All News, Russia and former Soviet Union

Armenian journalist sentenced to 7 years' prison YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — A court in Armenia onJan. 19sentenced a journalist to seven years in prison for organizing mass unrest in the wake of the 2008 presidential elections.
Jan 19, 2010 at 19:29
Medvedev names head to new Caucasus district MOSCOW, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev onJan. 19reorganised the Kremlin's administrative control over its volatile North Caucasus region, where insurgent violence has risen sharply in recent months.
Jan 19, 2010 at 17:54 | Reuters
Russia says population up for first year since 1995 MOSCOW, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Russia has registered the first population increase since the chaotic years which followed the fall of the Soviet Union, bucking a long-term decline that has dampened economic growth projections, officials said on Jan. 19.
Jan 19, 2010 at 16:46 | Reuters
Gazprom's Miller: Negotiations with Austria for South Stream will be finished in the near future Moscow, January 19 (Interfax) - Gazprom intends to close negotiations with Austria in the near future for the South Stream and sign an intergovernmental agreement, the Russian gas concern's CEO Alexei Miller told journalists on Tuesday.
Jan 19, 2010 at 14:42 | Interfax-Ukraine
Russians brave icy cold for Epiphany MOSCOW (AP) — It's not the River of Jordan, but that isn't stopping Russian Orthodox believers from plunging into the icy Moscow River in their traditional Epiphany celebration.
Jan 19, 2010 at 13:35
Putin allows Baikal paper mill to reopen MOSCOW, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has decreed that a paper mill on the shores of Siberia's Lake Baikal can restart production despite years of complaints about pollution of the world's largest freshwater lake.
Jan 19, 2010 at 12:15 | Reuters
India says to sign fighter jet deal with Russia Russia will supply more than two dozen MiG-29 fighter jets to India's navy in a $1.2 billion deal to be finalised this week, a defence ministry official said on Monday.
Jan 18, 2010 at 21:59 | Reuters
Opinion: Georgia to normalize relations with neighbors in post-Saakashvili era Tbilisi, January 18 (Interfax) - Georgia must not interfere in Ukrainian internal affairs, leader of the opposition Movement for Fair Georgia and ex-premier Zurab Nogaideli said in comments on the Georgian election observers situation in Ukraine.
Jan 18, 2010 at 17:31 | Interfax-Ukraine
Diplomat: Removal of monument to Soviet soldiers in Tashkent prompted negative response in Russia Moscow, January 18 (Interfax) - Uzbek ambassador to Russia Ilhomzhon Nematov has given explanations to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin in relation to the dismantling of the monument to Soviet soldiers in Tashkent.
Jan 18, 2010 at 12:48 | Interfax-Ukraine
Turkmens to remove monument of former leader ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (AP) — Turkmenistan's president has ordered the removal of a tower topped by a golden statue of his eccentric, dictatorial predecessor.
Jan 18, 2010 at 12:25
Financial Times: Russia backs EU court reform The Russian parliament reversed years of opposition to reform of the European Court of Human Rights yesterday in a move that lawmakers said would stimulate improvements to the Russian judicial system.
Jan 17, 2010 at 22:18
Romanovs demand probe of last Tsar's murder The self-proclaimed heir to Russia's imperial throne asked prosecutors Friday to reopen an investigation into the murder of Tsar Nicholas II and his family, who were shot dead by the Bolsheviks in 1918.
Jan 17, 2010 at 22:16 | Reuters
The Washington Post: Russia: No agreement on Iran sanctions Top diplomats from six key powers focused on possible new sanctions against Russia's deputy foreign minister said.
Jan 17, 2010 at 00:12
Agence France-Presse: Medvedev photo outdoes Putin's painting A photograph taken by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sold on Saturday for 1.2 million euros -- even more than the amount a painting by his predecessor Vladimir Putin fetched last year.
Jan 17, 2010 at 00:09
The Business Insider: Here's why the Russia-Belarus conflict is a real threat to Western oil supplies I hadn’t actually been paying much attention to the Russian:Belarus dispute over oil supplies. After the annual debacles that we are used to over natural gas supplies that flow from Russia to Western Europe through Ukraine, and which seem somewhat quiescent at the moment, I had failed to grasp how much Western supplies of oil from Russia flow through Belarus. But as is pointed out in Foreign Policy, the flow is significant, and this is a more far-reaching conflict than I grasped.
Jan 16, 2010 at 23:25