Liberal Kirov Governor Offers Change
Kirov's new liberal governor has already made a difference cutting red tape and corruption, but faces a difficult road as unemployment rises and tax revenues plummet.
Nadia Popova of The Moscow Times profiles Nikita Belykh, who was appointed governor of Kirov - one of Russia's most economically depressed regions - in January.
Popva states that: "Belykh is the first outspoken member of the opposition to be appointed to an influential state post in years. President Dmitry Medvedev placed Belykh in the post in January, spurring hopes that the Kremlin might embrace a more democratic political landscape. Some opposition politicians say Medvedev's democratic credentials are in doubt because of the ham-fisted mayoral election in Sochi last weekend and the ongoing trial of former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky."