01.10.1992 Ukrainian Parliament votes 295-6 in no-confidence motion against the government. The PM had already resigned on Monday (28/8). Reformists forced the resignation, complaining of slow progress, against the wishes of Kravchuk. Parliament gives Kravchuk 10 days to form a new cabinet for ratification.

 Abdullodzhanov, acting PM of a loose coalition of Moslems in Tajikistan say that Russian troops should stay until the conflict in the republic is over. "We invited them to establish control over the fighting." Usmon, deputy PM and Islamic Revival Party activist says he is against the deployment of Russian troops.

 Privatisation vouchers are released, with a face value of Rbs 10 000. Moscow response is sluggish.
 Rouble falls to 309 against the Dollar (previous low 254). Gerashchenko says that fixing rouble-hard currency rates would be discussed with the government next month.

 The Talonas coupon becomes the single legal tender in Lithuania. It has been circulating since the summer, parallel to the Russian Rouble.

02.10.1992 The Russian government imposes a travel ban on Gorbachev for his refusal to testify at Constitutional Court hearings on the legality of the CPSU.
 Yeltsin orders a trial housing-land auction south of Moscow to support his economic reforms package as well as streamlining government. The powerful Industry Ministry has been replaced by a State Committee. The auction should "help find the real market price for land."

 Nearly 100 are killed as Gagra falls to Abkhazian and Caucasian fighters. Georgian officials call this the biggest offensive since August. Rebels now hold the whole area between Sukhumi and the Russian border.

03.10.1992

04.10.1992

05.10.1992

06.10.1992 Kinkel (German Foreign Minister) in Russia, says he is still hopeful of achieving a Volga Republic for the Germans.

 Eshery in Abkhazia - Georgian forces fail to retake the town. Russia wants to take control of the rail network in Abkhazia. Shevardnadze sees possibilities to end the conflict peacefully as exhausted, but he will nevertheless continue with his efforts. He accuses Russia of supporting the separatists. UN decides to send military observers to the region.

 Yeltsin in parliament: "For the first time in 70 years we are telling the population honestly about the scale of the ecological disaster we have inherited and the state of the population's health." Yabkolov, a presidential health adviser, on hearing why the ecology minister was delayed for a press conference: "What, again? It seems that our ministers have been having a bit too many car accidents lately."

07.10.1992 Three days to elections in Georgia. Georgian troops sent are sent to the Abkhaz capital. Russian troops flown in. Weapons are handed out to residents of Sukhumi, surrounded by separatists. Yeltsin is reprimanded by Shevardnadze for preparing to send more troops to Russia, and volunteers crossing the Russian border, despite Russian assurances to the contrary. Yeltsin says he will, if necessary, come to the aid of Russians in Abkhazia.

 Government announces the doubling of the number of customs posts on external borders in an effort to stop smuggling and earn export revenues.
 Gorbachev's institute offices confiscated by Russia in a dawn raid, as a penalty for his refusing to testify to the Russian Constitutional Court investigating the CPSU.

08.10.1992 Yeltsin announces that peace talks are needed to prevent the war in Georgia exploding into a full scale conflict. An exchange of prisoners takes place.

 Gorbachev holds an impromptu press conference in the street outside his confiscated offices, protesting that there is a plot to make him leave the country. His diplomatic passport is revoked, preventing him from leaving the country. Italy lodges an official complaint to Russia. HE is due to speak in ROme in Wednesday.

09.10.1992 Bishkek, Capital of Kirghizia : CIS summit meeting. Series of economic agreements failed to be signed. Inter-governmental bank set up by five republics, but under control of Russia. An attempt to address the Ukraine-Russian conflict on military forces is left to bilateral talks. CIS also agrees to continue to intervene in Kirghizia.

 Russian government audit released in Kurant (Moscow city newspaper) alleges that the Gorbachev Foundation has earned up to $300 000 by sub-leasing property granted to it in December. Poltoranin, Russian Information Minister, accuses MSG of attempting 'a bolshevik-style' political comeback. "He said he would gather brains to produce ideas for Russia .. instead the foundation piled up hard currency." "They started to rake in hard currency and unearned money. I would say this is a criminal case." Auditing Department claims the audit was routine, not politically motivated, although Yeltsin is directly involved through a presidential auditing department. Polyakov, a Foundation spokesman says that travel restrictions on Gorbachev are illegal and that proceedings will be launched as soon as it is known who sequestrated his passport.
 France lodges a complaint against the travel ban.

 Refugees continue to besiege Sukhumi airport to flee from Abkhaz volunteer forces. Georgia launches a land and air counter-offensive against separatists. Shevardnadze blames Russia for escalating the conflict and helping Abkhazians to achieve their recent military gains.

10.10.1992

11.10.1992 General elections in Georgia, despite the civil war. No voting in S. Ossetia or Abkhazia, and the poll is also boycotted by Zviadists. Shevardnadze is the only candidate for the post of parliamentary speaker - presidency was abolished in December.

Wk42/92 Yeltsin allies accuse Khasbulatov of plotting a parliamentary coup.

12.10.1992 Shevardnadze gains 95.9% of cast votes (86% turnout). He only needed 30% to be elected. "In older times, during the communist period, I was elected many a time. The percentage reminds me of that time if not the elections themselves." "I am most embarrassed by the result."

 Yeltsin says it is no longer necessary for Gorbachev to testify before the Constitutional Court, investigating whether Yeltsin's ban of the CPSU was constitutional. He has been given the right to travel to Germany for Willi Brandt's funeral, possibly due to pressure from European leaders. Gorbachev says he has no objections to meeting the judges behind closed doors. Yakovlev says class struggle is a mad idea and that communism and democracy are incompatible. Also says he was warned last year of a planned "transport accident" by the KGB. Communist lawyers suggest Yakovlev abandoned socialism long before August '91 and therefore was a fifth column inside the party.
 Kozyrev in London for talks with Hurd. Meeting dominated by Gorbachev's travel restrictions.

13.10.1992 Planned date for talks between Shevardnadze, Yeltsin and Ardzimva on a naval ship of Sukhumi. Talks postponed to let aides prepare.

 Gorbachev gets permission from the Constitutional Court to travel to Brandt's funeral, after Yeltsin's intervention. Valeri Zorkin, chief judge, states that Gorbachev is still required to attend hearings, either before or after his trip.

14.10.1992 Gorbachev cancels a planned trip to visit the Pope and Italian president after going to Brandt's funeral. The government insists he may only leave the country to attend the state funeral. "It's not my fault, my passport only allows me to go to Germany." Italy, Portugal and France make official complaints. Yeltsin's office accuses him of covering up the Soviet massacre of Polish officers in Katyn, despite his well-publicised official investigation under glasnost. He is also accused of withholding details of the 1983 shooting down of a Korean plane. Kostikov says that Katyn documents were found in Gorbachev's personal archives.

 Defence Minister Pavel Grachev announces that Russia will end nuclear testing on the 26th for 9 months and calls on America to do the same.
 Coastguards' attempts to keep Greenpeace 'Solo' out of the Noyaya Zemlya nuclear dumping sites fail as their engine cuts out. They have to be towed back to Murmansk by a Greenpeace vessel.

 EC welcomes the weekend elections in Georgia but expresses "deep concern" about escalating fighting in Abkhazia. Socialist MEPs say the EC should be ready to help Georgia escape civil war and build its economy. Shevardnadze sets up an 8 member defence council, to try to hold onto Sukhumi and strengthen the army.

15.10.1992 Gorbachev accuses Yeltsin of attempting to blacken his name, and he accuses Gorbachev of trying to cover up documents concerning the massacre of officers in Katyn in Poland. Gorbachev says that he uncovered the documents just before leaving office, and passed them on to Yeltsin with the promise he would publish them.

 Russia lifts travel restrictions on all foreigners. Business peopla and journalists will no longer have to give advanced notice of their plans, only have a visa.

 Nuclear power station at Ignalina outside Vilnius closed as it becomes unsafe. This is the second shutdown within two months of the Chernobyl model reactor. Officials at Kozloduy in Bulgaria say it nearly exploded last month, due to a short circuit.

16.10.1992

17.10.1992 US protests to Moscow about their missile-guidance systems sales to Peking, afraid they will be sold on to the Middle East.
 A Russian soldier dies and five are injured in a skirmish on the Tajik-Afghan border. They were attacked by incursors from Afghanistan.

18.10.1992 Peace talks in Georgia are called off amidst disagreements over the agenda.

 In Berlin, Gorbachev calls for a change in the policies of the Russian government. He also states that he does not intend to leave his home country. "It is a question of two ways of moving towards the realisation of a process of reform and democratic change." [Differences between Yeltsin and me lie in the tactics and methods used] "If you move after the manner of a cavalry attack ... well, you don't achieve anything with that."

19.10.1992 Yeltsin announces the extension for eight months of a ban on all nuclear testing, in line with France and the US. He calls on Britain and China to do the same.
 Yakovlev at the London Royal Society: "MSG is such a stubborn man" that no amount of pressure is likely to bring him to testify. He was "totally wrong in his refusal to give evidence in the constitutional court ... If we are to live under the rule of law, then you cannot ignore the courts." He calls Yeltsin's pressurising Gorbachev by eviction "a childish, kitchen quarrel." Yakovlev has testified.
 Russian finance ministry leak says that they plan to shortly raise the minimum wage by 150%. Current monthly average is Rbs5500 or $16.30

 Fighting flares in Nagorno-Karabakh, centred on the vital Lachin land corridor to Armenia.

20.10.1992 Russia suspends the withdrawal of troops from the Baltic states, saying it will only resume when the question of their accomodation was cleared. There is none available at the moment. Last month Yeltsin said he would not sign withdrawal treaties with Latvia and Estonia until they sign treaties protecting the rights of minorities.
 A police squad shoots a 'Cardinal's Guard'(nickname for Khasbulatov's private army guarding strategic buildings in the capital) in undetermined circumstances.

 Chernobyl reactor block three starts producing electricity for the network again. The Ignalina power station near Vilnius is also reconnected. Landsbergis: "Lithuania wants to find other reliable sources of energy, but we need time to do so."
 

21.10.1992 Parliament (Supreme Soviet) deals Yeltsin a serious blow, rejecting his and the Constitutional Commision's request to delay the Congress of Peoples' Deputies until March by 114 votes to 59. CPD is even more conservative than the standing parliament it elects. is special powers run out on the first planned plenary day, December 1. Civic Union demand Yeltsin's resignation in a letter to Pravda: "You are not leading Russia to a renaissance, you are leading her into a dead end."
 Public unrest about Speaker Khasbulatov's 'private' security force of 5 000 continues to grow after a shooting incident. The troops wear police uniform and guard many public buildings, including 75 strategic sites in Moscow, but are responsible to his personal control, not the Ministry of the Interior. He says attempts are being made to alarm the people before Congress: "I have disturbing information on this. These attempts do not come from the president or from government circles, but from certain political forces who wield great influence .. I will die a violent death. I am being followed and my telephone is being bugged. Parliament is the only guarantor of democracy. Volkogonov: "The majority of the Supreme Soviet has declared parliamentary war on the president and the government."
 Parliament raises the minimum pension 250% to 2250 Roubles. A new law also forsees the indexing to inflation, with an upwards adjustment every three months.

22.10.1992 Allegations are made against Khasbulatov, alleging that he has been drunk or on drugs and is masterminding a coup against Yeltsin, as well as running a private army. Deputyx Health Minister, Mrs Bella Denisenko, says she saw him in his office yesterday slumped on his personal switchboard. "His movements were unco-ordinated and he was very pale." She did not smell alcohol on his breath, but says his symptoms were drug-induced, although he may have been on medication. Right-wing deputies joke that he may have been drinking with Yeltsin.
 His did not take his place in the Speaker's chair in evening session. An official satement says he has high blood pressure.

 Chief economic spokesman says Russia will introduce mandatory health insurance next year and will soon begin to privatise some medical facilities.

 Britain says it will lift travel restrictions on Russian diplomats who, since the 1950's, have been obliged to notify authorities in London if wishuing to travel further than 25 miles from the city.

23.10.1992 On the eve of the inaugural meeting of the National Salvation Front, leading liberals call for political factions to unite behind president ond government to prevent a communist-fascist takeover. The Front calls for the resignation of president, PM and "temporary government of occupation" as well as the restaration of one-party rule, command economy and strict law and order. Democratic Russia says it is prepared to seek a referendum on early elections. Yakovlev warns that the splintering of liberal forces since the coup has allowed a "creeping counter-revolution" by conservative bureaucrats. He also says Gorbachev has no place in future Russian politics.

 Georgian militants ravage a research zoo in Abkhazia and steal monkeys, potentially lethal viruses and an experimental vaccine against Aids.

24.10.1992 Dushanbe: Presidential palace and parliament are occupied by supporters of Nabejev. Iskandarov, acting president, declares a state of emergency. Russian troops officially remain neutral.

 Hard-line communists and nationalists found the National Salvation Front, openly calling on the people to help them remove Yeltsin from office, their avowed aim. They say they will only operate inside the Russian constitution.

 Russia lifts all travel restrictions on foreigners. There are no longer closed areas, nor must travel plans be known in advance. Only strategic military areas remain out of bounds.

25.10.1992 "The attempted coup has failed. Some of the Kulyabi rebels have fled and the others have been arrested." Solibayev, security chief in Tajikistan. The fighting causes many deaths and many rebels are captured in the battle for the presidential palace. They leave the parliament after an agreement between Kendayev and Iskanderov.

 Formation of the National Salvation Front. "Compatriots, comrades, friends, we have no choice. Besides us there is no-one else to defend Russia." They announce they will hold meetings in every factory and town over the next two weeks and set up groups to "defend the public from banditry, racketeers and ethnic attacks." It plans to open its congress on December 1. The programme calls for a halt to the return of troops from Europe, an end to privatisation and the removal of Yeltsin. Apart from the name, the group bears little difference to other nationalist and communist parties.
 Elections in Lithuania, as well as a referendum on the proposed constitution.

26.10.1992 Nabijev supporters escorted to the outskirts of Dushanbe. Reports of sporadic fighting filter in from the suburbs. Special session of parliament is held by agreement yesterday, near Nabiyev's home town.

 Landsbergis accuses Russia of meddling in elections in Lithuania, for example by raising oil prices just before the poll, and insists he will contest the presidency. Reformed Lithuanian Communist Party, the Party of Democratic Labour gains almost 45% of the votes in the first round (to 95% former CP members); Algierdas Brazauskas admits this is a pleasant surprise for him. Sajudis gain c.20% of the vote in an astonishing, humiliating defeat for the nationalist movement and Landsbergis. Agricultural chaos, price rises and heating cut-backs are the cause of the swing. Brazauskas wants to end the privatisation process.

27.10.1992 Khasbulatov's troops take control of the Izvestia building, whose ownership is claimed both by the government and parliament. Recently the paper has been a strong supporter of Yeltsin.
 Yeltsin signs a decree disbanding Khasbulatov's "Cardinal's Guard" (paramilitary parliamentary guard), calling its formation a "violation of law" and its answerability into question. Gorbachev: "What used to be an ember has become a fire, what is now a fire is becoming exploding dynamite," on the war of words between the two rivals, arguing that parliament should call an end to the squabbling. Yeltsin also discusses banning the National Salvation Front, whose aim is his overthrow.

28.10.1992 Conference on Assistance to former Soviet Republics.

 Parliamentary Guard banned. Yeltsin says it is an illegal armed group. He now has to prove their unconstitutionality.

29.10.1992 National Front call their banning 'pure despotism,' declare they will continue their fight and call on their supporters to do likewise. Ilya Konstantinov: "This is an anti-constitutional decree contrary to the legislation - we will not recognise its legal force." Yeltsin: "I will be tough with those who call for the overthrow of constitutional power."
 Yeltsin indicates he would "work seriously" with the centrist Civic Union group, a sign of his willingness to moderate reforms. Volsky says that its programme to "correct" the government's thinking was complete and they were coming closer to the Civic Union's thinking. Yeltsin concedes he will probably have to sack some reformist ministers, faced with the conservative Congress of People's Deputies to come, but insists he will resist any attempts to oust Gaidar from his premiership. Burbulis says that the situation is becoming so unstable that presidential rule "must be considered."
 Yeltsin signs an order suspending troop withdrawals from the Baltic states, announcing he is concerned about the violations of rights of Russian speakers. The withdrawal will be resumed when the rights of soldiers and the form a resumed withdrawal would take are settled. He also says he will ask the Interior Ministry to draft an appeal to the UN asking for an investigation into human rights in the Baltics.
 Yevgeny Chernorikov appeals to officers to reconsider their loyalty to the authorities. The army has received orders to lock up all weapons except those issued to guards. Gaidar denies knowledge of this.
 Russian Central bank warns of imminent hyper-inflation.

 Ukraine announce they are issuing new passports on the 1st of November to diplomats and businessmen, to everyone else on January 1st.

30.10.1992 During a visit to Ostrakhand, Yeltsin restates his opposition to the calling of the Congress of Peoples Deputies as "absolutely unnecessary," saying it will launch a "massive attack on the reform policy and possibly topple Gaidar's cabinet." On the National Salvation Front: "My decree outlawing the Front was timely." He also rejects the principle of direct presidential rule. NSF hold a small rally in Moscow denouncing economic reforms. Burbulis threatened the declaring of a state of emergency to defend the reform process.
 Christian Democratic Movement calls for a movement of national unity of government and opposition. They call for dialogue to form a government coalition of reformist forces.
 Russian deputy defence minister, Boris Gromov, says that the Baltic troop and equipment withdrawal could take up to seven years, for technical reasons. Yeltsin has in the past indicated that the withdrawal could be completed by 1994. Gromov says the Baltics' refusal to allow the deployment of fresh recruits is slowing down the dismantling of equipment.

 Heads of state of five former Soviet Asia republics meet with Turgut Özal in Arnkara. Turkey signs cooperation treaties with Azerbaijan and a loan of 384 MDM. Elchibey says that his country is not attempting a defence agreement with Turkey, but doesn't rule out military training. Armenian efforts to thaw relations with Turkey pay off, as the first consignment of wheat arrives in Yerevan.

 Tajik government asks Moscow to send extra troops to protect the capital from further pro-communist attacks. Abdulajanov said "all measures will be taken to prevent further bloodshed, but without Russia's help Tajikistan will not be able to solve its problems. I feel sure that if we have the co-operation of the Uzbek government in settling the conflict then we will suceed." (The border is not fully under government control and Uzbek guards have been seen co-operating with pro-communists) Pro-communist troops are massing outside Dushanbe.

31.10.1992 PM: 100 killed in ethnic clashes in NS Ossetia (confirm) during the last 2 days. 3 000 troops sent as reinforcements. Ingush trying to regain territory given by Stalin in 1921 to Ossetia. 80 Interior Ministry troops held hostage.