The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation business summit opened in Vladivostok, the Far East of Russia, on Friday, September 7. As a rule, no one expects any breakthroughs from APEC summits. The organization per se bears a consultative status, and the agendas of its forums can very often be too general...

Will Russians continue with this pantomime of power, or resist, like the Siberian cranes who refused to be led to freedom?

Vladimir Putin, whatever else one might think of him, has a certain genius for the theatricality of power. Among his many stunts, communing with wild animals has always played a special role. But whereas his previous...

Despite attempts by police to stop event, concert will raise money for the members of the group jailed over Putin protest

Russian musicians are to play at a benefit concert in support of the jailed feminist punk band Pussy Riot in St Petersburg on Sunday despite attempts by police to stop the event.

The gig comes after the free members of Pussy Riot...

Case of army lieutenant who killed and all but decapitated an Armenian soldier has inflamed public opinion

The spectre of war in the Caucasus rose again this week following the pardoning by Azerbaijan of a convicted axe murderer who killed and all but decapitated an Armenian soldier while he slept. The White House, Russia, the EU and the...

Political stunt? Maybe. But Russian president's glider-guiding the birds on their migration route actually works

Vladimir Putin's latest publicity stunt features a video of him in a microlight aircraft guiding a flock of young Siberian cranes on their migration route. As unlikely as it seems, by donning the all-over white suit and a large pair of...