There's a reason Russian President Vladimir Putin recently called U.S. President Obama. It wasn't to talk about Ukraine, the weather or the International Space Station. Published June 30, 2015
It strikes me that while I'm sitting in Moscow, a place where they are still trying to overcome 70 years of the Marxist/Leninist experiment, I watch with horror as again the world has to deal with the consequences of Karl Marx and his teachings. Published June 29, 2015
It's Moscow's worst nightmare, a color revolution, along the lines of what happened in Georgia, Ukraine, or Kyrgyzstan, happening in other former Soviet territories. The Kremlin worries it may be starting in Yerevan, Armenia. Published June 26, 2015
Lately, I've noticed a new trend coming out of the Russian media and press releases from the Kremlin. Published June 25, 2015
On the heels of Russia proclaiming that Baltic Russian-speaking populations are being violated, the deputy secretary of the Russian Security Council, Yevgeny Lukyanov, inferred that the former Soviet Baltic territories of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia could be targeted with nuclear weapons if they deploy American anti-missile defense systems in-country. Published June 24, 2015
According to Tass.ru, Russian human rights ombudsman Konstantin Dolgov said Tuesday that the human rights of Russian speakers in the Baltics were being violated. Published June 23, 2015
The West has been trying to get Russia's attention, and force a change in behavior, for over a year regarding Russia's actions in Ukraine and its new militaristic, aggressiveness abroad. Published June 22, 2015
Many in Russia believe the Kremlin created the crisis in Ukraine and with the West in order to deflect attention from the domestic economy and to appeal to an innate, rabid nationalism in the Russian population. Published June 18, 2015
TASS, the Russian news agency, reported today that the Belarusian defense minister, Gen. Lt. Andrey Ravkov, has stated that a Russian airbase in the eastern city of Babruysk, Belarus, is in the political stage of discussion. Published June 17, 2015
Last summer, when the Gaza conflict was raging, I traveled to Sderot, Israel, on the Gaza border to see for myself what was happening. And boy did I see it. Published June 16, 2015
In prose reminiscing "Scarborough Fair," jihadists in Chechnya have been sending love letters to the Islamic State. Published June 9, 2015
Relations between Moscow and Washington are obviously at an all time low due to events in Ukraine and the West responding with sanctions on the Russian Federation. Published June 7, 2015
If I lived in the port city of Mariupol, I'd be moving. The front lines of the conflict between Ukrainian troops and the pro-Russian separatists are only a few miles away. Published June 5, 2015
Karma is a funny thing. It tends to bite you when you least expect it or when you can least afford it. This may be happening in Russia. Published June 3, 2015
In August of last year, as Russian troops kept getting "lost" in Ukraine, the government of Canada produced a map showing Russia in red, and Ukraine in blue, labeled "Not Russia," in a snarky attempt to call, in their words, "an invasion an invasion." Published June 1, 2015
Recently, the Moscow Metro celebrated its 80th birthday and the city government put on a big show. In a cool, hipster idea, the audio announcements that play automatically on the subway were changed to the voices of famous Russian actors and actresses. I have to admit, it was a nice touch. The metro in Moscow is stunningly efficient and over-the-top beautiful--a most pleasurable experience for someone used to the grind and filth of the New York subway. Published May 29, 2015
Throughout the ages, Ukraine has been controlled by one power or another, such as the Russians, Poles, Germans, or the Turks. Published May 25, 2015
The West frequently asks itself, "Why is Russian President Vladimir Putin so popular? He has harmed their economy. He has stifled the free press. He has destroyed the political opposition. We don't get it." Published May 22, 2015
North Korea is a special kind of thorn for the United States. Published May 20, 2015
With investments, wine or travel, I like finding interesting deals, things that no one else wants. Kiev is a wonderful city Published May 18, 2015
