Politics
A close look at the inner workings of authoritarian power in Russia and beyond, and the forces that could one day transform it: how the Kremlin holds and wields power, why the democratic opposition endures, and what a genuine political renewal would take
Tuula: I hope Oleg will win
Valeria Jegisman of Free Russia Foundation caught up with Maxim Tuula, producer of "The Trial: The State of Russia vs Oleg Sentsov," during his recent visit to Washington,…
All power to the bears!
Does Siberian separatism exist? There is no Siberian separatism yet. And this is the main problem of Siberia. While speaking of Siberian separatism, people mostly mean the "special…
Full list of Members of the European Parliament who voted against the resolution on political prisoners in Russia
On 14 June this year, the European Parliament adopted a resolution that, in particular, demanded: “that the Russian authorities immediately and unconditionally release Oleg Sentsov and all other…
Oleg Sentsov and other political prisoners we must fight for
On May 4th, Oleg Sentsov, the film director, announced a limitless hunger strike with the demand to release all Ukrainian political prisoners from Russian prisons (64 people total).…
The Current Russian Government Will Become a Textbook Example of Administrative Stagnation
Dmitry Medvedev’s new Administration has already been dubbed “the stagnation cabinet” and for a good reason. Despite some rotations, the new government is dominated by well-known bureaucrats who…
Russia has fundamentally changed after 2014
Valeria Jegisman of Free Russia Foundation, sat down with Alexandr Morozov during his recent visit to Washington, D.C., to talk about Russia’s political system and future, the impact…
Putin and the European Far-Right: Partners in Crime
On Saturday, March 10th, at Kiev’s Free Russia House, Anton Shekhovtsov presented his book “Russia and the Western Far Right: Tango Noir.” The book is the first to…
Putin’s Wunderwaffe
The times are changing and so is Russian President Vladimir Putin. Back in 2014, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Putin was inebriated with the unexpected astounding success of his…
What is behind the visit of the “Alternative for Germany” to Crimea?
“No human rights violations have been observed in Crimea”,—announced the group Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschland, AfD) political party members who visited Crimea in early…
The view from Moscow: Sound and Fury
To whom and why did Russian President Vladimir Putin address in his impressively aggressive Federal Assembly speech delivered on March 1st? As usual, the pundits disagree. Domestic policy…