In this week’s roundup, experts continue the discussion on the political precedent set by the Primorye Territory electoral controversies. Another debate unraveled around Russia’s sanctioning a number of Ukrainian nationals and legal entities in what seems a symbolic action. Finally, the recent Levada poll reveals Russians’ attitudes toward personal responsibility for the state of affairs in the country.
In this week’s roundup: over the last two weeks, two foreign policy stories made headlines in Russia, paradoxically reflecting the ongoing crumbling of the international order: Vladimir Putin’s annual foreign policy conference and the news that the U.S. will withdraw from the INF treaty. On the domestic front, last week Russia was shaken by its first-of-a-kind mass shooting in a Kerch college in Crimea. Finally, following months of deterioration in the bilateral relationship over the Ukrainian issue, the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to sever ties with Constantinople.
These past two weeks, the reshuffle in the top echelons of the Russian political system continued, with several more governors losing their seats, including heavyweight Georgy Poltavchenko. Levada’slatest poll showed that Vladimir Putin’s rating had dropped by 20 points to 39 percent, most likely as a result of the pension reform. Finally, Chairman of Russia’s Constitutional Court Valery Zorkinproposed a limited constitutional reform, but it was not clear if the Kremlin supported the idea.
In this week’s roundup, experts explored various aspects of the current —surprising —developments in Russian regional politics where the Kremlin has recently lost three governorships. Additionally, analysis of the Russian public mood suggests that people deeply distrust the state and mostly rely on themselves. Finally, in another important move in the regions, the Kremlin oversaw the signing of an agreement between Chechnya and Ingushetia, which establishes an official border between the two, thus ending the issue disputed since 1991.
In this week’s roundup, the runoff election in the Primorye region ended in an unprecedented rigging of the vote in favor of the Kremlin candidate and later in a no less unprecedented cancelling of the election results. Another story that played out was the follow-up of RT’s controversial interview with two Russians accused of the Salisbury attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Finally, the downing of another Russian plane in Syria created tensions between Moscow and Tel-Aviv.
In this week’s roundup, political experts and sociologists analyze the September 9 elections in Russia where the Kremlin candidates showed underwhelming results. Another big story that shook the liberal corner of Russian society was the video message released by the head of the Russian National Guard Viktor Zolotov threatening oppositionist Alexei Navalny. Finally, the ruble volatility has been especially noticeable this week as the new U.S. sanctions loom large.
In this week’s roundup: a series of local, regional and other elections scheduled to take place on September 9 in Russia is expected to have a low turnout and a decreased rating for the “party of power.” Another story is Vladimir Putin’s decision to soften the controversial pension reform, which was announced in a national televised presidential address. Finally, the assassination of Alexander Zakharchencko, leader of the DNR, triggered a new wave of discussions about the future of the Donbass conflict.
In this week’s roundup: one of the somewhat overlooked developments this week was an idea, introduced by the Economic Ministry, to divide Russia into 14 macroregions. Some experts view it as a precursor to potential constitutional reform. In the follow-up discussion of the presidential aide’s controversial proposal to seize corporate “superprofits,” the government reframed the idea as “voluntary investment.” Finally, the Moscow election campaign has hit the home stretch, with the incumbent mayor promising Moscovites all kinds of perks.
Last weekend marked the 20th anniversary of one of the key events that shaped Russian modern history—the 1998 financial crisis and the government’s default. Another major discussion in the Russian political discourse this week revolved around a proposal by Putin’s economic aide to “seize” over 500 billion rubles from industrial companies to relieve the country’s tax burden. Finally, Russian experts try to explain the Kremlin’s expansion into Africa.
This week, the news of the killing of three Russian journalists in Central African Republic caused a great stir, with discussions and speculations spanning across all major publications. On a different front, the debates around the pension reform continue as the protests against it took place in dozens of the Russian cities. Finally, in the light of the recent torture video in the Yaroslavl prison, the Russian officials have floated the idea of a penitentiary service reform.
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