Category Archives: Society

NY Dispatches: The protest in Yekaterinburg

One of the most remarkable protest actions of the past decade seems to be unfolding in Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth largest city this week, where thousands of locals protest the construction of a church on what is now a green area. … Continue reading

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

The rise of the regions

The main story of the year 2018 in Russia was the rise, in indignation, of Russia’s regions. While there has been growing tension between Russia’s federal subjects and the federal government for years, 2018 changed the calculation for the Kremlin … Continue reading

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

Forget about revolutions

What does the Kremlin’s low-key approach to the 100th anniversary of Russia’s October Revolution tell us? By itself, not a lot. Things are not going well in Russia, but this should not be enough to make Vladimir Putin afraid of … Continue reading

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

When autumn comes, some bloom anew

The September regional and gubernatorial elections will open Russia’s most important and most unpredictable political season for at least six years. Alexei Navalny, the man who is on his way to make next year’s presidential election be about him without … Continue reading

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

Fool me once

Russia seems to be winning the fight against the liberal order. Even if the foundations of the Russian state are rotten and there is growing discontent in Russia against the crumbling economy, this does not seem to have shaken Russia’s … Continue reading

Posted in Policies, Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A fake new world

In past weeks, it has become increasingly certain that Vladimir Putin is going to run for a fourth term in 2018. He has replaced most of his core team. He ordered his parliament to define Russian identity in a law – … Continue reading

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

Elections matter

In less than a month, Russia will hold elections to the State Duma. These will be the first legislative elections since the scandalous vote in 2011, and the first elections after Russia’s electoral reforms, with half the seats now filled … Continue reading

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