Tag Archives: democratisation

NY Dispatches: crackdown on Navalny

Recent weeks saw the Russian authorities conducting an unprecedented crackdown on Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, which included labeling it as a “foreign agent”. Below I am trying to answer the questions of what triggered this crackdown and whether the goal … Continue reading

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

NY Dispatches: Russia and the Council of Europe

Yesterday the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Europe’s most important human rights institution adopted the De Sutter Report, a text that will allow Russia’s delegation to continue attending the sessions of the assembly and to participate in the … Continue reading

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

NY Dispatches: Putin’s call-in show

Vladimir Putin held his annual call-in show yesterday. Don’t worry if you did not have four hours to watch it: it was not worth it. Below are some of the takeaways from a show that has gradually become less interesting … Continue reading

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

NY Dispatches: Ivan Golunov’s case

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

The curious art of questions

In political science, there are some questions not worth asking. These typically begin with “what if”, or take the form of “what does [insert name] really think about [insert issue]”. When Yevgeny Primakov, Russia’s former Prime Minister and Boris Yeltsin’s … Continue reading

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

The failed disciple #2 – The failing master

This is the end of Viktor Yanukovych’s political career. The reason is still the same that I pointed out a month ago: he is a petty tyrant, but more importantly, a bad politician. Following the clashes of the past two … Continue reading

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

A one-legged giant

As I am writing this blog entry, there is a tense standoff between protesters and policemen in Kiev, both groups waiting for the ultimatums they have given each other to run out. Sham roundtable talks are in preparation, featuring two … Continue reading

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