No Yardstick

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 about the Kremlin’s personnel policies. I also reflect briefly on development plans (and realities) in Russia’s remote but economically increasingly important regions, and, in the “also-happeneds” section I look at recent electricity outages, newly appointed mayors and what the government expects to achieve with the nationalization of private assets.