Corey Flintoff

Russian Lawmakers: Don't Criticize Soviet Actions In WWII

Corey Flintoff — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:07:00 +0000

World War II remains a monumental event in the collective Russian mind. It's known as the "Great Patriotic War," and Russians believe no one made greater sacrifices than the Soviet Union when it came to defeating Nazi Germany.

The end of the war is celebrated with a huge military parade in Moscow's Red Square on May 9, commemorating the millions of men and women, military and civilian, who died during the struggle.

Any criticism of the Soviet war effort is rare.

Gerard Depardieu To Star In Two Chechnya-Based Films

Corey Flintoff — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:32:00 +0000

Actor Gerard Depardieu is reportedly set to begin filming a new thriller with British actress-model Elizabeth Hurley, to be set in Moscow and Grozny, the capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya.

Depardieu accepted Russian citizenship in a special dispensation from President Vladimir Putin last January, after the actor denounced a proposed new tax on the ri

Investigating The Boston Bombing ... In Southern Russia

Corey Flintoff — Wed, 01 May 2013 07:18:00 +0000

The search for the motivations of the alleged Boston Marathon bombers stretches from New England to Central Asia, but a lot of attention has been focused on Dagestan.

The mostly Muslim republic is located in the southernmost part of Russia, and it's been the battleground in a low-level insurgency that takes lives nearly every day.

One of the suspects, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, traveled to Dagestan twice in recent years, and investigators want to know whether that experience led him toward a radical and violent form of Islam.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev's parents and other relatives lived in the republic'

Suspects' Chechen Roots Draws Eyes In Russia

Corey Flintoff — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:41:00 +0000

The Boston Marathon bombing suspects are ethnic Chechens with links to the volatile North Caucasus region of Russia. Moscow's reaction to that fact appears to be as complex as the region's turbulent history.

So far, official reaction to the story has been muted. State-run news media show clips of President Vladimir Putin condemning the bombings and offering condolences to the people of Boston.

Emigre Artist Sculpted Exquisite Gems Of Russian Folk Life

Corey Flintoff — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 21:02:00 +0000

A team of American researchers is on a treasure hunt for jewels — of both artistic and historic value.

This month, researchers from Denver were in Russia to document the work of Vasily Konovalenko, a former ballet set designer turned sculptor, who created scenes from Russian folk life in semiprecious stones.

In the 1980s, Konovalenko emigrated from what was then the Soviet Union in search of artistic freedom. Now, his legacy is divided between the U.S.

Ex-Diplomats: U.S.-Russian Relations Not As Dire As They Seem

Corey Flintoff — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:29:00 +0000

Relations between the United States and Russia are testier than they have been in years. The two nations are at odds over human rights, the civil war in Syria and even the adoption of Russian orphans by American families.

But former American diplomats say things aren't as bad as they may seem. They say the two countries should work together on economic and security issues.

Four former U.S.

Once Championed By Putin, Medvedev Falls Precipitously Out Of Favor

Corey Flintoff — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:13:00 +0000

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev appears increasingly isolated from the centers of power surrounding President Vladimir Putin.

Analysts say Medvedev is the target of a campaign to wreck his reputation and drive him from office. It's a risky situation for the former president, who was once regarded as Putin's partner.

The attacks have come from many directions. One of the harshest was an anonymous, documentary-style film that was posted on the Internet in January.

The film, Game at Giveaway, accuses Medvedev of betraying Russia's national interest.

In Crackdown, Some Russian Groups Labeled As 'Foreign Agents'

Corey Flintoff — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:32:00 +0000

Russian investigators have descended on the offices of nongovernmental organizations across the country, demanding to inspect financial records and other documents.

This follows the recent passage of a law designed to impose tighter controls over these NGOs, especially those that receive funding from abroad.

Rubles For Minutes, Not Mochas, At Russian Cafe Chain

Corey Flintoff — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 08:25:00 +0000

Cafe life has taken hold in modern Russia. From Starbucks to local chains such as Kofe Khaus and Schokoladnitsia, there are lots of places to hang out, see and be seen.

It's a striking change in a country where, in Soviet times, the best an ordinary comrade could expect was a mug of tea in a workers canteen.

The world over, the basic contract between cafe and customer is this: You buy a drink or a snack, and you get to use the premises for as long as it takes to consume it.

But an entrepreneur in Russia is experimenting with ways to change that: At his cafes, money buys time.

The Mysterious Disappearance Of The Russian Crown Jewels

Corey Flintoff — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 10:09:00 +0000

The story of the missing Russian crown jewels begins, as so many great adventures do, in a library.

In this case, it was the U.S. Geological Survey Library in Reston, Va.

Richard Huffine, the director, was looking through the library's rare-book collection when he came upon an oversized volume.

"And there's no markings on the outside, there's no spine label or anything like that," he says.

Russia's Putin Signs Controversial Adoption Bill

Corey Flintoff — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 10:06:00 +0000

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a measure into law that would ban Americans from adopting Russian children.

Russia's parliament had overwhelmingly approved the ban, which was designed as retaliation for a new U.S.

Adoption Ban Puts Orphans At Center Of U.S.-Russia Dispute

Corey Flintoff — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 13:42:00 +0000

Russian lawmakers have approved a measure that would bar Americans from adopting Russian children, a move that comes in retaliation for a U.S. law that seeks to "name and shame" Russian officials who violate human rights.

President Vladimir Putin has voiced support for the adoption ban, but it's not clear whether he'll actually sign the measure, which has potential pitfalls.

As the Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, prepared for the final vote on the adoption ban, opponents of the measure stood in the subzero cold outside holding picket signs.

Wine And Food May Rekindle Love Lost Between Russia And Georgia

Corey Flintoff — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:33:00 +0000

It's a big day in the religious and culinary calendar of the Republic of Georgia. Georgian Orthodox believers observe Dec. 17 as St. Barbara's Day, in honor of an early Christian martyr.

Russian Scandal Hints At Larger Political Battle

Corey Flintoff — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:16:00 +0000

Russia is in the middle of a blazing tabloid-style scandal that features a bejeweled blonde, a luxury love nest, and an alleged scam worth more than $200 million.

But that's not where some Kremlin watchers are putting their attention.

Russia's Hockey League Glad To Have NHL-Lockout Orphans

Corey Flintoff — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:45:00 +0000

As the National Hockey League lockout drags into its 86th day, which featured news that more games have been cancelled including the All-Star game, some of the league's biggest stars are getting plenty of action back in their home countries.

In Russia, major NHL players such as Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin are giving a boost to the fledgling KHL—the Kontinental Hockey League.

Russian NHL players are scattered throughout the KHL teams that still carry names from the Soviet era when Russia dominated world hockey.

Ovechkin plays for Dynamo Moscow, the team that gave him his professional

In Russia, Pro-Putin Youths Protest Mormons As 'Cult'

Corey Flintoff — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 10:13:00 +0000

Young supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin have staged several protests this month outside Mormon meeting houses, claiming that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an "authoritarian sect" with connections to the CIA and FBI.

The protesters are members of the Young Guard, a youth organization of Putin's United Russia Party. They insist their actions have nothing to do with Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate and Mormon who called Russia the "No.

Russia, U.S. Seek To Resolve Friction On Adoptions

Corey Flintoff — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 19:32:00 +0000

Americans have been adopting Russian children in sizable numbers for two decades, and most of the unions have worked out well. But it remains a sensitive topic in Russia, where officials periodically point to high-profile cases of abuse or other problems.

Now, the two countries are putting the finishing touches on a new agreement governing these adoptions.

Russia's Putin Welcomes Obama's Re-Election

Corey Flintoff — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:45:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent word congratulating President Obama on his victory. Still, as NPR's Corey Flintoff reports from Moscow, during the campaign, the Russian government and state-run media sough to discredit the American electoral process.

COREY FLINTOFF, BYLINE: Most Russians haven't followed the U.S. elections very closely, but those who did remembered that Mitt Romney had characterized their country as America's number one geopolitical foe.

Putin, Russia's Man Of Action, Is Slowed By Injury

Corey Flintoff — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 09:16:00 +0000

Take it easy, tough guy.

Russian officials are acknowledging that President Vladimir Putin has been slowed by back problems, but they insist he won't be sidelined for long.

Rumors about an injury began to float in early September, when the Russian leader was seen wincing at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vladivostok.

A Kremlin spokesman said it's a minor injury, about what you'd expect in an athletic fellow like the 60-year-old Putin.

Russia Set To Redefine Treason, Sparking Fears

Corey Flintoff — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 09:59:00 +0000

Russia's parliament has approved an expanded legal definition of high treason, prompting accusations that President Vladimir Putin's government wants to further crack down on opponents.

Supporters say the proposed changes bring Russia's law up-to-date and will help the country's security service counter modern forms of spying and interference by foreign governments.

Opponents, including human rights groups, say the bill's language has been made so vague that it could potentially be used to punish almost any Russian who has contacts with foreigners

Russia's current law on treason makes it