Nikolai Petrov,a political analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Center, says that unlike Abkhazia, which is rich in natural resources, South Ossetia is not capable of existing independently.

VOA: standard.2009.08.26

The problem, argues Nikolai Petrov of the Carnegie Moscow Centre, is that the economy cannot become dynamic and progressive if the political system is not fair and free.

ECONOMIST: Russia's political leaders