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It's intriguing to see that the Kremlin still holds an insane amount of power. After disagreements between the Russian President and the Moscow Mayor, Mayor Luzhkov refused to resign. President Medvedev did what any good Russian president would do and fired him. All of Russia's most powerful regional leaders have been sacked or replaced in the last 18 months, all by the Kremlin. How can the Kremlin do this? Because in 2004 Putin "changed the law to abolish elections to these posts". Yes, that's right, the Russian people can no longer elect their own governors.

Yuri Luzhkov is one of the first Mayors Moscow and the greater Russian nation has ever seen. Since Soviet control, Russia has not had many individuals trying to assume power on a level lower than the Kremlin. Because the higher up Russian officials want to keep all of their power "There can only be one ruler in Moscow" and that is Putin (now Putin and Medvedev)." So, the kremlin started a vicious smear campaign outing many of this pretty-popular politicians secrets. They have tried to sabotage his popularity and kick him out of office.

I hope my annotations saved

Great use of Diigo annotation tool, Anay!

Months after the Ukraine crisis, Ukrainian officials still rely on Russia for gas sources. Interestingly, the economic fighting between Russia and Ukraine allows Russia and rebels in Ukraine to shift the focus of negotiations with Kiev from securing the border between Russia and Ukraine to the current economic problem. The pro-Western government in Kiev is forced to compromise with Moscow in order to receive essentials for the upcoming chilly winter. The deal shows that the Kremlin is switching from a military to an economic strategy to fight Ukraine's efforts to align itself with the West. Russia now imposes a trade war threat. Ukraine is the transit route for Russian gas supplies to 28 other countries. Ukraine cannot afford an economic shock from fuel shortages, because its economy is already expected to shrink this year by 7 percent.

After the US walked away from discussions on Syria, President Putin stepped up his country's military activity, with an enormous mobilization of first responders and civilians on the home front. In addition, the President redeployed nuclear weapons, making sure to leave some in place for American surveillance satellites to see. Mr. Putin also suggested the reopening of Russian military bases in Vietnam and Cuba. However, many see this as a distraction from the Russian economy, which is showing the first dip in income for the country's citizens since Putin assumed the Presidency in 2000. The nation's budget is also being heavily slashed, with healthcare and the military losing 33% and 6% of their funding, respectively. People inside Russia commented that the new budget leaves money for the military and police, and little else. Further speculation is that Mr. Putin is using the same strategy he employed in the Ukraine, which is to ramp up Russia's military and leverage that in diplomatic conversation with other nations. Some of Putin's comments also suggest that he wants to push Russia as a concern of the US Presidential election, and make sure that whoever the next President is will see Russia as a force to be reckoned with.

It seems like distrust of the government, as well as its initial reluctance to enact precautions, has left a lot of people in Russia with a very apathetic attitude toward the pandemic.

The current Kazakh president has not been both indecisive and self-interested shaping the nation's alliances. At the beginning of this year, Tokayev shut down the whole country due to protests, and gave the equivalent to the national guard shoot to kill orders. He invited Russian forces to intervene. Then, bizarrely, when the draft in Russia began, Kazakhstan accepted fleeing Russians without giving them problems, and had a falling out with the Kremlin. Now, Tokayev reaffirmed positive relations with Russia. This is probably a matter of money moving hands.

Three more bits from the article: 1. from Tokayev, the Kazakh leader: "For Kazakhstan, Russia is and has always been a strategic partner." 2. Putin told Tokayev that relations between Moscow and Astana have a "special character." 3. Speaking at a summit of the Moscow-led CSTO security bloc in Armenia last week, Tokayev called for a "joint collective search for a formula for peace." . . . "We must not allow the fraternal Russian and Ukrainian peoples to part ways for tens or hundreds of years with mutual unhealed grievances." Sounds like Tokayev has a tricky line to draw in his relationship with Russia. Really interesting, Slava!

UN suspects Russia blew up two pipe lines and have vowed a united front to combat Russia's underhand war tactics.

I don't know about this one. The Nord Stream project cost the Russian state tremendous amounts of money. For the duration of the war, Russia has been tempting Germany, the primary consumer of Russian gas, with the proposition that if they stop providing aid to Ukraine, they will turn the faucets back on and let the Germans have gas. Now suddenly that diplomatic advantage is gone. For all the Machiavellian plans the Kremlin cooks up, this doesn't feel like their work. If the Russian pipeline was sabotaged, it would have been done by a faction opposed to Russian interests.

Has there been any news on this since Sept 22? All I've heard is about efforts to stem the leaks.