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Putin’s war patriotism
There are few new ideas driving the Putin regime forward. If the Kremlin has an ideology, it is a deeply conservative and miltaristic one, with no goals, vision or future. What has been happening since...
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Turning the screws - but will it work?
With Aleksei Navalny on trial and other opposition leaders under threat, Vladimir Putin is relying more on the stick than the carrot to shore up his regime. Kirill Rogov points out the risks of this...
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Back to no future
With his regime running out of steam, Vladimir Putin is resorting to the rhetoric of the past and traditional values. Marie Mendras sees little future in it. The moment of truth for a nondemocratic...
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The incompetent many or the corrupt few?
Recent protest rallies and continuing opposition sentiment have provoked the Kremlin into reform. The first part of the process sees the partial return of regional governor elections, abandoned nine...
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Join the party!
A concession or a ruse to ensure continued authoritarian rule? In the second of two articles examining changes in Russia's electoral architecture, Grigorii Golosov considers the recent relaxation of...
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Prison or presidency for 'Russia’s Kennedy'?
Charismatic opposition leader Aleksey Navalny is on trial in the provincial capital of Kirov, 900km from Moscow. He is controversially accused of stealing timber worth 16 million roubles in 2009; if...
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Clans are marching
Russia’s ruling class is made up of a complex system of clans, constantly grouping and regrouping around their leader Vladimir Putin. Vladimir Pribylovsky explains who’s who in today's Russia. The...
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On disillusionment
Discontent may soon be the norm across all sections of Russian society. But its unlikely to benefit the opposition or professional classes, says Dmitry Travin. Russia viewed from the KremlinThe...
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Out of harm's way
The moral case for releasing Yulia Tymoshenko is overwhelming. But might her imprisonment be a blessing in disguise for the Ukrainian opposition, wonders Anton Shekhovtsov. Those European leaders who...
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Europe’s twin sisters
Russia and Turkey are both former imperial powers with one foot in Europe and one in Asia. Igor Torbakov argues that imperialism is still alive and well in both countries; even as they talk about...
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Rainbow Russia
What is life like for gay men and women in Russia? Sergey Khazov looks at the country's gay infrastructure, and discovers a very fragmented picture. Until a couple of years ago homosexuality was, if...
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The alpha tragedy of the beta male
The announcement of the Putin divorce was unexpected and unprecedented for a Russian leader. What made him decide to do it now, when the marriage apparently broke down years ago? Was it an act of alpha...
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Do Russians give a damn about homosexuality?
Popular support is usually one of the reasons offered in support of Russia’s new anti-gay laws. To what extent does polling actually support such assertions? Alexander Kondakov presents the latest...
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Defending the indefensible
Favourite lawyer of the Russian far right, Dmitry Bakharyev is developing a network of 'sports' clubs for like-minded nationalists — teaching knife, rather than ball, skills. He hopes the clubs will...
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The burning train
Anastasia Valeeva describes a bullish mood aboard the train carrying opposition leader Aleksey Navalny from Moscow to Kirov yesterday. Navalny and 'accomplice' Petr Ofitserov would in the morning be...
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Frighten and be frightened
The uncompromising sentences passed down today to Aleksey Navalny and co-defendant Petr Ofitserov demonstrate that the Putin regime has crossed over to the twilight phase. The only thing it can offer...
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Navalny steps into the ring
Alesksey Navalny was this morning unexpectedly released from custody, but he will be back in prison within a few weeks, says Grigorii Golosov. How has the opposition leader managed to become so...
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Messiah or false prophet?
For the past month, Moscow has been following the fortunes of opposition leader Aleksey Navalny — trial, imprisonment, implausible release and continuing Mayoral ambitions. But can all really be as it...
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Five Years after the Russian-Georgian War
Five years after the Russian-Georgian war, Georgian Premier Bidzina Ivanishvili has announced that Tbilisi is ready for direct talks with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It is an acknowledgment of the fact...
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From protests to pogroms
As the level of inter-ethnic violence reaches disturbing proportions, Emil Pain asks if Russia’s protest moment has turned nasty. In the middle of 2012, Russia’s influential Centre for Strategic...
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