Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued fewer decrees for the third year in a row since his inauguration. He signed 638 decrees in the year 2015, a record low over the last 15 years.

The Center for Economic and Political Reforms reports that specialists have conducted an analysis of the yearly issued decrees from the year 1994, providing comparative analysis of the activities of Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev.

The research revealed that the average number of decrees of …

The Russian Government has required all Crimean drivers to change their documents and license plate numbers to Russian standards by April 1, 2016. However, the residents of Crimea have appealed this decision by Russia before the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, RIA Novosti reported.

“The Supreme Court will hear a complaint filed in connection with the government resolution requiring Crimean drivers to change their registration documents and license plate numbers to the Russian system,” …

Several dozen people were injured and nine were killed in attacks fueled by radical xenophobia in Russia in 2015. According to the SOVA Human Rights Center for Information and Analysis, Moscow and St. Petersburg are the main centers of ethnic and racial violence in Russia. 

"The level of violence is still the highest in Moscow (3 dead, 26 wounded) and St. Petersburg (3 dead, 14 wounded). There are a noticeable number of victims in Moscow [oblast] (5 injured), Samara and Novosibirsk regions (3 …

The Ukrainian military received NATO certificates from Canadian instructors for the completion of a course on neutralization and countering improvised explosive devices. This was reported on the website of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

"In the Mine Action Center of the operational support command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is stationed in the Khmelnitsky region, the Ukrainian servicemen were solemnly presented with NATO standard certificates that state the completion of the …

The Royal Albert Hall, the most prestigious concert hall in London, is now closed to Russian artists. Andrey Sidelnikov, a political emigre from Russia and the coordinator of the “Speak Louder!” Movement shared this sentiment in an interview with Krym.Realii.

"In the aftermath of the Valeria concert, the best and most important concert hall in London is now closed to Russian artists—all of them.[The owners] no longer want to deal with Russian artists. Reputation in the UK is very expensive," …

The Russian Federation has imposed customs duties as well as a food embargo against Ukraine in an effort to protect its market from the influx of duty-free supplies entering the Ukraine from the European Union. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine (MEDTU) reported that Russia has fully halted the transit of Ukrainian goods into its territory as of 4 January 2016.

“This ban by the Russian Federation is not clear. It is unacceptable and discriminatory in nature. Therefore, …

A new gas corridor, named the “North-South” corridor, will make it possible for gas to be transported from a Polish gas port in Świnoujście to other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The Polish gas pipelines, Lwówek–Odolanów and Hermanowice–Strachocina, that will be constructed by the State “Gaz System” are critical parts of the gas corridor “North-South.”

Among other things, this corridor will provide the opportunity to pump liquefied natural gas, delivered to the Polish gas port in Ś …

With the Russian economy continuing to plummet as a result of western sanctions and low oil prices, the Kremlin seems to be sticking to its reliance on hydrocarbon exports, as oil revenues still account for 44% of the federal budget. For the 25 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian government has done little to relieve the economy from its dependence on oil and gas, and with the value of the ruble at a record low, many experts worry that it may be too late to diversify …