The history of superstition in the Russian Federation

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Prisoner of Conscience
Amnesty International, Urgent Action Bulletin, 2 April 1998. A 22-year-old Jehovah's Witness is currently serving a one and a half year prison sentence for refusing to carry out military service because of his religious beliefs. According to Russian legislation, “religious beliefs are not included in the list of grounds for exemption from military service and Jehovah Witnesses are a “sect” and not a religious belief.
Russia's clergy are reaching extremist conclusions
By Victoria Clark, London Times, [2 September 1998]. the unhealthy “red-brown”, or national socialist, complexion of the Communist and nationalist Opposition led by Aleksandr Lebed, the nationalist general, the other by Gennadi Zyuganov, the Communist leader. The reason they can work together lies with the Orthodox Church, repository of Russian values.
Russia's Well-Connected Patriarch
By Sharon LaFraniere, Washington Post, Thursday 23 May 2002. After being subverted, penetrated and virtually remade as an arm of the Soviet state during seven decades of communism, the Russian Orthodox Church has been reborn under the leadership of its patriarch. He has created 12,000 new Orthodox parishes, rebuilt hundreds of majestic onion-domed churches, and parlayed a religious revival into a dramatic renewal of the church's public authority and political influence.
Russian superstition in the eyes of foreigners
Pravda, 1 July 2004. Superstition among countries of the former Soviet Union bewilders foreigners and guarantees nothing but trouble. Whether in Russia, Ukraine or Georgia (Caucasus), as paradoxically as it may seem, belief in supernatural occurrences is extremely popular. Poverty is the main reason behind magic and superstition.