Latest posts by Daniel Alan Kennedy from April, 2013
Russian Conspiracy Theories About Boston Bombings Abound
"Bush blew up the Twin Towers, Putin blew up [the towns of] Buinaksk and Volgodonsk. Obama blew up the marathon." The RuNet, just like the Internet at large, has always had a penchant for conspiracy theories.
Russian Journalist and Election Observer Speaks about Her Arrest
Earlier this week, RuNet Echo published an article about Svetlana Lokotkova, a Russian journalist and election observer who was arrested and removed from an overnight train for alleged intoxication. Lokotkova later contacted RuNet Echo, and agreed to outline what happened on the train and in the police station in her own words. She also spoke about social media as a tool for political activism.
Beer & Twitter Prove Toxic Mix for Russian Journalist
Trains are a cheap and reliable way to get around Russia, particularly compared to the country's famously poor roads. Russia is a big country and journeys between cities can take hours (or even days). Given these difficulties, it is not uncommon for some passengers to have a drink or two to pass the time. Sometimes people—even journalists—can overdo it.
Putin Unfazed by Topless Protest in Hannover
On Monday, 8 April 2013, Putin's tour of a trade fair in Hannover with German Chancellor Angela Merkel took an unexpected turn when three members of the controversial Ukrainian feminist and self-described “sextremist” organization FEMEN [en] staged a half-naked protest [photo gallery] aimed at the Russian president. Their bodies painted with anti-Putin slogans in...
A Dishonest Election & A Divided Opposition in Russia
The city of Zhukovsky last weekend became the site of a bitterly contested mayoral election, which was marred by reports of electoral fraud and vote-buying. The opposition is also facing criticism that it failed to muster a good enough campaign to deserve victory in the first place.
