Tag Archives: primorye

On cost-shifting, the Duma election and others

Posted on July 8, 2026 by

As a background for a forthcoming report, I am highlighting some stories from the past month that show how Russia’s domestic political machinery shifts financial and political costs during the war. As the country is facing an increasingly uncertain-looking summer, … Continue reading →

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

On regional fiscal figures, falling governors and others

Posted on June 1, 2026 by

A first look at the Treasury’s data on regional budget execution in the first quarter of 2026 and what this means for regional finances; an explanation of why the dismissal of Vyacheslav Gladkov is likely watched and thought over by … Continue reading →

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

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

Posted on April 1, 2026 by

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 →

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

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

Posted on May 31, 2025 by

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 →

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

Short-termism and the long war

Posted on July 28, 2022 by

One of the reasons why the economic crisis triggered by the war and Western sanctions has not caused bigger problems in Russia is that so far both the population and elites could afford to believe that throwing more resources on … Continue reading →

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

A mirror, a rehearsal, a vote

Posted on September 24, 2021 by

The 2021 Duma election started exactly a week ago and ended with a result that most people expected and feared: a renewed United Russia supermajority, propped up by fraud, intimidation and a toolbox of tricks. The election will no doubt … Continue reading →

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

Primary rehearsal

Posted on June 5, 2021 by

The governing United Russia party held its “primaries” (irritatingly “translated” to Russian as праймериз) in the last week of May. The votes were totaled and a party congress will, on June 19, approve a list of candidates for the September … Continue reading →

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