Author Archives: ATCz

On the costs of veteran reintegration, regional elections and more

As the year starts in Russia, the reintegration of soldiers and upcoming regional and Duma elections are on the mind of the authorities. The Kremlin is creating pathways to spread the cost of and responsibility for veteran reintegration, while regions … Continue reading

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On the municipal reform and war participants, Putin’s press conference and others

The federal reform of municipal public administration continues to throw waves and upsetting people – unsurprisingly, even former war participants. This is just one of the many underlying political risks that the Kremlin is aware of but can do little … Continue reading

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On the ongoing municipal reform, flamboyant governors and others

The Kremlin’s municipal reform is still creating convulsions in several regions, primarily in Siberia and the Far East, which highlight some interesting patterns about multi-level governance. Meanwhile, Russia’s new cohort of eccentric governors had a bad month – but this … Continue reading

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On regional finances and others

As discussion starts about Russia’s 2026 federal budget, it is worth taking a look at the state of regional finances and where they are trending as Russia is headed either towards a prolonged war or an uneasy peace. Apart from … Continue reading

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On Russia’s upcoming elections and why they matter

Russia will hold regular regional and local elections on September 12-14 . The “single day of voting” – admittedly, the name is a little confusing given that since 2020 elections in many regions have been held over two or three … Continue reading

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On the “new elite” of war participants, AI in governance and others

How seriously should we take Putin’s promises of a “new elite” emerging from the participants of the war in Ukraine, based on the experiences of the past year? Will artificial intelligence solve the problems of regional and local governance in … Continue reading

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On the death of a chinovnik

A quick recap of why the apparent suicide of transit minister Roman Starovoit is likely a watershed event in Russian politics.

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