Yulia Averyanova of Perspektiva, a Russian charity, says that Mikhail Terentiev and Vladimir Krupennikov, two former Paralympians now elected to the Russian Duma (parliament) have helped change attitudes.
Boris Yeltsin and I agreed in principle on this same reduction, and there was no way in the wide world he could get it through the Russian Duma that existed at the time in his second term.
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For instance, last October, he issued a summons to appear for questioning for Russian State Duma Deputy Vladislav Reznik.
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Beyond merely criticising Mr Putin's rule, he openly financed at least two important opposition parties and wielded heavy influence in the Russian parliament, the Duma.
He is a charismatic politician who came from within the system, both Soviet and Russian, and with his Duma seat he remains very much an insider.
Two top advisers to former Russian President Boris Yeltsin -- Sergei Karaganov and former Duma member Vyacheslav Nikonov -- told CNN Tuesday that Secretary of State Colin Powell told Russian President Vladimir Putin of Bush's intentions following meetings this week in Moscow.
That unleashed a firestorm in the Russian media and the parliament, the Duma.
Valentina Tereshkova (Russian Federation), Deputy at the Yaroslavl Duma and the first female cosmonaut, is also expected to contribute to the round tables with a video message.
Many others in the Duma have called for renewed increases in Russian military spending as the only way to guarantee respect for Russia in international affairs.
Russian lawmakers formally pulled the treaty from consideration in the Duma after the mid-term elections, citing political doubts, although they can resubmit it at any time.
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The paper remarks that the Duma "seems to have got... for the first time in recent Russian history a pro-government faction likely to control up to a half of the votes".
Ms Mitrofanova, who holds a PhD in international relations, was elected a Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russia and has also worked as an auditor of the Russian Audit Chamber.
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