IDs-Angelina

Shamil Basayev- the leader of Chechen terrorist group. Organized several major terrorist attacks since 1995, including Beslan School Hostage Crisis. He was murdered in 2006.

Budennovsk hospital hostage crisis- Hostage crisis in city Budennovsk in North Caucasus. Took place from 14 June to 19 June in 1995. It was first major terrorist attack in Russia, organized by Shamil Basayev. Resulted in loss of 129 lives.

Siloviki- politicians from the security or military services, often the officers of the KGB, the FSB, the Federal Narcotics Control Service and military or other security services who came into power. It can also refer to security-service personnel from any country or nationality.

Dedovshchina- the name given to the informal system of subjection of new junior conscripts, formerly to the Soviet Armed Forces and today to the Russian armed forces.
Dedovshchina involves a spectrum of subordinating or humiliating activities performed by the junior ranks. It is often cited as a major source of poor morale in the ranks.

Blat- term which appeared in the Soviet Union to denote the use of informal agreements, exchangements of services, connections, Party contacts, or black market deals to achieve results or get ahead. Accordingly, blatnoy means a man who obtains a job or gets into a university using connections, or sometimes bribes. The system of blat led to formation of social networks similar to Good ol' boy network, Old boy network, or Guanxi. In the Soviet republics, blatnoys were very much in demand as it was difficult to gain a post or enroll in some prestigious majors in universities without proper connections.

United Russia (party)- Centrist party in Russia. The ruling political party in the Russian Federation. United Russia nominated President Dmitry Medvedev, and is currently the largest political party in the Russian Federation. On April 15, 2008, Vladimir Putin accepted the nomination to become chairman of the party.