Tag Archives: siloviki

Fool me once

Posted on January 31, 2017 by

Russia seems to be winning the fight against the liberal order. Even if the foundations of the Russian state are rotten and there is growing discontent in Russia against the crumbling economy, this does not seem to have shaken Russia’s … Continue reading →

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A fake new world

Posted on December 3, 2016 by

In past weeks, it has become increasingly certain that Vladimir Putin is going to run for a fourth term in 2018. He has replaced most of his core team. He ordered his parliament to define Russian identity in a law – … Continue reading →

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Elections matter

Posted on August 20, 2016 by

In less than a month, Russia will hold elections to the State Duma. These will be the first legislative elections since the scandalous vote in 2011, and the first elections after Russia’s electoral reforms, with half the seats now filled … Continue reading →

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Meet the new friends

Posted on August 19, 2016 by

(This note first appeared on 14 August 2016 on the Atlantic Sentinel) Sergei Ivanov’s dismissal as Vladimir Putin’s chief of staff last week is the most important change in the upper echelon of Russia’s political elite since Putin returned to … Continue reading →

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The lonely hegemon

Posted on April 29, 2016 by

Last week, Nikolay Petrov, an astute Russia-watcher published an interesting article on the website of the European Council on Foreign Relations. In  this, he identified five dynamics that shaped Russian politics these days and declared that Putin’s regime had a … Continue reading →

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That awkward moment

Posted on February 5, 2016 by

Many families have an awkward, inconvenient relative: an uncle, an aunt, a wayward son – the kind of person who is increasingly out of touch with the world around them, listens to no one, knows no manners and comes up … Continue reading →

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An obituary

Posted on March 17, 2015 by

Yes, I read the news today. Vladimir Putin is alive and seemingly well. His handshake is firm, judging from the expression on the face of the president of Kyrgyzstan, and he may even have driven the car between two places … Continue reading →

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