ABKHAZIA
An ethnically distinct region inside Georgia that fought for its independence in 1991-1994. After the conflict inside Georgia in August 2008 Russia recognized Abkhazia's independence.One of the so-called "frozen conflicts."
BREZHNEV DOCTRINE
The doctrine promulgated by Leonid Brezhnev in 1968 to justify the intervention of the Soviet bloc if any member of the bloc seemed to be turning to capitalism. It was formulated to justify the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968.
CIS
Commonwealth of Independent States (Rus. Ñîäðóæåñòâî íåçàâèñèìûõ ãîñóäàðñòâ) the loose organization created in 1991 to replace the USSR. Currently comprises: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan; Ukraine and Turmenistan have not ratified membership. Georgia withdrew in 2008.
DEFAULT
Refers to the decision by the Russian authorities in August 1998 not to honour the bonds (GKOs) that it had issued, and that were held mostly by foreigners and certain Russian banks.
DEMOCRATIZATION
Gorbachev's half-way move toward democratic elections – permitting multi-candidate elections for some of the seats in the Congress of People's Deputies (1989).
FSB
Federal Security Service - the new name for the KGB (secret police) in post-Communist Russia since April 1995.
FROZEN CONFLICTS
Ethnic conflicts that broke out during the break-up of the Soviet Union and are unresolved: Transnistria (in Moldova), Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Georgia), Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan).
GKO
State Credit Bonds – issued by the Russian Government in the mid 90's, these paid huge interest and were used by the government to cover its deficits, until the Asian financial crisis spread to Russia and investors lost confidence in them. (See Default.)
GLASNOST
Literally “openness”, invoked by Gorbachev as part of his reform programme. It meant openly talking about problems instead of simply repeating the party line. Led to discussion of the “blind spots” in Russian history and the elimination of censorship.
JACKSON-VANIK AMENDMENT
An amendment to an American trade bill (1974) that obliged the USSR to permit the emigration of people of Jewish origin to Israel .
KGB
The last name given the Soviet secret police; earlier names were Cheka, OGPU, NKVD.
KOMPROMAT
Compromising material used in Eltsin's Russia to discredit political enemies. The most famous example was a video purporting to show the Prosecutor General Yury Skuratov with two prostitutes (1999).
KPRF
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation, led by Gennady Ziuganov.
LDPR
Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, the right-wing party created by Vladimir Zhirinovsky in post-Communist Russia
LIPA
Phoney information, doctored documents, fake proof.
MAGNITIZDAT
Tape-recorded underground songs by the “bards” in Brezhnev's time.
MEMORIAL
The organization devoted to telling the truth about and creating monuments to the victims of the Stalinist terror of the 1930's and 40's.
MOLOTOV-RIBBENTROP PACT
Peace agreement between Nazi Germany and USSR signed in 1939 which cleared the way for the invasion of Poland and led to the Second World War. Secret protocols gave the USSR Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Eastern part of Poland (now a part of Ukraine) and the Romanian province of Moldavia.Used by Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to argue that Soviet occupation of their countries was illegal. NB Finland resisted invasion.
NAGORNO-KARABAKH
An ethnically Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan; in 1991-1994 the Armenians successfully drove out the Azeris and annexed NG to Armenia. One of the so-called "frozen conflicts."
PAMIAT
An ultra-right anti-semitic organization that flourished during the perestroika period.
PERESTROIKA
Gorbachev's buzz-word for the reforms he saw were needed in the Soviet economy – essentially moves towards a market economy.
RADIO SVOBODA
Radio Liberty – the CIA funded radio that broadcast anti-Soviet materials in Russian into the USSR. Its sister stations were called Radio Free Europe and broadcast in other central and East-European languages. Originally based in Munich, now in Prague. Has turned Russophobic in its general line, although has some good in-depth analyses. Has a website and bulletins, and can be heard on the web.
English site: < http://www.rferl.org/>
Russian site: < http://www.svoboda.org/ >
RSFSR
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, the largest constituent republic of the USSR; after 1991 became the Russian Federation (RF).
SALT
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. Dialogue with subsequent agreements between the USA and the USSR on limiting the deployment of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. There were two phases: SALT I 1969-1972, and SALT II 1972-79.
SAMIZDAT
“Self-publishing” – refers to the practice of laboriously copying and publishing underground and dissident materials in Brezhnev's Russia .
SINATRA DOCTRINE
The replacement doctrine for the Brezhnev doctrine, as described by Gorbachev's foreign minister Edward Shevardnadze. Meant that the countries of the Soviet bloc could “do it their way” – without armed intervention.
SOUTH OSSETIA
An ethnically distinct region inside Georgia (North Ossetia is inside the Russian Federation) that fought for its independence in 1991-1994. In August 2008 Georgian troops entered the territory with a view to integrating it into Georgia. Russia defended South Ossetia and went on to destroy Georgian military bases. Russia recognized South Ossetia's iindependence. One of the so-called "frozen conflicts."
SOVOK
Contemptuous term in Russian for the Soviet Union, and for the Soviet-style mentality that still pervades so much thinking among Russians.
SPS
Union of Right-Wing Forces, a political party in Russia that promoted private enterprise, democracy and a liberal market in the 1990s. Its leaders were: Boris Nemtsov, Sergei Kireenko, and Irina Khakamada
STAGNATION (çàñòîé)
The term used to describe the Brezhnev era, when the USSR did not seem to evolve politically, socially, or economically.
TAMIZDAT
“Publishing there” – the smuggling of material out of the USSR for publication in the West.
THAW (îòòåïåëü)
The slackening of tension and liberal atmosphere in the USSR during Khrushchev's mandate.
TRANSNISTRIA (ÏÐÈÄÍÅÑÒÐÎÂÜÅ)
A largely Russian-speaking self-declared republic inside Moldova, the Romanian-speaking former Soviet republic. After hostilities between Moldovan and Russian forces in the early 1990s Transnistria declared its independence from Moldova. One of the so-called "frozen conflicts."
UNITED RUSSIA (Åäèíàÿ Ðîññèÿ)
The party of power in present-day Russia. Formerly called "Unity" (åäèíñòâî)
USSR
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a.k.a. the Soviet Union. At its dissolution in 1991 comprised fifteen republics, which all became independent: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
WHITE HOUSE
The building in Moscow in which the Russian parliament met. Became the headquarters for Boris Eltsin and democratic forces in August 1991 during the Putsch. In 1993 Russian troops lay siege to the White House during Eltsin's confrontation with the parliament, now dominated by the extreme left and right.
YABLOKO
The liberal party led by Grigory Yavlinsky in post-Soviet Russia .
