There are still hundreds of
weapons factories and research facilities in the countries that were
formerly part of the Soviet Union. Most of these operations went
bankrupt in the 1990s, because their largest customer (the Soviet Union)
was no more and the successor states were no longer ordering much.
Russia is now buying up a lot of these old facilities on the cheap. Some
are in fairly good shape and could be used again, but in a few cases
buying these old properties simply provides the local governments with a
financial boost and some gratitude towards Russia. Since the 1990s,
Russia has been going after these old plants, especially those that are
still producing things Russia can use.
The government campaign against political dissidents and
anti-corruption groups continues. While demonstrations are still held in
urban areas, they are usually declared unauthorized and dozens of
participants (especially those believed to be organizers) arrested.
Leaders of these groups are being prosecuted and sent to prison. For
centuries this was how the czarist government handled what it considered
dissent. The government is also continuing with its program of shutting
down foreign and local NGO (non-governmental organization) advocacy and
charitable groups.
July 2, 2013: At the Soviet era Baikonur space center in
Kazakhstan, a Russian Proton-M rocket exploded ten seconds after launch,
destroying three Glonass (Russian GPS) satellites it was carrying. This
cost Russia over $200 million and further blemished the reliability of
Russian space launches. The satellites, being state property, were not
insured so the total loss comes out of government funds.
July 1, 2013: Russia handed over the last of three 4,000 ton
frigates India ordered (for $1.6 billion) in 2006. India has received
six of these Talwar class frigates in the last two decades. The last
three have numerous improvements over the first three. India is not
ordering anymore warships from Russia, as it has developed the
capability to build what it needs locally.
June 27, 2013: Russia has withdrawn its military and most of
its civilian personnel from the Syrian port of Tartus and turned their
naval support facilities there (a few buildings and a pier for Russian
warships to tie up next to) over to Syrian caretakers. While Russia
makes much of its newly established Mediterranean naval task force,
these ships will not be using Tartus for supplies or maintenance for a
while.
June 26, 2013: In Azerbaijan a military parade was held in the
capital for Armed Forces Day and for the first time the newly acquired
Russian Buk-M1 self-propelled anti-aircraft systems were displayed.
June 24, 2013: A Russian Soyuz satellite launcher took off
from the European Space Agency space port in French Guiana (South
America), carrying four communications satellites (for high speed
Internet access). This was the fifth launch of a Soyuz rocket from the
French Guiana facility.
June 21, 2013: A deal was signed with China to sell them $270
billion worth of Russian oil over the next 25 years. The Russian oil
company supplying the oil is receiving an upfront payment of $70
billion. In a separate deal, China bought a 20 percent stake in a large
natural gas field off the north coast of Russia.
June 18, 2013: In Central Russia (near the city of Chapayevsk)
a fire began in an ammo storage base, forcing the evacuation of over
7,000 people. One person was killed and three dozen wounded. It took
over a week to put the fire out.
June 17, 2013: In the south (Ingushetia) a terrorist bomb wounded two soldiers.
Russia and the United States have signed an agreement to cooperate in suppressing hacking attacks on each other
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