My profile:
Articles by Lukas I. Alpert
N.Y. Firefighters Score a Moscow ‘Miracle on Ice’
28 April 12
It may not have been as momentous a victory as the legendary "Miracle on Ice," but for a group of New York City firefighters it was just as satisfying.
Bookmakers Say Odds Are on a Putin Victory
01 February 12
In the world of gambling, Russia's presidential election is turning into a sucker's bet.
U.S. Visa Deal Hits a Snag in New Duma
28 December 11
The timeline for final ratification of the much-anticipated visa agreement with the United States has been put into doubt by new political realities in the State Duma, with the signing likely postponed for months.
Lugovoi Declared Poison Victim, Too
01 December 11
In a strange twist Wednesday, the Investigative Committee announced that the lead suspect in the bizarre polonium poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006 was also a victim of exposure to the same radioactive material.
Expats, Officials Fume Over Tariffs
25 November 11
A head of state rarely throws up his arms in frustration over a minor tariff issue. But President Dmitry Medvedev nearly blew his top when questioned about the customs union's failure to lift hefty import duties on foreigners' household items.
American's Odd Tale of Love Lost in Ukraine
17 November 11
Many come to the East following a dream, but some — like Cary Dolego — get seriously lost along the way. The 53-year-old came to Ukraine looking for love — but eight months later found himself homeless and living outside a railway station.
Moscow Fumes as Pilot Jailed
09 November 11
By Lukas I. Alpert and Alexandra Odynova
Straining relations between Russia and Tajikistan, a Tajik court ended a puzzling trial Tuesday by sentencing a Russian pilot to a lengthy 8 1/2-year prison sentence after finding him guilty of illegally crossing into the country with a smuggled jet engine.
3 Russians Vie to Be 7 Billionth Person
01 November 11
The global population officially topped 7 billion on Monday, and a worldwide fight immediately erupted over which lucky baby was the first to reach the milestone — with three infants from the distant corners of Russia vying for the crown.
11 Jailed in 2 Trials Tied to Riots
31 October 11
Two city courts have simultaneously jailed radical activists accused of participating in December's race riots on Manezh Square and North Caucasus natives accused of triggering the clashes.
Bolshoi Theater to Reopen After Restoration
28 October 11
The Bolshoi Theater reopens to the world Friday following a six-year, scandal-plagued renovation that has returned the cultural icon to its original glory while leaving observers stunned by its high cost.
Cigarette Fire Causes Metro Disruption
27 October 11
A fire started by a carelessly discarded cigarette brought metro service to a standstill on the green line Wednesday morning, forcing more than 500 people to be evacuated from the Orekhovo station and snarling traffic in southern Moscow, officials said.
Data on 1.6 Million MTS Users Leaked
26 October 11
Personal data of 1.6 million mobile phone users appeared online in the second such leak in three months, government regulators acknowledged Tuesday.
Luxury Clinic Sued After Expat Left Blinded in One Eye
20 October 11
When Alyona Kojevnikov slipped on ice and hit her head last winter, her first instinct was to go to a posh private clinic to make sure she was all right. Instead, she says she was left blinded in her left eye — not by her injuries, but by the treatment itself.
Occupy Wall Street Protests Find Little Resonance in Moscow
19 October 11
They've swarmed the streets of New York, spread to cities across America and erupted in fury in European capitals, but the Occupy Wall Street protests popping up around the globe have yet to materialize in Russia.
Cops Who Injured Cyclist Were Intoxicated
18 October 11
Two Moscow cops who struck and injured a teenage cyclist with their service car over the weekend while on duty were drunk, city police said Monday. Both cops were sacked and will face criminal prosecution.
People’s Front Demands an Overhaul of Criminal Code
14 October 11
A senior official with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's All-Russia People's Front said Thursday that the country's Criminal Code should be rewritten from top to bottom just two years after President Dmitry Medvedev began a series of reforms.
News Analysis: Ukraine Pushed Toward Russia’s Arms
13 October 11
Ukraine's foreign minister insisted Wednesday that the conviction of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko would have no affect on relations with the West, but analysts said the court's ruling can only result in Ukraine being firmly pushed back into Russia's arms.
Echoes of Magnitsky In Principal’s Death
12 October 11
Investigators announced Tuesday that a criminal inquiry has been opened into the death of a Moscow school principal awaiting trial on corruption charges, in a case that has drawn comparisons to that of Sergei Magnitsky.
Suicide Costs Russia Equivalent of Large City
11 October 11
An alarmingly high suicide rate in Russia has cost the country the equivalent in population of a large metropolis since the Soviet collapse.
Indebted New Yorker Turns to Internet Begging
13 November 02
The Associated Press
A few months after starting after launching www.savekaryn.com, Karyn Bosnak has received more than $13,300 from donors worldwide to pay off her credit card debt.
