Mikhail Ivanov
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Some Russian observers suspect the FSB of having staged the abduction of an American aid worker as part of a broader political agenda
The Bush administration's tough stance over Chechnya comes in sharp contrast to the latest developments in Strasbourg
The Council of Europe restores Russia's voting rights, suspended in the wake of the September 1999 invasion of Chechnya
Moscow has been working hard to justify its controversial visa regime in Georgia but apparently President Shevardnadze has taken the hint
Russia's plans to introduce visa regulations for Georgia are directly linked to claims that Chechen rebels are taking refuge in the former Soviet republic
The blaze of publicity which surrounded the hijacking of a Russian aeroplane last week could well serve the interests of Islamic extremist groups
The sensational defection of a former FSB officer is unlikely to furnish Western intelligence services with anything more than speculation and hearsay
The war in Chechnya has inspired new political sympathies between Russia and Israel - but President Putin is still wary of taking sides in the Middle East crisis
Russian "contract" troops returning from Chechnya complain they are being cheated of their hard-won wages
Despite close historical and political ties with Armenia, Moscow is wary of backing its old ally over the Nagorny Karabakh debate