All Articles - Institute of Modern Russia

Freedom of Speech for Zhirinovsky!

Details: Nation

Freedom of Speech for Zhirinovsky!

Details: 02 November 2012

Our next clip features Vladimir Zhirinovsky's speech in the State Duma on September 17, 1999. On that day, Zhirinovsky was denied the right to speak because, in an emotional outburst and probably without meaning to do so, he revealed a state secret.

Vladimir Kara-Murza Joins IMR as Senior Policy Advisor

Details: News

Vladimir Kara-Murza Joins IMR as Senior Policy Advisor

Details: 01 November 2012

On November 1st, political commentator and historian Vladimir V. Kara-Murza joined the Institute of Modern Russia as a senior policy advisor. His responsibilities include the Institute’s outreach, policy analysis and editorial management.

From Cuba to Iran: Lessons from the Cuban Missile Crisis

Details: World

From Cuba to Iran: Lessons from the Cuban Missile Crisis

Details: 01 November 2012

The Cuban Missile Crisis, which put the world on the brink of a nuclear war, officially ended on October 28th, 1962, after a compromise was reached between U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. A half-century later, international affairs experts are reflecting on the lessons of the superpower conflict – and drawing parallels with the current situation in Iran.

Putin's Ten Seconds

Details: Nation

Putin's Ten Seconds

Details: 29 October 2012

"I'll begin with my favorite video. This video became my favorite because, on this memorable State Security Agents' Day (or Day of the Chekist) in December 1999, a young, unknown, and therefore not fully understood Vladimir Putin, in a flight of almost childish enthusiasm and sincerity, publicly told us that the forces of the former KGB (now code-named "FSB" for the sake of secrecy) had taken over the Russian government."

Details: Nation

To the Viewers

Details: 29 October 2012

IMR website launches a new project: Felshtinsky's Video Blog. The Institute's Advisor, Yuri Felshtinsky, - a prominent Russian American historian and the co-author (together with Alexander Litvinenko) of the book "Blowing Up Russia" - will select and analyze the most interesting YouTube videos on Russian politics. The videos and commentaries will be published regularly. All our readers are welcome to join the discussion!

“Reset” Featured in Romney-Obama Debate – But Not Enough

Details: World

“Reset” Featured in Romney-Obama Debate – But Not Enough

Details: 26 October 2012; Vladimir Kara-Murza

During the foreign policy debate between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney on October 22nd, there were ten references to Russia, but most of them were only in passing. The Republican nominee did criticize the current administration’s “reset” with Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime – but only once. According to IMR Advisor Vladimir Kara-Murza, if the Romney campaign wants to get an edge in foreign policy, it should draw more attention to the candidates’ differing approaches to Russia.

New Russian “Patriots”

Details: Politics

New Russian “Patriots”

Details: 25 October 2012; Sasha de Vogel

The new political season in Russia has opened with a round of hardline legislative changes. This raises the issue of the Putin regime's changing nature: Is this hardening a temporary phenomenon, or a dangerous long-term trend? What are the moving forces behind the increasingly authoritarian character of the regime? What are the new trend’s features? What kind of threat does it pose to the country? Our Institute’s analysts have attempted to address these issues.

U.S. Experts Slam Putin’s “Paranoia,” Obama’s “Wishful Thinking” in Foreign Policy

Details: World

U.S. Experts Slam Putin’s “Paranoia,” Obama’s “Wishful Thinking” in Foreign Policy

Details: 19 October 2012

The Kremlin’s insistence on undermining U.S. attempts to achieve a political transition in Syria, and its support for the regime of Bashar al-Assad could backfire against Russia’s interests in the Middle East. According to foreign policy experts who joined this week’s discussion at the Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C., Vladimir Putin is taking “a major gamble.”

Yevgeny Satanovsky: The choice in Syria is between a bad scenario, a catastrophe, and an apocalypse

Details: World

Yevgeny Satanovsky: The choice in Syria is between a bad scenario, a catastrophe, and an apocalypse

Details: 18 October 2012; Olga Khvostunova

The Syrian crisis continues to escalate, and is slowly reaching the level of a regional catastrophe. Western countries, led by by the U.S. and France, insist on “Libyan-scenario-style” intervention. Russia and China are blocking U.N. Security Council resolutions that would implement Western policy. Yevgeny Satanovsky, head of the Moscow-based Middle East Institute, spoke with IMR’s Olga Khvostunova about the specifics of the Syrian war, and various scenarios of further developments in the region.

Reforming the Police

Details: Law

Reforming the Police

Details: 16 October 2012; Ekaterina Mishina

On November 17th, 2012 the Institute of Modern Russian will hold a round table, entitled "No Boundaries in Russian Government Corruption," as a part of the 44th Annual Conference of the Association of the Slavic, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES). Today, we present an abridged version of the report by Sasha de Vogel, Columbia University MA Student, one of the three round table participants.

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