Russia’s Path to a New Regional Policy
In August 1990 Boris Yeltsin traveled to Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, to urge the local authorities to "take as much autonomy as you can swallow." Ten years later, newly…
The Limits of US Influence on Russian Economic Policy
When the Soviet Union broke apart nine years ago, Western observers voiced dire predictions about Russia's fate. Some warned that a quasi-fascist or military dictatorship would seize power; others spoke…
The New Bush Administration and the UN: A Strategy of Great Power Consensus?
While the presidency of George W. Bush is still at an early stage, it is already clear what direction his Secretary of State, Colin Powell, will be trying to pursue…
Gubernatorial Elections in the Volgograd Region: Do They Matter?
Late in 2000, a series of gubernatorial elections will be held in 34 regions of Russia. The elections are complicated by the ongoing reformation of the Russian federal system undertaken…
Exchange Rate Policy After the Currency Crisis: Walking the Tightrope
Although the August 1998 currency crisis came as a surprise to at least some observers, the rapid recovery of the Russian economy after the crisis was even more unexpected. Unlike…
America’s Caspian Policy Under the Bush Administration
At the time of this writing there is no indication of any major change in America's Caspian policy under the Bush administration. On the contrary, a conservative policy agenda will…
Broken Pendulum: Recentralization Under Putin
The development of center-region relations in Russia since 1990 is analogous to the oscillations of a pendulum, reflecting the changing balance between the alternative processes of decentralization and centralization. These…
Too Much of a Good Thing? High Oil Prices and Russian Monetary Policy
The gloom that followed the August 1998 financial crisis has given way, in some circles, to euphoria. In the first half of 2000, the Russian economy grew by 7.5% compared…
Ukraine, Russia, and US Policy
Although Ukraine was briefly independent at the end of World War I and was occupied by the Nazis during World War II, those were the only gaps in the roughly…
The Russian Constitution and Foreign Policy: Regional Aspects
Internationalization is in progress on a global scale as national governments respond to an expanding range of international linkages, economic interdependence, and the demands of policy issues that can no…
Russia’s Views on Cruise Missiles in the Context
The abysmal state of Russia's conventional forces has caused Moscow to rely on nuclear weapons to ensure its security. This reliance was formalized in Russia's military doctrine, which states that…
What Drives Russia Coverage in the Mainstream American Press?
Foreign affairs coverage in the mainstream media in the United States–centering on the wire services, the newspapers of record (The New York Times, The Washington Post), and the major television…