Free Republic

SMOLENSK, Russia -- The era of brutal score-settling is far from over in Russia, especially in this hard-bitten western city where the nexus of business and politics usually yields volatile results. Eduard Kachanovsky, a freshman city councilman who rankled city officials and their moneyed business allies with investigations into shady real estate deals and missing cash, recently learned that lesson. The officials had warned him for months to stop digging. Each time, he ignored them. On the morning of Oct. 17, Kachanovsky was walking through his apartment building lobby on the way to work when two men dressed as...

For all the criticism that the Kremlin is reverting back to Soviet-era practices, the one thing the authorities are not doing is promoting “people’s friendship.” In Soviet times, authorities mocked racism in the West, and state television played up the inequality between blacks and whites in the United States. The state showcased racial and ethnic harmony, as seen in Moscow’s mammoth golden Fountain of People’s Friendship, and dark-skinned Russians got the roles of bumbling do-gooders in Soviet comedies. These days, state television allows nationalist politicians to spew their hatred for nonethnic Russians and serves up reality crime shows in which...

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's parliament on Wednesday approved on second reading a raft of amendments to election rules, which critics say would further tighten the Kremlin's grip on power if implemented. If introduced, the changes, proposed by President Vladimir Putin, would ban political parties merging into blocs to stand in elections and scrap the "against all" option, used as a protest vote, on ballot papers in regional polls. Putin has been accused by opponents and some Western governments of endangering democracy through sweeping political reforms he said were needed after last year's deadly Beslan school siege carried out by Chechen...

Russia is gradually sinking into the abyss of facism. Its seeds have been sown by those in power and are now shooting forth in society. The Kremlin, using the patriotic feelings of its own subjects, has created a political force with a name vivid and dear to every Russian's heart - Rodina, or Motherland. This organization, with the support of President Vladimir Putin's administration, has not only gained access to all mass media (television, radio, and newspapers), but surpassed the 5 per cent barrier and made it into the State Duma. For the purpose of strengthening its own power, today's...

MOSCOW, Russia – The Moscow Jewish Community Center hosted a press conference, which involved Alexander Boroda, the Chairman of the Board for the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, and FJC Russia Executive Director Valery Engel. This conference presented the appeal of the FJC Russia, addressed to the organization 'Socialist International' and its members, drawing attention to some disturbing facts concerning the activity of the 'Rodina' Party, a political party active at the national level in Russia. This political party, which claims to represent the social-patriotic opposition, has applied to become a member of the 'Socialist International' organization. One of...

The Motherland bloc -- or "Rodina," as it is called in Russian -- is the sensation of the new Russian Duma. Elected on a platform combining leftist economics and nationalist rhetoric, Motherland is believed to be a Kremlin creation meant to siphon protest votes away from the Communists. RFE/RL looks at Motherland's roots and what its two strong political leaders may hope to achieve once the new Duma begins work. Moscow 11 December 2003 (RFE/RL) -- "Let's reclaim Russia for ourselves" was the motto for the fledgling Motherland-Patriotic Union bloc during the campaign season leading up to last weekend's (7...

MOSCOW – The Rodina (Motherland) Bloc, which surprised everybody by its unexpectedly high results at the parliamentary election on Dec. 7, seems set to surprise everyone again — this time by the speed of its disintegration. Citing members of the young political bloc with brazen nationalistic ideas, Nezavisimaya Gazeta claims that Rodina has one or two weeks more to live as united political entity. According to the paper, several party members have attributed the internal wrangling among party leaders — Sergei Glaziev, a candidate for the presidency, and Dmitry Rogozin — who are currently on bad terms with each other....

<p>The strapping nationalist lawmaker strode past the television crew camped in front of his office. Not long ago, Dmitri Rogozin would have gladly sought out a chance for some airtime. But not anymore -- not after his Motherland bloc rode a wave of Russian patriotism and disenchantment with Western-style reforms to an impressive showing in last week's parliamentary vote. Now the cameras chase after him.</p>