Claire Bigg covers Russia, Ukraine, and the post-Soviet world, with a focus on human rights, civil society, and social issues.
As Moscow prepares for a visit by leaders of the radical Palestinian group Hamas, it has sought to soothe international concerns by insisting that the purpose of the talks is to persuade the group to temper its policies and renounce violence.
Rescue workers have halted their search for survivors in the rubble of Moscow's Baumansky market, whose roof caved in early on 23 February, killing at least 58 people.
Rescue efforts continue at the site of a Moscow food market whose roof collapsed at dawn today, killing at least 50 people and trapping others under the wreckage in freezing temperatures.
As Russia marks Defenders of the Fatherland Day, many are remembering the tragedy that unfolded 62 years ago in the North Caucasus.
A new counterterrorism bill wins all but unanimous backing from the Russian parliament, 14 months after it first appeared before the Duma.
Authorities in the city of Volgograd announced that they are shutting down the publisher of a local newspaper, "Gorodskiye vesti," for publishing a cartoon depicting Jesus Christ, Moses, Buddha, and the Prophet Muhammad.
President Vladimir Putin recently urged Russia's security services to prevent foreign governments from meddling in Russian affairs through nongovernmental organizations.
Russia is marking the 50th anniversary of Khrushchev's "secret speech," in which he denounced crimes committed under Josef Stalin and the cult of personality surrounding the deceased Soviet leader.
Russian pianist Yevgeny Kissin won a Grammy award for the best instrumental soloist performance without orchestra. Over the last 20 years, he has grown into one the most famous pianists alive and continues to play to sold-out audiences around the world.
Chechen separatist leader Abdul-Khalim Sadulayev reshuffles his cabinet, giving posts only to men based in Chechnya.
The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Russia to pay 250,000 euros ($300,419) to Aleksei Mikheyev, a former traffic police officer who was tortured by police. Human rights campaigners have hailed the ruling as a landmark victory in the fight against torture in Russia. Mikheyev is far from being the only Russian to pin his hopes on the Strasbourg-based human rights court. The number of cases lodged by Russians has ballooned over the past few years, reflecting the growing frustration of Russians with their country's justice system.
The Free Theater of Minsk is a rare voice of dissent in President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's Belarus -- it is currently the only drama troupe boldly resisting government pressure and censorship.
The brutal hazing of a young army conscript that resulted in several amputations has sparked widespread indignation in Russia.
The rock that sparked the row (epa) The espionage charges leveled by Russia against Britain this week have sparked a bitter diplomatic row that could well sour long-term relations between the two nations. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on 23 January accused four British diplomats of spying and said it had caught one of them "red handed" channeling funds to several Russian nongovernmental organizations. London denied misconduct, saying it openly funded NGOs, and threatened to "reciprocate" if Moscow punishes the Britons. Many, however, say the accusations are less an attack against Britain than an attempt to justify the recent adoption of a controversial law imposing harsh restriction on the activities and funding of NGOs.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Turkmen counterpart Saparmurat Niyazov at the Kremlin today for talks that focused largely on natural gas. Niyazov, who arrived Sunday on a rare two-day trip outside his country, was expected to push for a hike in the price of Turkmen gas exports to Russia. Moscow, in turn, was eager to secure a large share of Turkmenistan's relatively cheap and increasingly coveted gas.
(official site) Armenia and Azerbaijan were set to square off today for a semifinal soccer match in the Commonwealth Cup being played in Moscow. But the Armenians refused to play, claiming Russia had failed to give them proper security guarantees. The Russian Football Union, however, says the team's withdrawal may have more to do with politics than with security.
Exceptionally frigid temperatures have failed to disrupt the celebration of the Russian Orthodox Epiphany, which thousands of believers marked by plunging into icy lakes.
Alexandr Nikishin (RFE/RL) Vodka is indisputably Russia's most famous drink. But how well-versed are Russians in the art of drinking it? Alexandr Nikishin, a tireless collector and enthusiast of vodka history, says his compatriots have a deplorable tendency to guzzle it down unceremoniously. Russians, he laments, have forgotten the honorable traditions that once surrounded vodka and have lost all true respect for the drink. Nikishin tells RFE/RL how his vast collection of vodka paraphernalia can help reeducate Russians about their country's national pride and shame.
The Beslan school massacre could have been avoided and local officials were incompetent and negligent, a Russian parliamentary commission finds.
Incoherent legislation continues to expose migrants and asylum seekers to exploitation, bribery, and violence in the former Soviet Union. Those who try to enter the EU often end up in abuse-plagued detention centers.
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