All Articles - Institute of Modern Russia

The Implications of Political Violence in Putin’s Russia

Details: Event Briefings

The Implications of Political Violence in Putin’s Russia

Details: 12 October 2016; Daniel Frey

On October 6, National Endowment for Democracy (NED) held an event featuring the screening of a short film about the 2015 assassination of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, followed by a panel discussion of the implications of political violence for Russia’s future and the Putin regime. Below we’ve listed the key points made by the film and speakers.

Sergey Aleksashenko: “Growth in Public Consumption Cannot Be Expected This Year”

Details: Economics

Sergey Aleksashenko: “Growth in Public Consumption Cannot Be Expected This Year”

Details: 10 October 2016; Sergey Aleksashenko

In his latest commentary about recent events in the Russian economy, Sergey Aleksashenko, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, again analyzes the latest economic statistics and emphasizes that the country’s prospects are not bright. The basic drivers of domestic demand—public consumption and investment—continue to fall steadily, and there are real problems with the Finance Ministry’s plan for reducing the budget deficits.

U.S. Suspends Syria Talks with Russia, New Dictators, and Why Russia Needs Government Reform Now

Details: Media Must-Reads

U.S. Suspends Syria Talks with Russia, New Dictators, and Why Russia Needs Government Reform Now

October 3-9

Details: 09 October 2016

In this week’s media highlights, Joshua Keating writes in Slate that with the suspension of the Syria talks with Russia, the Obama administration might give up on any meaningful cooperation with the Kremlin. And Mary Dejevsky in The Guardian argues that the U.S. and Russia could never fix the Syria crisis in concept. Meanwhile, Russian media experts discuss Russia’s pulling out of the plutonium agreement with the U.S., the newlook Duma, and the need for massive government reform.

Experts: Russia Is Not a “Brutal” Dictatorship, But Power Transfer Will Be Chaotic

Details: Event Briefings

Experts: Russia Is Not a “Brutal” Dictatorship, But Power Transfer Will Be Chaotic

Details: 05 October 2016; Daniel Frey

On September 21, Center on Global Interests (CGI) held a discussion titled “Arrested Development: Rethinking Politics in Putin’s Russia” at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. A group of distinguished panelists, including Maria Lipman, Kirill Rogov, Nikolai Petrov and Andrei Soldatov, shared their views of the current developments in Russian politics, the nature and trajectory of Putin's regime, and the specifics of the public mood in Russia. Daniel Treisman moderated the discussion. Below are the key points made by the speakers.

Putin’s Outlaw State, MH17 Propaganda, and the Case of Putin’s Millionaire Friend

Details: Media Must-Reads

Putin’s Outlaw State, MH17 Propaganda, and the Case of Putin’s Millionaire Friend

September 26-October 2

Details: 02 October 2016

This week, in the Western media highlights, The New York Times argues that under Vladimir Putin’s rule Russia is rapidly turning into an outlaw nation. Mark Galeotti in his op-ed for CNN details the Kremlin’s propaganda playbook. Meanwhile, in the Russian media, TV Rain released an investigation into the background of Pyotr Kolbin, a mysterious, Forbes-ranked Russian millionaire, who happens to be a childhood friend of Vladimir Putin. And Kirill Rogov breaks down Russia’s social structure into three groups, providing an insight into the recent Duma elections.

Reincarnation of the KGB, Putin’s Ideology Hero, and Russia’s Liberal Utopia

Details: Media Must-Reads

Reincarnation of the KGB, Putin’s Ideology Hero, and Russia’s Liberal Utopia

September 19-25

Details: 25 September 2016

In this week’s Western media highlights, Andrei Soldatov explains in Foreign Policy the implications of the potential revival of the Ministry of State Security in Russia, which he calls a “reincarnation of the KGB.” Timothy Snyder delves into Russia’s political history and analyzes the influence that one particular figure—philosopher Ivan Ilyin—has gained over Putin and the rest of the Kremlin elites. Meanwhile, in the Russian media, experts have been discussing Russia’s recent parliamentary elections and the flaws in Russian liberal thinking.

Experts: The U.S. Should Not Promote Democracy in Russia Because This Plays into Putin’s Hands

Details: Event Briefings

Experts: The U.S. Should Not Promote Democracy in Russia Because This Plays into Putin’s Hands

Details: 19 September 2016; Daniel Frey*

Last week, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace held a discussion on what the 2016 elections mean for the U.S.-Russia relations. At the event, co-hosted by the Center on Global Interests, M. Steven Fish and Stephen Sestanovich shared their insights on the topic. IMR is publishing a summary of the key points made during the discussion.

The Bastrykin Controversy, the U.S. Problem with the Kremlin, and Russia’s Political Narcissism

Details: Media Must-Reads

The Bastrykin Controversy, the U.S. Problem with the Kremlin, and Russia’s Political Narcissism

September 12-18

Details: 18 September 2016

In this week’s Western media highlights, Mark Galeotti explains the rumors behind the alleged resignation of Alexander Bastrykin, notorious head of Russia’s Investigative Committee. And Walter Russell Mead discusses Russia’s re-emergence as a superpower in the Middle East in the context of the U.S. foreign policy. In the Russian media, Alexander Rubtsov analyzes Putin’s regime from the political psychology angle, and Denis Volkov delves into the unpopularity problem of Russia’s liberal parties.

Trump’s Love for Putin, How Russia Can Throw the U.S. Election, and Why Levada Center Got Shut Down

Details: Media Must-Reads

Trump’s Love for Putin, How Russia Can Throw the U.S. Election, and Why Levada Center Got Shut Down

September 5–11

Details: 11 September 2016

In this week’s Western media highlights, Steven Lee Myers explains in the New York Times Trump’s fascination with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. In her column for the Washington Post, Anne Applebaum spells out a potential scenario of Russian hackers undermining the U.S. presidential election. In the Russian media, experts discussed the reasons for putting Levada Center on the “foreign agents” list, and disserted upon the country’s development path and the so-called “legacy of the past.”

The Hamlet Question: Autocracy or Federation? Part 2

Details: Law

The Hamlet Question: Autocracy or Federation? Part 2

Details: 07 September 2016; Vladimir Pastukhov

The Institute of Modern Russia continues the discussion on the issues of Russian constitutionalism. In part two of this essay, political scientist Vladimir Pastukhov explains why Russia’s unitary structure leaves it an autocratic empire, and why a federation would permit it to become a nation-state with functioning authority.

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