Columnists »

Transmissions from a Lone Star: A Young Person's Guide to Russian Politics

Weekly column by Daniel Kalder

Following recent street protests in Russia, international attention has been focused on the country’s political scene.

Trendswatcher: When Looking ‘Normal’ is a Matter of Life and Death

Weekly column by Natalia Antonova

The bitter cold that has gripped the European part of Russia these last few weeks is certainly a case for concern as people come out for political rallies but there is another group of people who don’t get as much press, yet their lives literally hang in the balance when the weather gets extreme.

Uncertain World: Will Russia Lose Georgia for Good?

Weekly column by Fyodor Lukyanov

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili finally got what he couldn’t get for several years: an official visit to the White House.

Due West: Putin Plays for Provincial Vote

Weekly column by Konstantin von Eggert

Whether there were eight or fourteen thousand of them (figures differ even in official reports), the massive rally held in Yekaterinburg, the capital of the Urals region, in support of “stability” (read – PM Vladimir Putin) was an impressive affair, especially by Russia's provincial standards.

Sam's Exchange: Who is bluffing who?

Sam Barden's biweekly columns

The European Union (EU) has decided to ban the import of Iranian oil, but not for another six months. Iran however, looks like they are about to call the EU’s bluff and ban exports to Europe with immediate effect.

Features, Opinion & Analysis »

Madonna: I Came to Filmmaking with Great Humility

Singing songs, writing fairytales and directing movies is almost the same: in each case, you have to tell a story, says Madonna, who has tried it all. In an interview with RIA Novosti’s Olga Grinkrug she talks about W.E., her movie about the abdication of King Edward VIII, which premiered in Russia on February 2. Actors James D'Arcy (King Edward VIII) and Andrea Riseborough (Wallis Simpson) also shared impressions about their work with the pop icon.

The Russian Navy Grows from Bottom up

RIA Novosti military commentator Konstantin Bogdanov

While the nation’s leaders work at overhauling the Navy organization, the Navy itself continues to order new ships.

Balancing on the Verge of Iran War

RIA Novosti political commentator Dmitry Kosyrev

Those who hoped that the IAEA visit to Iran would open the door to resuming talks on Tehran’s nuclear programs must be disappointed. Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency spent three days in Iran, whose news agency published only a few short notices about their visit.