
Ukraine, Russia: Kvas
Darkness at Noon posts an ode to kvas: “To be sure, kvas is the national drink of the East Slavic peoples. Vodka doesn't count because it is consumed largely for its well-documented medicinal benefits. Or at least this is what a local guide in Odessa recently told me. And while...
Russia: “Stirka” Bar in St. Pete
Eagle and the Bear writes about a St. Petersburg bar named “Stirka” (Laundry).
Russia: Svetlana Bakhmina
Robert Amsterdam writes about the case of Svetlana Bakhmina, a jailed former lawyer for Yukos and a pregnant mother of two children.
Russia, U.S.: Kremlin for McCain?
Robert Amsterdam explains why the Kremlin may prefer John McCain as the next U.S. president and notes that “Mr. Putin and others should be careful what they wish for.”
Ukraine: Critique of a Text on NATO Membership
The 8th Circle posts a detailed critique of Jeffrey Tayler’s piece in The Atlantic: “[…] in the process of attempting to make the case against Ukraine’s membership in NATO, Tayler resorts (consciously or not) to claims that are either: misleading or factually inaccurate and/or are highly improbable to be true...
Russia-Georgia: Reports on military and civilian death tolls
Wu Wei comments on and links to reports on Georgian military and civilian death tolls in the recent Russo-Georgian war. She also posts an interesting overview of demographic developments in Georgia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia.
Russia: Ingushetian president accused of journalist murder
Finnish-Russian Civic Forum posts a translation of an article from Ingushetiya.ru, where the news site accuses the president of Ingushetiya for ordering the murder of its owner.
Belarus: Making it in the sausage competition
LJ user luchecon received a phone call [RUS] from his worried grandmother, that Belarus is cutting down the meat content in its sausage production, because it cannot meet the price competition with Russian sausages’ lower meat level. As it turns out, Belarus has a meat deficit, substituting it already with...
Georgia: Rock for Peace
This is Tbilisi Calling comments on Friday's free concert held in the Georgian capital by Canadian soft rock star Bryan Adams. The blog by British journalist Matthew Collin says the concert was billed as “Peace, Freedom and Democracy for Georgia,” but was ironically sponsored by a Russian-owned mining company. Adams...
Russia-Georgia: The Spoils of War
Robert Amsterdam writes about alleged war profiteers following Russian troops into Georgia.
