Prime Minister Vladimir Putin published the fourth in a series of newspaper articles Monday, and in it, the odds-on favorite to win the presidency addresses the middle class and calls for "true democracy." Prime Minister Vladimir Putin published the fourth in a series of newspaper articles Monday, and in it, the odds-on favorite to win the presidency addresses the middle class and calls for "true democracy." Putin's new...

Since the publication in 1918 of the first volume of Oswald Spengler's "The Decline of the West," prophecies about the inexorable doom of what he called the "Faustian Civilization" have been a recurrent topic for intellectuals. Since the publication in 1918 of the first volume of Oswald Spengler's "The Decline of the West," prophecies about the inexorable doom of what he called the "Faustian Civilization"...

When Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev stepped down 20 years ago, on Dec. 25, 1991, it ended the 70-year history of the Soviet Union and began Russia's transition to a market economy. Government control on the prices of consumer goods were lifted on Jan. 2, 1992, and within a matter of weeks, the planned economy, long lines and deficits became a thing of the past. When Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev stepped down 20...

In a city that was once the cradle of Russian democracy, an unprecedented new campaign kicked off over the weekend to install web cameras in every polling station around the country in an effort to prevent voting fraud. VELIKY NOVGOROD — In this historic city that was once the cradle of Russian democracy, an unprecedented new campaign kicked off over the weekend to install web cameras in every polling station around the country in an effort to prevent voting fraud. The ambitious program —...

Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov won a new five-year term by capturing 97 percent of the vote, election officials said Monday, but a Western expert called the vote a democratic sham. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan — Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov won a new five-year term by capturing 97 percent of the vote, election officials said Monday, but a Western expert called the vote a democratic sham. All of Berdymukhammedov's seven...

Mikhail Prokhorov, the billionaire challenging Vladimir Putin for the presidency in March, said Russia faced the danger of violent revolution if it did not break conservative resistance and move quickly to democracy. 
Prokhorov, speaking in an interview, said Russians had shaken off a post-Soviet apathy and were now "just crazy about politics." Mikhail Prokhorov, the billionaire challenging Vladimir Putin for the presidency...

Here we go again — another round of anti-Americanism from the Kremlin and state-controlled media. Blaming outside forces for Russia's woes has a long history in the country. The closer we get to the March 4 presidential election, the more intense the anti-American hysteria becomes. Here we go again — another round of anti-Americanism from the Kremlin and state-controlled media. We have heard claims that the United States is trying to orchestrate an Orange Revolution in Russia many times...

... Rights when he said public television risks becoming a "mouthpiece for the minority that declares its demands more loudly than anyone else." Russia is 20 years late in its efforts to create a public broadcasting system. Even in developed democracies, the digital revolution has thrown traditional broadcasting into a crisis. As a result, no traditional Western model will help us, says Lysenko who is a member of both working groups. He contends that dreaming up such a system from scratch...

Kazakhstan's new parliament reinstalled a close ally of President Nursultan Nazarbayev as prime minister, demonstrating loyal backing for the veteran leader after elections criticized by the West as falling short of democracy. ASTANA, Kazakhstan — Kazakhstan's new parliament reinstalled a close ally of President Nursultan Nazarbayev as prime minister on Friday, demonstrating its loyal backing for the veteran leader after elections criticized by the West as falling short of democracy...

Three parties won entry to Kazakhstan's parliament, election results showed on Monday, a small concession to democracy by President Nursultan Nazarbayev after deadly clashes in a mutinous oil town shook the Central Asian state's image of stability. ASTANA — Three parties won entry to Kazakhstan's parliament, election results showed on Monday, a small concession to democracy by President Nursultan Nazarbayev after deadly clashes in a mutinous oil town...

If politics is a dirty business, then Russia is no exception. If politics is a dirty business, then Russia is no exception. But the spread of the Internet and smartphones, a close relationship between certain media outlets and politics, and the deepening political crisis resulting from mass anti-government protests are producing unprecedented heaps of mud in the ongoing presidential campaign. Methods include leaked audio and video recordings of private conversations, a tested practice to...

Russia and Indonesia have a combined population of 377 million people, share 5.5 percent of the world's gross domestic product, possess huge potential in natural resources and both are on the path toward democracy and free market capitalism. Russia and Indonesia have a combined population of 377 million people, share 5.5 percent of the world's gross domestic product, possess huge potential in natural resources and both are on the path toward democracy and...

While the Russian authorities are, for the time being, using kid gloves to deal with the opposition at home, they have not shown the same constraint in South Ossetia. While the Russian authorities are, for the time being, using kid gloves to deal with the opposition at home, they have not shown the same constraint in South Ossetia. Opposition leader Alla Dzhioyeva suffered a minor stroke after her home was raided by the authorities and her election headquarters...

I recently bumped into an old acquaintance who, without even bothering to say hello, immediately asked, "Are you going to the next protest rally on Feb. 4?" I recently bumped into an old acquaintance who, without even bothering to say hello, immediately asked, "Are you going to the next protest rally on Feb. 4?" "Of course," I replied grimly, and jokingly added: "But only if I put on a suicide bomber's belt and head straight for the...

Moscow is likely to face a barrage of criticism from European lawmakers next week when the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly — or PACE —plans to hold two debates on last month's disputed State Duma elections. Moscow is likely to face a barrage of criticism from European lawmakers next week when the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly — or PACE —plans to hold two debates on last month's disputed State Duma elections. On Monday,...

Pro-democracy protests in Russia are being organized by writers, journalists, artists and other cultural figures. There are few businesspeople among them who understand the concept of risk-adjusted returns. Pro-democracy protests in Russia are being organized by writers, journalists, artists and other cultural figures. There are few businesspeople among them who understand the concept of risk-adjusted returns. In any investment, the greater the risk of losing money, the...

The history of successive authoritarian regimes in Russia reveals a recurring pattern: They do not die from external blows or domestic insurgencies. The history of successive authoritarian regimes in Russia reveals a recurring pattern: They do not die from external blows or domestic insurgencies. Instead, they tend to collapse from a strange internal malady — a combination of the elites' encroaching disgust with themselves and a realization that the regime is exhausted...

Europe's outgoing human rights chief has some advice for the Latvian national who will succeed him: travel to Russia often to win the respect of local officials and press them hard to fulfill their promises. Europe's outgoing human rights chief has some advice for the Latvian national who will succeed him: travel to Russia often to win the respect of local officials and press them hard to fulfill their promises. Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe's human...

Western and Arab countries responded with outrage on Sunday after Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have urged Syrian President Bashar Assad to give up power. UNITED NATIONS — Western and Arab countries responded with outrage Sunday after Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have urged Syrian President Bashar Assad to give up power. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said she was "disgusted"...

... sad state of democracy under his rule during a videotaped roundtable discussion that went viral on the Internet. The event was remarkable precisely because it was so rare to see Putin facing a tough question publicly. It shouldn't be this way. In real democracies, of course, leaders face tough questions virtually every day — from journalists, lawmakers and other members of civil society. Opposition parties have been lobbying for years to change the election law to require all candidates to participate...