Balkans

BELGRADE (Reuters) – An independent Kosovo would be a “puppet” of the United States and NATO, Serb Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said on Thursday, vowing that Serbia would never give up its breakaway province.

Voters in Russia’s Far East have begun voting in parliamentary elections that are expected to hand a huge majority to the ruling party which has Vladimir Putin, the president, as a candidate.

RUSSIANS relish President Vladimir Putin’s earthy phrases. Reacting to sharp western criticism of Russia’s parliamentary elections today, Putin, playing `Vlad the Bad’, warned western powers not to ‘poke their snotty noses’ in his nation’s business.

По сообщениям СМИ, борцы за независимость оккупированной Россией Дальневосточной Республики призвали своих граждан к полному бойкоту  выборов в России, к которой ДВР не имеет совершенно никакого отношения.

Чекисты дали понять дали понять Буковскому, что он «никто». В Питере 1 декабря в 1:30 ночи членами путинской банды «МВД» были схвачены члены группы сопровождения Буковского — юрист Петербургского гражданского комитета Григорий Соломинский  (starij_abramych) и Михаил Войтенков (mike2304).

Первой жертвой репрессий со стороны нынешнего кремлевского режима может стать часть силовой бюрократии, которая является опорой нынешней путинской власти. Об этом на пресс-конференции заявил экс-советник Путина по экономическим вопросам Андрей Илларионов.

Vladimir Putin’s future is featured in IZVESTIA’s collection of opinion pieces. Russia says a sweet and tasty “no” to meddling in its affairs and are the enemies we have the enemies we deserve? These topics are addressed by Russian newspapers.

A so-called “Orange” coalition has been formed in Ukraine and plans to announce candidates for Parliamentary Speaker and Prime Minister. The coliation is made up of supporters of Yulia Timoshenko and the Our Ukraine People’s Self-Defence Bloc.

One of Russia’s radical opposition leaders, Garry Kasparov, has been released from jail in Moscow on Thursday after serving a 5-day sentence.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has officially suspended the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty. The decision was previously agreed by the Russian State Duma in November.