Kyiv Post News, Russia and former Soviet Union

Toy rally pushes limits of Russian protest movement MOSCOW, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Russian protesters set up plastic elephants, toy tigers and Lego men carrying banners against Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule on Sunday in the Siberian city of Barnaul, where demonstrations have been banned ahead of the March 4 presidential election.
Feb 19 at 20:29 | Reuters
Cars circle central Moscow in anti-Putin protest MOSCOW (AP) -- Hundreds of cars circled central Moscow during an opposition demonstration on Sunday to demand that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin allow free elections in Russia.
Feb 19 at 20:13 | Associated Press
Motorists protest against Putin on Moscow's streets MOSCOW, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Russians protesting against Vladimir Putin drove through Moscow on Sunday ahead of the March 4 presidential election expected to seal his grip on power.
Feb 19 at 17:30 | Reuters
Latvians set to reject Russian in emotionally charged vote RIGA, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Latvians were expected to reject Russian as an official language on Saturday in a controversial referendum that has heightened ethnic tensions in the former Soviet nation and triggered renewed criticism from old imperial master Moscow.
Feb 18 at 13:19 | Reuters
Russian detectives say most videos about election fraud concoctions made in United States Moscow, February 4 (Interfax) - Russia's top criminal investigation agency claims that the majority of Web videos that purportedly show fraud at polling stations during December's parliamentary elections in Russia "possess elements of montage," and that all of them "were disseminated from the same server, which is situated in the United States."
Feb 4 at 17:42
Russia: still two big problems with Syria resolution MUNICH (AP) — Moscow still sees two problems of "crucial importance" with a draft U.N. resolution on the violence in Syria, Russia's foreign minister said Saturday amid Western attempts to head off a Russian veto in the Security Council.

Sergey Lavrov said the resolution makes too few demands of armed groups opposing President Bashar Assad's regime. He also said Moscow remains concerned about whether it prejudges the outcome of a national dialogue among political forces in Syria.
Feb 4 at 14:49 | Associated Press
Russians stage rival protests against Putin MOSCOW, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Russians defied bitter cold inMoscowon Saturday to demand fair elections in a march againstVladimir Putin's 12-year rule, and thousands of others staged a rally supporting the prime minister.

Opposition protesters also organized smaller protests in other cities across the vast country, one month before the March 4 presidential election which Putin is expected to win.

Putin was president from 2000 until 2008, when he ushered Medevedev into the Kremlin because of a constitutional ban on three successive terms as head of state. Putin became prime minister but remained the dominant leader.
Feb 4 at 12:32 | Reuters
Gazprom briefly cut supplies to Europe MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's Gazprom has acknowledged that it briefly reduced gas supplies to Europe as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered the Kremlin-controlled monopoly to concentrate on domestic customers.
Feb 4 at 12:07 | Associated Press
Russia warns UN vote on Syria will end in scandal MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's foreign minister sternly warned Washington Saturday that any attempt to put a draft resolution on Syria to vote at the United Nations would lead to "scandal," a blunt warning that Moscow is prepared to use its veto power.

Sergey Lavrov said in an interview broadcast on Russian state television Rossiya that Moscow had submitted its amendments to the Western-backed draft. He said that Russia hopes that "bias will not prevail over common sense."
Feb 4 at 11:13 | Associated Press
Wall Street Journal: Moscow Curbs Supplies of Gas Across Europe BRUSSELS—Russian natural-gas supplies to Europe were curtailed for a third straight day Friday as particularly cold winter weather increased Russia's domestic demand."There has been a decrease in gas deliveries," said Marlene Holzner, a spokeswoman for European Union Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger. "Russia is experiencing a really cold winter and it needs more gas than usual."
Feb 4 at 09:51
Russian opposition party leader detained at protest MOSCOW, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Russian police detained the leader of the Yabloko liberal opposition party for defying their orders on Saturday at a peaceful protest by up to 200 people to demand fair elections, the party said.
Jan 14 at 19:37 | Reuters
IHS Global Insight: Turmoil follows election controversy in Georgia's South Ossetia breakaway region Editor’s note: The following analysis was produced by IHS Global Insight, a consultancy that provides analysis of the business conditions, economic prospects and risks in over 200 countries.
Nov 30, 2011 at 17:53 | Kyiv Post
Putin launches Kremlin bid with swipes at opponents, West MOSCOW, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin accepted his ruling party's nomination on Sunday to return to Russia's presidency, while accusing foreigners of funding his political opponents in a reminder of the anti-Western rhetoric that characterised his years in power.
Nov 27, 2011 at 17:07 | Reuters
Putin: Foreign powers are paying opposition politicians in bid to influence Russia MOSCOW, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that foreign powers were seeking to influence Russia's Dec. 4 parliamentary election and a March presidential vote in which he confirmed he will run.
Nov 27, 2011 at 13:01 | Reuters
Putin formally nominated to run for president by ruling Kremlin party MOSCOW (AP) -- Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has been formally nominated by the ruling United Russia party to run for president in next March's election.
Nov 27, 2011 at 12:44 | Associated Press