UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2rnrno_n -nl n nn n ln r l'1-1-1194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED PTQ0168 E6 RELEASED IN PART B l 1 4 B ' 1 4 1 B6 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION EUR-01 MOSCOW INFO ACDA-17 INL-02 TEDE-00 MOFM-04 OMB-01 SS-00 NISC-01 LOG-00 SHEC-00 H-01 ADS-00 OIC-02 SR-00 SNIS-00 12623 PTQ0168 01 OF 03 ACDE-00 OASY-00 INR-00 MOF-03 PA-01 STR-01 PMB-00 141631Z AID-00 DODE-00 I0-10 M-00 PM-00 TRSE-00 PRNE-01 AMAD-01 DOEE-00 LAB-01 NRRC-00 PRS-01 T-00 DRL-09 ------------------BBC8CB BIB-01 EB-01 L-01 NSAE-00 P-01 USIE-00 G-00 CIAE-00 FBIE-00 MCO-01 NSCE-00 SP-00 SA-01 063W 1416342 22 38 P 141635Z APR 95 FM AMEM3ASSY MOSCOW TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8729 INFO AMEMBASSY RIGA MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE CIS COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY VILNIUS AMEMBASSY TALLINN C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MOSCOW 012623 E O 12356 DELL 04 14 05 TAGS PGOV PHUM PINR RS SUBJECT RUSSIAN DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS APRIL 14 1995 EDITION INTRODUCTION CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 MOSCOW 12623 01 OF 03 141631Z UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE CLASSIFIED BY DEPT OF STATE M GRAFELD DAS A GIS REVIEW AUTHORITY ROBERT O HOMME CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL REASON 1 4 B 1 4 D DECLASSIFY AFTER 13 APR 2020 DATE CASE ID 24 NOV 2010 200901541 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11 21 2016 OF THE FOLLOWING CABLE IS PART OF A SERIES 1 U PERIODIC CABLES TRANSMITTING INFORMATION ON RUSSIAN DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS WE HAVE NOT REPORTED ELSEWHERE MUCH OF THE MATERIAL IS RUMOR OR SPECULATION AND SHOULD BE TREATED WITH CAUTION WE ARE PASSING IT ON TO GIVE WASHINGTON READERS A BETTER FEEL FOR WHAT IS ON THE _ MINDS OF POLITICALLY ACTIVE RUSSIANS END INTRODUCTION UNCLASSIFIED MORE RUMORS ON YELTSIN'S SUCCESSOR LOU 2 A WELL-INFORMED SOURCE TELLS US THE OFTREPEATED SCENARIO OF PRESIDENT YELTSIN NAMING A NEW PRIME MINISTER AND GROOMING HIM AS HEIR APPARENT IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY APPARENTLY THERE ARE ONLY TWO POSSIBLE CANDIDATES THAT FIT THE PROFILE OF BEING ACCEPTABLE TO BOTH YELTSIN AND THE OPPOSITION FORMER SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARY YURIY SKOKOV THE PERENNIAL CANDIDATE FOR THE JOB AND STATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION HEAD YURIY PETROV PETROV HAS WORKED WITH YELTSIN SINCE THE LATTER'S SVERDLOVSK DAYS AND ONCE SERVED AS YELTSIN'S CHIEF OF STAFF IN MOSCOW THEY ALLEGEDLY STILL MAINTAIN CLOSE TIES ALTHOUGH IN AN INTERVIEW IN OBSHCHAYA GAZETA 6-12 APRIL PETROV CLAIMS HE NOW SEES YELTSIN INFREQUENTLY AND NOTES HE IS CRITICAL OF YELTSIN'S POLICIES PETROV IS ALSO THE FOUNDER OF THE REALIST CLUB COMPOSED OF SOME 150 BUSINESSMEN AND REGIONAL LEADERS THE CLUB HAS LAUNCHED A REALISTS' CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 -MOSCOW 12623 01 OF 03 141631Z UNION THE PURPOSE OF THE UNION IS NOT CLEAR BUT MANY SPECULATE IT COULD BECOME A POLITICAL LAUNCHING PAD IT IS ALREADY RAISING PETROV'S PROFILE AROUND TOWN KALASHNIKOV VS 3 LOU ZHIRINOVSKIY SERGEY KALASHNIKOV THE LDPR DUMA DEPUTY WHO UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C1755115 CHAIRS THE LABOR AND SOCIAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE HAS HIS OWN POLITICAL AMBITIONS WHICH ARE AT ODDS WITH LDPR LEADER ZHIRINOVSKIY'S ACCORDING TO UNCLASSIFIED B6 KALASHNIKOV IS CONSIDERING FORMING A FACTION OF PRAGMATISTS BASED ON HIS DUMA COMMITTEE THE PARTY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION HAS BEEN SUGGESTED AS A WORKING TITLE FOR THE FACTION 4 LOU j CLAIMS KALASHNIKOV IS A MAN TO WATCH HE REPORTEDLY ENJOYS CLOSE RELATIONS WITH PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN AND FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SOSKOVETS HE WAS RECENTLY ASKED TO JOIN THE GOVERNMENT POSITION UNSPECIFIED ACCORDING TO BUT REFUSED KALASHNIKOV REPORTEDLY ARGUED THAT IF HE ENTERED THE GOVERNMENT AS AN LDPR REPRESENTATIVE IT WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO ENGINEER A BREAK WITH ZHIRINOVSKIY PRESUMABLY BECAUSE ZHIRINOVSKIY-WOULD RAISE A FUSS WHICH WOULD THREATEN THE GOVERNMENT WITH THE LOSS OF MUCH NEEDED VOTES IN THE DUMA KALASHNIKOV ALSO ENJOYS GOOD RELATIONS WITH CONFIDENTIAL B6 B6 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 MOSCOW 12623 01 OF 03 1416312 THE OIL INDUSTRY IN WHICH HE ONCE WORKED AND IS REPORTEDLY COUNTING ON ITS FINANCIAL BACKING WHY SOME DEMOCRATS ARE IN TROUBLE B1 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C1175 1UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ0182 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION EUR-01 MOSCOW INFO ACDA-17 INL-02 TEDE-00 MOFM-04 OMB-01 SS-00 NISC-01 LOG-00 SMEC-00 H-01 ADS-00 OIC-02 SR-00 SNIS-00 12623 PTQ0182 02 OF 03 ACDE-00 OASY-00 INR-00 MOP-03 PA-01 STR-01 PMB-00 1416322 AID-00 DODE-00 I0-10 M-00 PM-00 TRSE-00 PRME-01 ------------------BBC956 AMAD-01 DOEE-00 LAB-01 NRRC-00 PRS-01 T-00 DRL-09 BIB-01 EB-01o L-01 NSAE-00 P-01 USIE-00 G-00 1416432 22 38 CIAE-00 FBIE-00 MCO-01 NSCE-00 SP-00 SA-01 063W P 141635Z APR 95 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8730 INFO AMEMBASSY RIGA MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE CIS COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY VILNIUS AMEMBASSY TALLINN C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 MOSCOW 012623 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-'nrlo_naFnI rlnn Kl r- 17MR- 1194 Date 11121 2016 UNCLASSIFIED E O 12356 DECL 04 14 05 TAGS PGOV PHUM PINK RS SUBJECT RUSSIAN DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS APRIL 14 1995 EDITION B1 FSS EX-KGB DEALS WITH ECONOMIC CRIME 6 C THE FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE FSS -- CALLED THE FEDERAL COUNTERINTELLIGENCE SERVICE FSK UNTIL IT WAS RECHRISTENED AND ITS POWERS EXPANDED IN A LAW SIGNED BY PRESIDENT YELTSIN IN EARLY APRIL -- HAS BEGUN TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN COMBATTING ECONOMIC CRIME ACCORDING TO EMBASSY LEGAL ATTACHE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST IN RECENT WEEKS HAS BEEN ARMS AND DRUG SMUGGLING IN THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST B1 CONTRARY TO PRESS REPORTS THE FSS STILL USES PART OF THE LUBYANKA -THE BRIGHT YELLOW BUILDING ON LUBYANKA SQUARE THAT LONG HOUSED THE KGB RECENTLY MOUNTED BRONZE PLAQUES OUTSIDE THE EDIFICE HOWEVER PROCLAIM THE BUILDING'S OTHER OCCUPANT THE RUSSIAN BORDER GUARDS SERVICE A SECOND GROZNYY INVASION LOU IN AN UPBEAT ARTICLE IN THE APRIL 13 ISSUE 7 OF THE MOSCOW TIMES PAVEL FELGENGAUER THE WELL- UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C1755119 o RESPECTED SECURITY CORRESPONDENT FOR THE NEWSPAPER CONFIDENTIAL 11 117nls UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 MOSCOW 12623 02 OF 03 1416322 SEGODNYA PREDICTED THERE WILL BE NO GUERILLA WAR IN CHECHNYA NEITHER DZHOKHAR DUDAYEV HE ARGUED NOR HIS FIELD COMMANDERS HAVE EXPERIENCE IN PARTISAN WARFARE ACCORDING TO ONE EMBASSY CONTACT IN THE RUSSIAN MILITARY HOWEVER THAT JUDGMENT MAY BE PREMATURE THIS OFFICER CLAIMS THAT MANY DUDAYEV LOYALISTS ARE PRETENDING TO SWITCH SIDES TO THE PRO-MOSCOW SALAMBEK KHADZHIYEV TO GAIN UNIMPEDED ENTRY BACK INTO THE CAPITAL AND CARRY ON THE WAR SOON THE RUSSIAN ARMY WILL HAVE TO INVADE A SECOND TIME HE ADDED -----------------------------------------THE WITHERING AWAY OF SOVETSKAYA ROSSIYA -----------------------------------------8 U OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS POLOFF HAS WITNESSED THE RAPID DECLINE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION'S OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE SOVIET ERA SOVETSKAYA ROSSIYA WHEN POLOFF FIRST VISITED THE PAPER'S OFFICE IN THE LATE EIGHTIES IT WAS A BUSTLING PLACE EMPLOYING SOME 250 PERSONS WELL FINANCED BY THE CENTRAL AUTHORITIES THE FAILED AUGUST PUTSCH THE DEMISE OF COMMUNISM AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION BROUGHT ON HARD TIMES THE PAPER WAS CLOSED DOWN A FEW TIMES FOR ANTI-GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES AND ITS SUBSIDIES WERE DRASTICALLY CUT SOVETSKAYA ROSSIYA'S OFFICES BEGAN TO SHOW THE SIGNS OF DECLINE FIRST THE SECRETARIES DISAPPEARED INCLUDING THOSE WHO WORKED IN THE EDITORIN-CHIEF'S OFFICE THE NAME PLATES EVENTUALLY CAME OFF THE DOORS AS JOURNALISTS DEPARTED AND AN EERY CALM SET IN OVER THE ENTIRE OFFICE SPACE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C1 PAGE 04 9 LOU MOSCOW 12623 02 OF 03 iUN CLASSIFIED 141632Z B6 WHEN POLOFF RECENTLY VISITED SAID SOVETSKAYA ROSSIYA NOW EMPLOYED ONLY FIFTEEN PERSONS DEDICATED TO THE CAUSE FINANCES WERE THE MAJOR PROBLEM THE PAPER RECEIVED A MISERLY SUBSIDY FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND RECEIVED SEVERAL TIMES MORE FROM ITS FRIENDS PEOPLE WHO READ THE PAPER AND SENT IN TEN OR TWENTY THOUSAND RUBLES FROM TIME TO TIME TO KEEP THE PAPER AFLOAT THE CONTRIBUTORS ARE DULY ACKNOWLEDGED IN EACH EDITION HAD BROUGHT IN SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE BY SELLING ADVERTISING SPACE TO THE MMM INVESTMENT FIRM AND GERMES BUT EVENTUALLY HE SAID HAD TO GIVE UP THAT SOURCE IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING PROTEST FROM THE PAPER'S READERSHIP WHICH DID NOT LOOK KINDLY UPON CAPITALIST ACTIVITIES SUCH AS ADVERTIZING THE PAPER NOW CARRIES NO ADVERTIZEMENTS B6 B6 BEASTS AGAINST BEASTLINESS 10 LOU WHILE THE TRADE UNIONS AND POLITICAL CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ0184 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ0184 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C175L Irl A M- -- PAGE 01 ACTION EUR-01 MOSCOW INFO ACDA-17 ACDE-00 AID-00 AMAD-01 BIB-01 INL-02 OASY-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 EB-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 I0-10 LAB-01 L-01 MOFM-04 MOF-03 M-00 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 OMB-01 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 NISC-01 PMB-00 PRNE-01 DRL-09 G-00 ------------------BBC960 1416432 22 38 LOG-00 -SMEC-00 H-01 ADS-00 OIC-02 SR-00 SNIS-00 12623 03 OF 03 141632Z 44 n4In n4 UNCLASSIFIED CIAE-00 FBIE-00 MCO-01 NSCE-00 SP-00 SA-01 063W P 141635Z APR 95 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8731 INFO AMEMBASSY RIGA MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE CIS COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY VILNIUS AMEMBASSY TALLINN C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 MOSCOW 012623 E O 12356 DELL 04 14 05 TAGS PGOV PHUM PINR RS SUBJECT RUSSIAN DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS APRIL 14 1995 EDITION PARTIES SEEK TO AROUSE APATHETIC MUSCOVITES FOR VARIOUS DEMONSTRATIONS ONE WOMAN BELIEVES IT MIGHT BE EASIER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE TO GET ANIMALS TO CONFIDENTIAL B6 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 MOSCOW 12623 03 OF 03 141632Z TAKE TO THE STREETS IN ANY EVENT SHE IS HOPING TO ORGANIZE A MARCH OF BEASTS AGAINST BEASTLINESS IT SOUNDS BETTER IN RUSSIAN ZVERI PROTIV ZVERSTVA THE IDEA IS TO HAVE ASSORTED ANIMALS SOME DRAWN FROM THE LOCAL ZOO TO MARCH FROM PUSHKIN SQUARE TO MAYAKOVSKIY SQUARE IN THE CENTER OF MOSCOW HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF MAY THE ANIMALS WOULD BEAR SLOGANS CALLING FOR PEACE BROTHERHOOD AND SO ON STRANGE AS THIS IDEA MIGHT SOUND THE B1 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C175- ' IS APPARENTLY INTERESTED AS IS THE RUSSIAN ECOLOGICAL MOVEMENT KEDR THE MOSCOW AUTHORITIES HAVE HOWEVER REPORTEDLY RAISED SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT CLEANUP AFTER THE MARCH UNCLASSIFIED 131 TO THE NEW RUSSIA ----------------------------------11 C IN ORDER TO HIGHLIGHT THE PLIGHT OF THE RUSSIAN ECONOMY A TOLD POLOFF ABOUT THE JANITOR IN HIS EMBASSY WHO HOLDS AN ADVANCED DEGREE IN PHYSICS THE JANITOR RECENTLY LET IT BE KNOWN TO HIS SUPERVISORS THAT HE COULD LAY HIS HANDS ON SOME NUCLEAR MATERIALS IF THERE WERE ANY BUYERS TO HIS DISAPPOINTMENT THERE WERE NONE 131 12 LOU THE DIPLOMAT MEANWHILE SAID HE IS TIRED OF HEARING AMERICANS AND EUROPEANS REFER TO RUSSIA'S POLITICAL CULTURE AS ASIATIC -- A COMMON SHORTHAND FOR RUSSIA'S CUMBERSOME BUREAUCRACY PERSONALITY-BASED POLITICS AND RAMPANT CORRUPTION WE'RE AN ASIATIC CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 MOSCOW 12623 03 OF 03 141632Z COUNTRY AND WE'RE MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY RUN THAN RUSSIA HE SAID FOR EXAMPLE WHEN WE CATCH CRIMINALS WE DON'T LET THEM GO WE HANG THEM ON THE OTHER HAND HE ADDED I'M QUITE SURE RUSSIA WILL BE HERE IN FIFTY YEARS EVEN IF THE ECONOMY PROBABLY WON'T NAVE IMPROVED MUCH BY THEN I'M NOT SURE IF WILL STILL BE AROUND MILES B1 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case l _ nno_n n n ni 1-17551194 Date 11 21 2016 UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL NNNN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2009-01541 Doc No C17551194 Date 11121 2016 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu