Carnegie Moscow Center
The Moscow City government's plans to put up billboards honoring Joseph Stalin for the 65th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany are a clear act of political rebellion against the Kremlin.
In 1990, when the Russian economy was falling apart and Russia was suffering from acute food shortages, the first McDonald's opened in Moscow, offering a new experience of food service.
The five post-Soviet Central Asian republics—Kazakhstan, Krygyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan—share common political, cultural, and historical roots, but they are far from homogeneous, and continuing domestic and regional tensions could lead to violent conflict.
In his annual address, President Medvedev delivered a critical and shrewd assessment of Russia's state of affairs, but it remains to be seen whether fear of yielding political control will prevent the Kremlin from acting on Medvedev’s bold words.
As violence in the North Caucasus surges, Kremlin policies and its loyal, but brutal, local leaders have played a critical role in causing the situation.