Stories about Russia from April, 2009
Russia: Teen Curfew; Police Officer's Shooting Spree
President Dmitry Medvedev approved changes to children's rights law, allowing regional authorities to bar unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 from public places from 10 PM to 6 AM. Below are some reactions from the Russian blogosphere, including a few mentions of Denis Yevsyukov, a Moscow police officer who shot three people to death and wounded six at a supermarket on the day he turned 32.
Georgia: Alternative Eurovision
Following the scandal surrounding Georgia's aborted attempt to enter a song mocking the former Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Moscow, This is Tbilisi Calling says that the country will instead hold its own alternative international song contest.
Ukraine, Russia: Tymoshenko-Pugacheva Duet
Ukrainiana writes about a Yulia Tymoshenko-Alla Pugacheva duet.
Russia: Sochi Election
Sean's Russia Blog writes about the results of the Sochi mayoral election.
Russia, Ukraine: Swine Flu Prevention
Short updates on anti-swine flu measures taken in Russia and Ukraine – at IZO: here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Global Health: Swine Flu Threat Spreads Worldwide
Confirmed or suspected cases of swine flu, which was detected in Mexico earlier this month, have now been found in at least seven other countries around the world. The World Health Organization says that this outbreak constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern."
Russia: Sochi Mayoral Election
James writes this about the mayoral election in Sochi at Robert Amsterdam's blog: “It can be tough work to continue coming up with new ways to fake the democratic process … after a while, the voters seem to wonder ‘why bother?'” Russia! reports on the detention of journalist Keith Gessen...
Russia: A Chechen Folk Tale
Just A Mon translates a Chechen folk tale about Beksolta who could catch three lions in one swoop and posts it at Sundry Translations and Other Tangentialia.
Russia: Baymurat (aka Jimmy) Singing Bollywood Song
Videos of a rendition of a Bollywood song by Baymurat (aka Jimmy) – an ethnic Uzbek from Tajikistan, a gastarbeiter in a town near Moscow, and a YouTube celebrity: one of the earlier versions is here, and the performance at Asian Dub Foundation's April 4 gig in St. Petersburg, Russia...
Russia: New Blog
Siberian Light reviews a new Russia blog: Viewpoint Russia.
Russia: Union of Repressed Peoples
Window on Eurasia reports that “six of the more than a dozen nations Stalin deported during World War II – the Kalmyks, the Chechens, the Ingush, the Balkars, the Karachays, and the Volga Germans — have formed a Union of Repressed Peoples to demand an apology from Moscow and the...
Russia: CTO in Chechnya's Four Districts
A Step At A Time reports that counter-terrorist operation restrictions have been re-introduced in four districts of Chechnya.
Russia: Internet Market
Svetlana Gladkova of Profy writes this about internet market in Russia: “… the most irritating trend here is how clones of various successful US projects turn into market leaders here while the original products ignore the market entirely and only enter it when it is already too late.”
Russia: Counter-Terrorist Operation in Chechnya is Over
A discussion of the end of the counter-terrorist operation in Chechnya – at Sean's Russia Blog.
Russia: Weekly News and New Blogs
Siberian Light re-introduces Russian Weekly News section – and continues to promote blogs that focus on Russia and other former Soviet states: a review of The Russian Store Blog (“The History of Pisanki” is one of the recent posts there) and a roundup of blogs of British ambassadors to Belarus...
Kosovo, Ukraine, Russia: Social Media and Politics
Blogging Balkanistan writes that Kosovo’s PM Hashim Thaci is planning to join Facebook and that “several leading opposition party candidates already have accounts.” Petro's Jotter explores the Ukrainian political Twitter-sphere, here and here. Siberian Light explains how to connect with Twitter users interested in Russia. Window on Eurasia believes that...
Russia, Turkey: Circassian Diaspora
Window on Eurasia writes about the Circassian diaspora in Turkey and Russo-Turkish relations.
Russia: Kadyrov's “Victories”
Window on Eurasia comments on the end of counter-terrorism operation in Chechnya and writes that no Chechens will be drafted into the Russian army this year.
Russia: Hyde Park; WinRAR; Hot Water; etc.
A few links to recent posts at IZO: president Medvedev “to create a Russian Speaker's Corner, based on Hyde Park”; a Russian ad agency shows “how the WinRAR data compression utility shrinks files” – “bad idea, badly executed”; a useful link for Moscow-based readers who'd like to know when there'll...
Estonia: “The Fog of Cyberwar”
IZO links to the Guardian piece on “NATO's cyber-defence headquarters in Estonia.” Evgeny Morozov links to his own piece on it on Newsweek.com.
Russia: Bakhmina's Parole; Khodorkovsky's ‘Not Guilty’ Plea
Former Yukos lawyer Svetlana Bakhmina has been granted parole today, while former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky has pleaded not guilty before court, Robert Amsterdam's Blog reports.
