Category Archives: Society

Of tragedies and farces

Posted on June 13, 2020 by

Russia will hold military parades across the country to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Second World War, on 24 June. Following the parade (officially on 1 July, but with voting stretched out over a … Continue reading →

Posted in Elections, Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NY Dispatches: the newfound assertiveness of regional leaders

Posted on June 2, 2020 by

The former head of the Republic of Chuvashia is suing Putin over his dismissal. This might seem outlandish but, along with other recent developments, it highlights a very real disturbance in Moscow’s relationship with regional political elites.

Posted in Dispatches, Elections, Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

NY Dispatches: How to read Putin’s ratings

Posted on May 10, 2020 by

Vladimir Putin’s ratings are falling. Unsurprising, say some, given the president’s muted response to the coronavirus pandemic. But the causes run much deeper. It’s citizens’ trust in Putin, not their approval of the president that is failing.

Posted in Policies, Society | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Vladimir the Cautious

Posted on April 19, 2020 by

Policies guided by risk-avoidance have allowed Russia to build up significant fiscal reserves before the pandemic hit. But risk-avoidance does seem to serve the country well during the pandemic and it did not neutralize the adverse effects of an overcentralized … Continue reading →

Posted in Policies, Society | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NY Dispatches: 2020 – plans and reality

Posted on January 10, 2020 by

According to an old adage, a political analyst is a person who is able to give a coherent prediction of what is going to happen in six months’ time, and also able to explain coherently, in six months’ time, why … Continue reading →

Posted in Dispatches, Policies, Society | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

NY Dispatches: Ivan Golunov’s case

Posted on June 12, 2019 by

The swift release of investigative journalist Ivan Golunov from custody after unprecedented protests is a triumph of Russia’s increasingly confident civil society and press. The way it happened also tells us a lot about the worst fears of the Russian … Continue reading →

Posted in Dispatches, Society | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

NY Dispatches: Russia and the Council of Europe

Posted on May 20, 2019 by

On Friday news broke that Russia reached an agreement with the Council of Europe, which will result in Russia remaining a member of Europe’s most important human rights organisation. A qualified majority of the CoE’s foreign ministers approved the deal, … Continue reading →

Posted in Dispatches, Policies, Society | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment