Tag Archives: governors

On the “new elite”, railway troubles and others

Russian regional officials are still appointing war participants to various positions, mostly to signal loyalty to the Kremlin, but some of the more recent appointment may represent a slight an potentially consequential shifting of gears. Meanwhile, Russian Railways will be … Continue reading

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On the municipal reform, investment plans and others

Why is the Russian government planning to drag out the implementation of an upcoming reform of municipal self-governance? And does it matter? And why is it difficult to take the Kremlin’s infrastructure development plans at face value? Below I am … Continue reading

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On appointments of war participants, the Far East and others

In this dispatch, I would like to dive into two recent developments that highlight that even in today’s Russia, Putin has to operate with certain constraints, such as vested interests or the laws of economics.

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On what the Kursk incursion says about the limits of Russia’s flawed federalism

It is still unclear whether Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk Region has changed the calculus of Russia’s military leadership and the course of the war, but the Russian reaction to it has already highlighted the limits of the Kremlin’s governance … Continue reading

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On regional elections, Far Eastern development and others

Looking back on the past couple of weeks in Russian politics, I summarize what is worth watching as Russia prepares for another set of (likely heavily rigged) regional and local elections in September and what these regions may tell us … Continue reading

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On regional finances, Varangians vs locals, and others

Looking back on the past couple of weeks in Russian politics, I am going over the state of regional finances as of the end of May, pointing out why and where there are politically risky pressure points that will not … Continue reading

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On the drivers of the municipal reform, what makes Putin and Orban tick, and others

Looking back on the past couple of weeks in Russian politics, I am trying to explain why the Kremlin is eager to merge municipalities, a policy executed in several regions, which may become a federal law later this year. I … Continue reading

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