A Russian mob boss, known as the godfather of the Russian mafia in the United States, was laid to rest in Moscow, today. BBC Russia analyst Steven Eke describes the life of Vyacheslav Ivankov and looks at how Russia's criminal world is marking his death.

Vice President Joe Biden is in Georgia today. The former Soviet republic is an independent nation, but has been at war with Russia in order to keep Moscow at bay. The vice president made it clear that the U.S. stands with Georgia, but it is unclear whether that support extends to selling weapons to the nation, a move that could make Russia very nervous. For more of the story, The Takeaway is joined by Steven Eke, the BBC's Russia anaylst.

The president of the southern Russian republic of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, is in critical condition after an assassination attempt. Latest reports say a car loaded with explosives rammed the president's car as he was driving to work. Mr. Yevkurov is the third senior Ingushetian official to be attacked in the past three weeks. Ingushetia — a predominantly Muslim region—is home to hundreds of refugees from the conflict in neighboring Chechnya. Steven Eke, BBC World Service's Russia Analyst, joins The Takeaway to analyze whether Moscow's control of the republics is slipping.

Here's Russia Today's report:

The Cold War may be over, but arms control still matters. Russian and U.S. negotiators are beginning talks to make further cuts in nuclear arsenals. The former Cold War rivals are hoping to come to terms on a replacement to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START I, which expires in December. For more, we turn to the BBC's Russia analyst Steven Eke, who's following the story.

In a move that has aggravated global tensions, NATO begins a month of exercises in Georgia today, despite the fact that Georgia is not a member of NATO. The war games will involve more than 1,100 soldiers from NATO countries in "crisis response" field exercises. Georgia’s military was devastated in a five-day war with Russia last year, and the country continues to provoke Moscow, even accusing the Russians of backing a military coup last week to overthrow President Mikhail Saakashvili's government. Now Georgia is claiming that the mutiny was meant to disrupt NATO's exercises. Steven Eke is a Russian Affairs Analyst for our partner, the BBC, and he joins The Takeaway with more.

For more on the situation in Georgia, watch the video below.

Yesterday, the Kremlin announced a massive modernization of its military, which sent Cold War shivers through the West. White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said President Medvedev’s statement that NATO expansion is prompting the military upgrade is “not on base” and was merely meant for Russian ears. But you might not know that from what the Russian defense minister said. For more, we turn to the BBC Russian Affairs analyst, Steven Eke, who's in London.

Watch this clip from Russia Today to see Medvedev's statement on expansion.

Russia's economy is reeling from the effect of a sharp fall in the price of oil. The ruble has lost more than a third of its value since August, inflation is about 13 percent a year and the 2009 budget is expected to slip into deficit for the first time in about a decade. The Kremlin is now reportedly worried about social unrest. Has Vladimir Putin's star fallen? For more, we're talking to Steven Eke, Russia analyst for our partner, the BBC.

The Russian parliament is fast-tracking legislation that would create a path for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to return to the Kremlin as president for another two six-year terms. Putin had already served two four-year terms as president from 2000 to 2008, but the current constitution prevents a president from serving more than two terms consecutively. With one-party control, the measure is expected to pass, and quickly, meaning there could be a President Putin in place soon (well before the end of the first term of the President-elect Barack Obama) and until 2021.