Category Archives: Dispatches

NY Dispatches: Navalny’s poisoning

German doctors treating Alexey Navalny in Berlin confirmed today that Russia’s most prominent opposition politician was most likely poisoned. As of Monday, 24 August it seems that Navalny might survive the attack, but little is known about his condition (unless … Continue reading

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NY Dispatches: Putin’s pitch

As voting commences in Russia’s plebiscite on Vladimir Putin’s constitutional reform the president is making his safest pitch to voters. But Putin cannot avoid making the vote about himself and people whose cooperation he needs to keep governing will know … Continue reading

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NY Dispatches: the newfound assertiveness of regional leaders

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.

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NY Dispatches: Sechin’s moves

Requests of tax breaks, aggressive moves against two business-focused publications and his reappointment to head Rosneft for another five years have led to renewed speculation about Igor Sechin’s position in Russian politics. But perhaps we have seen this before?

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NY Dispatches: COVID-19 and governors

Having left business owners to their own devices, the Kremlin now wants governors to come up with plans to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. Without more fiscal autonomy this will be a tall order. But high uncertainty means that governors can … Continue reading

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NY Dispatches: COVID-19 and Russia – part 2

This week, following a warning from Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin, the number of registered COVID-19 cases in Russia has surged as the country stepped up testing. The government now encourages people to stay home and has sought emergency powers. Vladimir … Continue reading

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NY Dispatches: Russia and COVID-19

The Russian government is slowly acknowledging the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and takes appropriate steps, all while trying to maintain the semblance of stability and normality. Keep an eye on the policies that will be introduced … Continue reading

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