Institute of Modern Russia

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Economics

Russia’s Currency Reserves: More than Enough or Alarmingly Low?

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27 July 2015

Ezekiel Pfeifer

Russia’s foreign currency reserves have plummeted by more than $140 billion since the beginning of 2014, but the current level of $360 billion is more than adequate to cover short-term debt payments. Because of the structure of the reserves, however, they are actually more vulnerable than appears at first glance, writes IMR analyst Ezekiel Pfeifer.

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Media Must-Reads

Omsk Tragedy, Cold War Mapmakers, and Putin’s ‘Useful Idiots’

18–24 July 2015

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24 July 2015

In this week’s media highlights, military expert Alexander Golts argues that corruption in Russia’s defense industry is to blame for the tragic collapse of an Omsk barracks. Also, journalist Peter Pomerantsev writes that the Western media is playing into Putin’s hands by comparing today’s U.S.-Russia relations as a new Cold War.

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Opinions

• Discussion

Vitaly Portnikov: ‘Ukraine Will Have Friendly and Honest Relations with a Russia That Seeks European Integration’

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23 July 2015

Leonid Martynyuk

The Institute of Modern Russia continues its series of interviews with experts on the situation in Russia, its relations with the West, and the future of the country’s political system. On the eve of the anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Donetsk, journalist Leonid Martynyuk spoke with Ukrainian writer Vitaly Portnikov about the various theories that exist regarding the cause of the tragedy, the possibility of an international tribunal to investigate the incident, Putin’s plans with regard to Ukraine, and future relations between the two countries.

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Event Briefings

Views of the Ukraine Crisis, and Russian Media and Politics

June 2015

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22 July 2015

Brookings Institution • Carnegie Endowment

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Research Recaps

Russia’s Image, Nations in Transit, and Security Threats to the Baltics

June 2015

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22 July 2015

The Forsa Research Center • Public Opinion Research Center • The World Justice Project • Freedom House • Center for European Policy Analysis • The Finnish Institute of International Affairs

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World

Is Russia Planning a Summer Offensive in Ukraine?

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17 July 2015

Luke Johnson

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has been simmering for months, but speculation has risen that the Kremlin could order a major attack on Ukrainian positions in the coming weeks. Independent journalist Luke Johnson interprets the mixed signals coming from Moscow and the separatist “people’s republics,” finding that there may be strategic logic behind the rebels’ current holding pattern.

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Media Must-Reads

Putin’s Role in the Iran Deal, KGB Hallucinations, and MH17 Crash

11–17 July 2015

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17 July 2015

Why exactly did the Kremlin play such a helpful role in the Iran nuclear talks? The New York Times examined the issue in an insightful analysis, one of this week’s media highlights selected by IMR. Also, journalist Oleg Kashin looks at how a top Russian official fabricated an incendiary quote and attributed it to former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

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Economics

Why Russians Should Be Protesting the Same Thing as #ElectricYerevan

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15 July 2015

Ezekiel Pfeifer

A series of protests broke out in Armenia last month over a seemingly insignificant increase in the price of electricity. But this increase is part of a larger trend of rate hikes by utility companies that have the pernicious effect of driving up inflation. As IMR analyst Ezekiel Pfeifer explains, these rate hikes have a particularly destructive effect in Russia, where demonstrations may just break out next.

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Law

Realm of Darkness

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15 July 2015

Ekaterina Mishina

On July 8, the Dynasty Foundation, Russia’s largest private donor supporting science, was shut down after the Ministry of Justice added this organization to its list of foreign agents. Earlier, Dynasty founder Dmitry Zimin announced that he is ceasing its financing, and left Russia. IMR legal expert Ekaterina Mishina analyzes recent changes in the legislation, arguing that they are damaging to the country.

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News

Introducing ‘The Rundown,’ Your Guide to the Best Recent Content on Russia

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15 July 2015

The Institute of Modern Russia is introducing a new section on imrussia.org called “The Rundown,” which features digests compiled by IMR experts of the best content related to Russia. The section contains four categories: media must-reads, research recaps, event briefings, and book reviews.