Tag Archives: samara

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 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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On dismissals and score-settling, new directions for public administration and others

On the Kremlin’s cautious personnel policy running parallel to increasingly bold score-settling enabled by the domestic political agenda, a creeping public administration reform, and more.

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The changing face of the crisis

The year 2023 will be bumpier for many Russian regions than the past year was. Warning signs are already visible: tighter money, distracted officials, more friction points. The September regional and local elections are not without risks, either.

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Short-termism and the long war

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

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Completing the vertical

The second part of Russia’s ongoing public administration reform will extend the power vertical further downwards. The bill does not only reflect a trust in the tools of digital authoritarianism, but also the goal of giving the federal center a … Continue reading

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