Moscow
A Russian senator faced expulsion from the upper house of parliament this week after security agents said they caught him trying to blackmail a businessman. Sen. Levon Chakhmakhchyan, an ethnic Armenian who represents the Russian republic of Kalmykia, is accused of a murky deal intended to stave off an audit of his company. Several prominent regional politicians have been accused of similar crimes in the past few weeks. Some Russian analysts say the trend is part of a Kremlin effort to eliminate competition ahead of the 2008 presidential election. President Vladimir Putin cannot run for a third term but is expected to anoint a successor soon. Others say the arrests are part of a genuine crackdown on corruption.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
What has Kamala Harris done as vice president?In Depth It's not uncommon for the second-in-command to struggle to prove themselves in a role largely defined by behind-the-scenes work
-
Today's political cartoons - September 16, 2024Monday's cartoons - a second assassination attempt, eating pets, and more
-
'If this is a race, China has a commanding lead'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
