Category Archives: Policies

On livestock protests in Siberia, the pitfalls of the Duma vote and others

What do the protests over livestock culling in Siberia say about the relationship between the Russian state and its citizens? And why is this just one of the many accumulating grievances that the Kremlin is concerned about ahead of this … Continue reading

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On regional budgets, veteran reintegration and others

What does a bit more granular look at regional deficits from preliminary electronic budget data tell us about fiscal risks in 2026? What can we glean from the first year of the regional equivalents of the “Time of Heroes” training … Continue reading

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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 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 discontents of the municipal reform, arrest season in the regions, and others

How is the Kremlin’s recently adopted municipal reform playing out in the regions, especially given unexpected protests in the Krasnoyarsk Territory? Are the recent arrests of regional officials, among them several ministers and deputy ministers significant? When the Kremlin names … Continue reading

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