In response to Russia's refusal to comply with the agreement reached in Geneva to rein in the pro-Russian groups, the U.S. imposed additional sanctions in late April on seven Russian individuals, including Igor Sechin, the head of Russia's largest oil producer, and 17 companies with close ties to Putin, targeting some of the country's wealthiest and most powerful businessmen. )International Country Code: 7, Internet Country Code: .ruInternet Users: 108,772,470, 76.4% (2016 est.). According to fellow opposition leader Ilya Yashin, at the time of his death, Nemtsov had been working on a report of the Russian military's involvement in Ukraine. Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include information on entry and exit requirements, currency regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. Consulates GeneralConsulate General, St. Petersburg--Furshtadskaya Ulitsa 15; tel. On Nov. 10, 1982, Leonid Brezhnev died. The country's traditional toys and decorative items are visually stunning. Thailand is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking. Even though antigovernment protests have been going on for months, the demonstrations had been peaceful until now. After regaining control of the country, a convention of leading Russians elected Michael Romanov to be the new Tsar. This financial crisis led to a long-term economic downturn and political upheaval. Russia also continued to provide weapons to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as well as diplomatic support. During the Olympics, the government has planned for more than 40,000 law enforcement officials to be on hand at the event. In September, Yeltsin dissolved the legislative bodies left over from the Soviet era. In 2002, the introduction of the new code led to significant reductions in time spent in detention for new detainees, and the number of suspects placed in pretrial detention declined by 30%. The language of the bill was vague, but it was seen by the international community as an effort to crack down on homosexuality. ROCA, in the framework of the Legal Advisory Programme, launched the initiative on promoting law enforcement and judicial cooperation among source, transit and destination countries in response to human trafficking in Central Asia in 2008. During 2003, there were 11 bomb attacks against Russia that were believed to have been orchestrated by Chechen rebels. Russia is now the world's third-largest exporter of steel and primary aluminum. The names of Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Gogal, Repin, and Tchaikovsky became known to the world. Catherine also engaged in a territorial resettlement of Jews into what became known as "The Pale of Settlement," where great numbers of Jews were concentrated and later subject to vicious attacks known as pogroms. Both explosions came just six weeks before the Winter Olympics were being held in Sochi, 400 miles away from Volgograd. Russia is one of few countries with a declining population (although birth rates in many developed countries have dropped below the long-term population replacement). The meeting was attended by 52 representatives from 21 countries that play a role as source, transit or destination countries in the illegal rhinoceros horn trade chain. Neither the U.S. nor the European Union recognized Crimea as part of Russia. Much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture. The world community expressed deep concern that Putin's plans would consolidate his power and roll back democracy in Russia. Recognizing this progress, since 1994, the U.S. President has found Russia to be in full compliance with the provisions of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. In late 1994, the Russian security forces launched a brutal operation in the Republic of Chechnya against rebels who were intent on separation from Russia. Russia is a Tier 3 source, transit, and destination country. Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of area, but it's unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world. In July 2007, Moscow refused the British government's request to extradite Andrei Lugovoi, another former KGB agent who British authorities have accused in Litvinenko's murder. But his efforts to reform the creaky Communist system from within failed. Public Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas that pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. In 2005 and 2006, key separatist leaders were killed by Russian forces. Peter created Western-style military forces, subordinated the Russian Orthodox Church hierarchy to the tsar, reformed the entire governmental structure, and established the beginnings of a Western-style education system. In his last months as the head of the Soviet Union, Gorbachev dissolved the Communist Party and proposed the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which, when implemented, gave most of the Soviet Socialist Republics their independence, binding them together in a loose, primarily economic federation. Russia continues to work to bring its technical regulations, including those related to product and food safety, into conformity with international standards. Several U.S. officials speculated that Putin was acting in response to U.S. plans to build a missile shield in Europe―a move stongly opposed by Russia. By contrast the Khazar Khaganate was a massive and dominant political power that controlled much of Asia. A brief war with Poland in 1920 resulted in Russian defeat. The Russian Consulate issues a Transit visa upon presentation of your travel documents and visa to the country of destination (if necessary). President Medvedev called for an inquiry into the election fraud. On Sept. 5, representatives from the Ukrainian government, the Russian-backed separatists, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe who had been meeting in Minsk, Belarus, announced that they had agreed on a cease-fire, an agreement called the Minsk Protocol. Russi A Tier 3 Source, Transit, And Destination Country, Russia is a Tier 3 source, transit, and destination country. On Nov. 7, 1917, the Bolshevik Revolution, engineered by Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky, overthrew the Kerensky government, and authority was vested in a Council of People's Commissars, with Lenin as prime minister. Revolutionary strikes, following Russia's defeat in the war with Japan, forced Nicholas II (1894–1917) to grant a representative national body (Duma), elected by narrowly limited suffrage. Consequently, Byzantine culture predominated, as is evident in much of Russia's architectural, musical, and artistic heritage. Nemtsov had been a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and most recently, of the war in Ukraine. Government Spending/TaxationThe Russian federal budget has run growing surpluses since 2001, as the government has taxed and saved much of the rapidly increasing oil revenues. It also provides no funding for counseling or rehabilitative services for victims. Sponsored LinksTravel reviews & great deals at TripAdvisor:Russia. Human rights groups welcome these changes but claim that most abuses remain uninvestigated and unpunished and may be spreading more broadly in the North Caucasus. In particular, the Russian Government's policy in Chechnya has been a cause for international concern. Most often, these responses reflect the opinions of leading figures Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev (the third president of Russia who made Putin his prime minister, and whom Putin made prime minister in turn upon his reelection). Impatient with Yeltsin's increasingly erratic behavior, the Duma attempted to impeach him in May 1999. For organizers of demonstrations, the fine was set at $18,000. Two new laws were signed by Putin. Eleven days later, the U.S.S.R. was formally dissolved. It met for the first time in 1906 but had little influence on Nicholas. In spite of the general tendency to increase judicial independence (for example, by recent considerable salary raise to judges), many judges still see their role not as of impartial and independent arbiters, but as of government officials protecting state interests. Russian exports to the U.S. were fuel oil, inorganic chemicals, aluminum, and precious stones. The Duma, the lower house of Parliament, confirmed the nomination. )Inflation: 4.2% (2017 est. Then, after denouncing a 1941 nonaggression pact with Japan in April 1945, when Allied forces were nearing victory in the Pacific, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on Aug. 8, 1945, and quickly occupied Manchuria, Karafuto, and the Kuril Islands. Russia officially recognizes Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism as traditional religions. The law gives Russian authorities the power to crackdown on the anti-government protests which started months ago when Putin announced his decision to run again for President. Snowden had been seeking refuge at an international transit zone at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport since June 2013. Given the uncertainty of Congressional authorization, diplomacy would spare Obama a potential rebuke that could undercut his authority for the remainder of his presidency. In March 2003, Chechens voted in a referendum that approved a new regional constitution making Chechnya a separatist republic within Russia. By 2014, China consumed about 4% of the world's gas, but about half of the world's iron ore, coal, and copper. Investment will suffer from the diversion of private and government funds to AIDS treatment. [7] (4232) 30-00-93; fax: [7](4232) 30-00-92).In Yekaterinburg, the U.S. Commercial Office is located at Ulitsa Gogolya 15 (tel. Observers speculated that Russia's aggressive tactics marked an attempt to gain control of Georgia's oil and gas export routes. In December parliamentary elections, United Russia won in a landslide, taking 64.1% of the vote, far ahead of the Communist Party of Russia, which took 11.6%. Promoting Cooperation among Source, Transit and Destination Countries in Response to Human Trafficking. Although there are strong pressures to relax spending ahead of elections, the government has loosened its spending gradually, as the economy is running at near capacity and there are dangers of increasing inflation and rapid exchange rate appreciation. According to the 2005 U.S. Trade Representative's National Trade Estimate, Russia continues to maintain a number of barriers with respect to imports, including tariffs and tariff-rate quotas; discriminatory and prohibitive charges and fees; and discriminatory licensing, registration, and certification regimes. Even with Putin's supporters occupying many of the other council seats, the elections were a sign that the protests had made an impact in the political system and, perhaps, would continue to do so. The Security Council voted 13 to 2 for a resolution backing an Arab League peace plan for Syria. The fighting included smoke bombs, bottles, and sticks. The Duma passed a Criminal Procedure Code and other judicial reforms during its 2001 session. Current plans envision a transition to a mixed force, in which professional soldiers fill the ranks of select units and conscription is gradually phased out. In Sept. 2011, Putin announced that he would run for president as the candidate of the United Russia party in March 2012 elections. Trotsky was dismissed as commissar of war in 1925 and banished from the Soviet Union in 1929. Real disposable incomes grew by 10.2% in 2006, spurring considerable growth in private consumption. Four days later, 10,000 protesters took to the Moscow streets in response to the new law. Two female suicide bombers, acting just minutes apart, detonated bombs in two Moscow subways stations, killing at least 39 people in March 2010. On March 24, 2010, the United States and Russia reported a breakthrough in arms-control negotiations. Investment/BankingRussia attracted an estimated $31 billion in FDI in 2006 (3.2% of GDP), up from $13 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2005.Russia's annual FDI figures are now in line with those of China, India, and Brazil. United Russia, the party led by Putin, came out on top in the elections, receiving nearly 50 percent of the vote, but they lost 77 seats. Efforts have been made with varying success over the past few years to convert defense industries to civilian use, and the Russian Government is engaged in an ongoing process to privatize the remaining 9,222 state-owned enterprises, 33% of which are in the industrial manufacturing sector. Although the rules were touted as a notification device rather than a control system, their implementation has produced many of the same results as the propiska system. )Employment by Occupation: Agriculture: 9.4%, Industry: 27.6%, Services: 63% (2016 est.) Masha, Katya, and Nadya, the three members of Pussy Riot, were convicted of hooliganism on Aug. 17, 2012, and sentenced to two years in a penal colony. Also, currently deposits are fully insured up to $4,000 and an additional $12,000 is insured at 90%. During the summer of 2012, the government began cracking down against political activists in new ways. Governors are now nominated by the president and subject to confirmation by regional legislatures. Putin was all but assured to sweep the election and serve another six years as president. The Russian Government has stated a desire to convert to a professional army, but implementation has been delayed repeatedly. However, the fighting continued despite the cease-fire. Our editors update and regularly refine this enormous body of information to bring you reliable information. Around the World. On Sept. 9, 2013, U.S. secretary of state John Kerry suggested half-heartedly that a strike on Syria could be averted if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agreed to hand over all chemical weapons. Just hours before he was gunned down, Yushenkov had officially registered his new political party, Liberal Russia. Russia allied with former rival Sweden, but their alliance was unable to dislodge the Polish-Lithuanians, and Sweden would eventually also seize Russian territory. Non-tariff barriers are frequently used to restrict foreign access to the market and are also a significant topic in Russia's WTO negotiations. Type: Destination and Transit Country Background As a … In Sept., Putin nominated Viktor Zubkov, a close ally, as prime minister. The people we consider "ethnic Russians" today are the country's Slavs. More than 70 of them won spots on district councils. PopulationRussia's population of 142.9 million (2006) is falling. Such a move would pave the way for Putin to become prime minister, and thus allow him to retain power. Catherine the Great (1762–1796) continued Peter's westernization program and also expanded Russian territory, acquiring the Crimea, Ukraine, and part of Poland. They most likely practiced Tengrism, a traditional Central Asian religion, and drew on a great deal from Eastern cultures. I ask how we can explain variation in the degree to which countries serve as sources of supply to the international human trafficking market over time. IndustryRussia is one of the most industrialized of the former Soviet republics. Days later, the U.S. and Russia completed a prisoner exchange, with 12 suspected spies deported to Russia and four men accused of spying on the West were sent to the United States. 1917 Revolution and the U.S.S.R.The ruinous effects of World War I, combined with internal pressures, sparked the March 1917 uprising that led Tsar Nicholas II to abdicate the throne. A Putin loyalist who is said to be moderate and pro-Western, Medvedev is a first deputy prime minister and the chairman of Gazprom, the country's oil monopoly. Russia and the U.S. reached an agreement on Sept. 15 that said Syria must provide an inventory of its chemicals weapons and production facilities within a week and either turn over or destroy all of its chemical weapons by mid-2014. The statement went on to say, "American partners know that their proposal is not consistent with our ideas about what forms and on what basis further cooperation should be built." Tax enforcement of disputes, particularly following the Yukos case, continues to be uneven and unpredictable. One hundred countries voted in favor, 11 voted against, and 58 abstained. The deal was a $400 billion, 30-year supply contract for 38 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Russia and ten other former Soviet republics joined the CIS on Dec. 21, 1991. Unsolved murders of journalists, including the killing of respected investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya in October 2006, have caused significant international concern and increased pressure on journalists to avoid subjects considered sensitive. On March 1, 2014, Russian president Vladimir Putin dispatched troops to Crimea, citing the need to protect Russians from extremist ultranationalists, referring to the anti-government protesters in Kiev. The following day another suicide bombing took place on a trolley bus in the same city. Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Moallem also embraced the option. Besides its resource-based industries, it has developed large manufacturing capacities, notably in metals, food products, and transport equipment. It’s a North African country and is the gateway to Europe for migrants from Mali, Niger, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, and Nigeria.