RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN HOLD NAVAL EXERCISES IN CASPIAN
Via RFE/RL's News Desk:
Vessels from Russia's Caspian Navy Fleet are conducting joint naval exercises with Kazakhstan.
The press service of Russia's South Military District issued a statement on October 7 saying Russian ships "Daghestan" and "Grad Sviazhsk" and Kazakh warships "Kazakhstan" and "Oral" were holding joint exercises to practice "protecting maritime economic facilities."
The Russian and Kazakh warships conducted separate and joint live fire drills at targets on the sea and in the air, and also at mines.
The exercises also involve search and rescue operations for a disabled allied warship.
At the conclusion of the October 7 exercises with Kazakhstan, the Russian warships will head to Iran's Bender Enzeli and later to Baku in Azerbaijan.
The naval exercises come after the leaders of the five Caspian states met in Russia last month and agreed to prevent foreign militaries from gaining any influence in the Caspian Sea.
(Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax)
JOURNALISTS HONOR POLITKOVSKAYA WITH MAKESHIFT FLOWERS
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
Journalists honored the late Russian investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya by bringing paper flowers to the headquarters of her newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, on the eighth anniversary of her murder.
The flowers were fashioned from pages of newspapers and other media outlets taking part in the commemoration organized by Amnesty International.
Ceremonies were also held in other cities.
Politkovskaya, a critic of President Vladimir Putin whose dogged reporting exposed high-level corruption in Russia and rights abuses in its Chechnya region, was shot dead in her Moscow apartment building on October 7, 2006.
Last June, two men were sentenced to life and three others to long prison terms for their involvement in Politkovskaya's murder.
Relatives and colleagues say justice will not be done until those who ordered her killing are identified and convicted.
Politkovskaya was killed on Putin's birthday, prompting speculation that her murder was meant as a "gift" to the president.
DON'T MENTION THE WAR!
According to a new poll by the Razumkov Center (h/t to Paul Goble at Window on Eurasia for flagging), a majority of Ukrainians believe they are at war with Russia.
According to the poll, 57 percent of Ukrainians believe the conflict in Donbas is a war with Russia. Just 13 percent believe the Kremlin line that it is a civil war among Ukrainians and even fewer, 9.9 percent, believe it is a protest against the Kyiv authorities.
A large majority -- 64.6 percent -- say either Russia or ousted pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych are to blame for the conflict (40.4 percent say Russia, 24.2 percent say Yanukovych). Just 14 percent blame the authorities in Kyiv.
When all is said and done, Russia may well succeed in creating a frozen conflict (and a de facto protectorate) in Donbas. But it appears Moscow has lost the rest of Ukraine -- and lost it decisively.
ANOTHER SCHOLAR IN TROUBLE FOR CRITICIZING KREMLIN
Sergei Aleksashenko, director of macroeconomic research at Moscow's Higher School of Economics, say he's been sacked over his criticism of Kremlin economic policy.
"Some people do not like what I wrte, what I do, and where I live," Aleksashenko, who is currently interning at Georgetown University, wrote in a letter announcing his departure. "I have no right to endaner friends and colleagues."
Read the whole story (in Russian) on Newsru.com here.
PROPPING UP THE RUBLE IS GETTING EXPENSIVE
DEMONSTRATION AND COUNTER-DEMONSTRATION
RFE/RL's Russian Service has produced this video of a demonstration in support of those imprisoned in the Bolotnaya case. Pro-Kremlin counter demonstrators, some dressed as NATO troops, some wearing St. George ribbons, and one dressed as Uncle Sam, harass them.
PUTIN, PUTIN, GO AWAY
On The Twitter, Ilya Yashin reminds us of a stunt he pulled two years ago.
The tweet reads: Today is Putin's birthday. We expressed our wish for him two years ago.
The sign (in yellow) behind the Kremlin reads: "Putin Go Away."
IS HE GOING TO TRY TO BAN UNSANCTIONED TWEETING?
REMEMBERING ANNA POLITKOVSKAYA
Eight years ago today, investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya was slain in Moscow. Here's a selection of tweets in her memory. Not enough to do her justice, of course. There are many more at the hashtags #ЦветыАнне & #Politkovskaja
PUTIN DOCUMENTARY (IN FRENCH)
French journalist Nicolas Tonev's documentary on Putin: