Prague university has research centre named after critic of Putin

Prague's Charles University (UK) opened a centre for the research of Russia named after murdered Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov today, with Foreign Minister Martin Stropnicky expressing hope the new centre would help cultivate currently strained Czech-Russian relations. Stropnicky (ANO) pointed out the long tradition of Czech-Russian ties. "At present, Czech-Russian relations are not ideal, and they cannot be, since the security situation has changed in recent years," Stropnicky said at the UK's Faculty of Arts, where the Boris Nemtsov Academic Centre for the Research of Russia is based. Understanding between the two nations persists, he said. "I would like the students and academics to contribute to the cultivation of this naturally close relationship, which does exist," Stropnicky said.