Author Archives: themoscowdiaries
Blast at Domodedovo Airport
Interfax reporting at least 10 dead. Off to see.
Speaking of absurd relics
Here’s one of the many that are still around and kicking, a neat little capsule of Soviet absurdity: cheesy “estrada” evenings on national TV, and the choir of the Internal Ministry. This time, they are singing “Let My People Go,” … Continue reading
Politically-correct tigers and more “electioneering”
It’s been a great week for Russian politics, or for what passes for politics in Russia. The “election” season has started, which means lots of meaningless bullshit from all parties involved. Here’s a round-up: First, we had President Medvedev convening … Continue reading
Scorched earth
What better way to welcome the new year and break my blogging silence than with news of my favorite person in the world: ex-Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov. Luzhkov appears in the news again today, this time because he has applied … Continue reading
Eat it, civil society
This morning, a front page Vedomosti story, citing several Kremlin sources, confirmed what everyone knew was going to happen in the Khimki forest: the road will be built as planned, through the already hacked-up forest. Which is what I told … Continue reading
Bambi Slayer
The relationship between Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi has been covered to death, especially after Wiki leaked. Or so one thought. Yesterday, Italian paper La Stampa revealed perhaps the most revelatory revelation yet, one that finally fleshes out — in … Continue reading
Cheating Cheaters Who Cheat
Last week was a crazy week, news-wise, so I didn’t have a chance to post one of my recent stories here for your commentary. In a piece for Slate’s Double X – the site’s lady blog — I wrote as … Continue reading
Ер доттерс вер райт
On Thursday night, Russia won its bid to host the 2018 World Cup and Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko delivered a rousing oration that came, by all appearances, from his nethercardiac region. By Monday morning, the YouTube clip of said … Continue reading
From the bottom of everyone and their mother’s heart
It’s where all the thank you’s to FIFA are coming from. The best is, of course, Vladimir Putin’s, especially the part where he talks about soccer promoting fair play. The Cup, by the way, is, by some estimates, projected to … Continue reading
Let the games begin
Today, Russia won its bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Since Putin, miffed over allegations of that FIFA was selling votes, declined to attend the ceremony at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Sports Minister Vitaly “97 breakfasts” Mutko spoke of … Continue reading
