On this blog we have followed very carefully the ups and downs of the clan wars, which has pitted a group of hardline siloviki led by Igor Sechin against another a collection of other groups within the Kremlin power structure. Earlier this fall, the economic crisis appeared to prompt some interesting movements from within this confusing internecine struggle, as a Moscow court suddenly relented and decided to release of former deputy finance minister Sergei Storchak, who is generally seen as finance minister Alexei Kudrin's #2 man. Whether or not this meant that Kudrin's stock vis-à-vis Sechin was rising or falling, or whether the release of this clan war hostage meant that certain bailouts from the federal piggy bank would end up destined for friends of Sechin's choosing, is difficult to say for sure. But what we do know is that ...

TODAY: Putin hails Egypt as Arab leader; over half of Russians see police force as untrustworthy; Merkel urges NATO-Russia cooperation; disaster submarine was headed to India. Yesterday was the annual police holiday, Police Day. President Dmitry Medvedev marked the occasion with a call for police to clamp down on corruption, as a recent poll suggested that over half of Russians view the police force as inefficient and untrustworthy. The trial of senior Federal Drug Control Service officer Alexander Bulbov may appear to be a case in point, although many argue that charges against him of accepting bribes and legalizing criminal money are related to Kremlin power struggles. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged NATO to make an effort to communicate with Russia in order to tackle the world’s security problems. The EU-Russia summit will begin ...

TODAY: Putin hails Egypt as Arab leader; over half of Russians see police force as untrustworthy; Merkel urges NATO-Russia cooperation; disaster submarine was headed to India. Yesterday was the annual police holiday, Police Day. President Dmitry Medvedev marked the occasion with a call for police to clamp down on corruption, as a recent poll suggested that over half of Russians view the police force as inefficient and untrustworthy. The trial of senior Federal Drug Control Service officer Alexander Bulbov may appear to be a case in point, although many argue that charges against him of accepting bribes and legalizing criminal money are related to Kremlin power struggles. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged NATO to make an effort to communicate with Russia in order to tackle the world’s security problems. The EU-Russia summit will begin ...